Jellyfish created by the creative community in Medway on LV21 for the “Fish Disco”, organised by Moogie Wonderland. LV21 is the venue for “Hooked Up”.
An enterprising group with a £1.5million plan for the arts in Swale and Medway is inviting residents to a series of events to share ideas on how the money should be used.
Consortium members from Creative People and Places: Swale and Medway want to meet members of the communities the money will benefit and hear their views on the kinds of projects, events and activities that will improve the two areas. Each event will have creative activities for visitors to take part in as well as providing opportunities for discussion.
The grant is from Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places programme, which aims to make the arts accessible to everyone and encourage people and groups who don’t think the arts are for them to get involved. Therefore, the consortium is keen to meet both members of the arts community and people who do not ordinarily engage with the arts.
The events are…
- Pop-Up Cinema, organised by Artlands North Kent, 6.30 to 9pm, Sunday, March 24, onboard Thames sailing barge Edith May, Lower Halstow Dock, Lapwing Drive, Lower Halstow, near Sittingbourne. Contact fiona@artlandsnorthkent.org.uk A free pop-up cinema event. The truly remarkable and acclaimed Terence Davies film Of Time and the City is both a love song and a eulogy to his native Liverpool, exploring memory, reflection and how a place can change and influence the people that live there. The inspiring film demonstrates an affinity between Liverpool and North Kent as it reflects upon the former’s industrial past, sympathetically and creatively articulating a sense of place. Refreshments will be served, booking is essential via the email address above, parking is available and access onto the boat is limited.
Three more public events, featuring a pop-up cinema, open discussions between active members of the arts and non-arts communities, and interactive performances, are being organised for March.
The consortium is also asking residents to nominate “community catalysts” – prominent members of either arts or non-arts communities who already do a lot locally and will be able to encourage others to get involved with activities in Swale and Medway. Nominations can be made at the events and via the website from March onwards.
Fiona Boundy, curator of Artlands North Kent, said: “Swale and Medway have exceptional and thriving community and voluntary sectors and we know there is a desire from these areas to engage in the arts.
“We will work collaboratively within these communities to share skills, knowledge and resources and adopt new ways of working to broaden and diversify opportunities for engaging with, and participating in, creative programmes of the highest quality. Starting conversations with members of the arts and non-arts sectors at the six events is the first step towards this aim.
“We are committed to ensuring that Swale and Medway become known as places where all forms of creativity can thrive; where communities directly benefit from the power of the arts to make positive changes in their lives; where new routes for engagement are opened up through our commitment to testing out pioneering and experimental approaches to working.”
This month the consortium advertised, in the national and arts Press, the role of “creative enabler”, which will be key to the programme’s delivery.
Fiona continued: “The creative enabler role is important because it will enable us to get on with the delivery of really exciting, engaging and inclusive creative programmes. The creative enabler will be crucial in terms of ‘putting into action’ feedback and ideas from different communities and will also be key in facilitating our open submission strand, where we will invite people to submit proposals for projects.
Sign up to receive regular updates and news letters about Creative People and Places: Swale and Medway atwww.CreativePeoplePlace.info Visit the soon-to-be re-launched website for more details on events and consortium members and to find out how the Creative People and Places programme is evolving in Swale and Medway.
Students with a current student card can take advantage of the 2 for 1 student ticket offer for RFS screenings = £3.50 each!
Art About is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company offering workshops run by local artists Helen Morley and Wendy Daws. The purpose of this project is to provide contemporary Fine Art opportunities to adults who are excluded from mainstream higher education and art making opportunity, for reasons of disability or disadvantage.
Supporting UK craft and design from their Clerkenwell base for over 30 years, Craft Central celebrates the launch of their new galleries this February. Their interesting Victorian buildings have long housed studios, exhibition spaces and business advice for designer makers, but 2013 sees an exciting expansion of the gallery facilities in St John’s Square, enabling them to grow their programme of public exhibitions and events.
Creatabot 