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The
autumn always feels a bit like a ‘new term’ for us, and despite the
on-going disruption caused by COVID, we are pleased to be able to
still look ahead to the future and to announce some exciting new
developments for the coming year.
We’ve also been glad to get back to running live creative events
outdoors, as well as keeping our popular online events and creative
communities running.
Lockdown has had an enormous impact on the arts, cultural and
creative industries, and on the communities we work with. We will
be initiating some new projects to make sure that creativity can
still thrive in North Kirklees, and to provide much-needed support
for artists over the coming months, as well as seeking to bring new
resources into the area in partnership with local events and
festivals.
As ever we are open for new collaborations and partnerships - and
we are particularly looking for new, grassroots-based community
groups interested in joining the Creative Scene Partnership to help
us steer the next phase of the programme. So do get in touch if
you’d like to talk further.
Read on to find out more - keep creative and safe.
Nancy & the Creative Scene team.
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Building
Brigantia: a creative organisation fit for the future
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You may
have attended activities or workshops at Brigantia - our studio
space in the heart of Dewsbury - and we are now developing a new
charitable organisation, Brigantia Creative, to take forward the
Creative Scene programme, and to develop new opportunities for people
to take part in arts and culture in the future.
Brigantia was the ancient region in the north of Britain, the
territory of a number of diverse tribes, with the Pennines at the
heart. It was also considered as an alternative area for the local
authority area of Kirklees. Creative Scene is firmly rooted in West
Yorkshire and Brigantia Creative will continue the good work of the
last six years in bringing together like-minded ‘tribes’ from
across the region and beyond, who share our passion for people-powered
creativity.
Community voice will continue to be an essential part of how we
make art a part of everyday life in our patch of West Yorkshire,
and we will continue to deliver the Creative Scene programme with
our Partnership Group. Currently led by the Lawrence Batley
Theatre, with The Batley Festival and Kirklees Council, we are
currently seeking additional grassroots-based community
organisations to join the Creative Scene Partnership and to help us
steer the next phase of the programme.
We are particularly keen to hear from groups that work with young
people, children and families, older residents, and with South
Asian communities. If you would like an informal chat about what is
involved, please get in touch.
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Digital
Deficit and Cultural Democracy: a webinar series - dates for your
diary
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Digital Deficit - Is COVID amplifying arts
exclusion?
Thursday 12
November, 10 – 11.30am
The digital responses to the COVID crisis produced an array of
inspiring practice – but very little discussion about the
readiness, relevance or accessibility of digital content for
audiences who are on the other side of the digital divide.
As Creative Scene’s activity tentatively moved online during COVID,
we also had conversations with our audiences to find out what
digital content from cultural organisations was reaching and
appealing to them – or if it even was part of their life in
lockdown.
Along with the illuminating findings from our research, join us on
Zoom for provocations from leading speakers to discuss how we can
make digital content work for diverse audiences in the future.
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Building Back Better, a post-COVID cultural ecology
Thursday 26
November, 12noon - 1.30pm
During COVID, the resilience of the arts in communities across the
UK has been tested: funding has been diverted, libraries, theatres
and community centres shut, and artists and freelancers have been
left without work.
And yet, there have also been energising changes: community
organisations and collectives have become more flexible and nimble,
leadership structures have become more horizontal and every day we
see the value of creativity in boosting wellbeing, bringing
communities together and helping shape the identity of a place.
As we think about how we ‘build back better’, we will be launching
‘Parking A Poem in a Biscuit Factory’ - our place evaluation which
looks at how power has been shared in Creative Scene - with a
conversation with Shadow Minister for Cultural Industries and MP
for Batley and Spen Tracy Brabin and some other special guests, to
discuss how the cultural ecology can be built back better to
promote equity and increase participation in the arts.
More information, speakers and booking information to be announced
– get the dates in your diary and we'll see you on Zoom.
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Len Grant takes us through Parking A Poem in a Biscuit
Factory.
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Desperately
seeking diversity in the arts - help us fill a new post
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We are
delighted to have been successful in our application to the Weston
Jerwood Creative Bursaries 2020-22 and to join 50 organisations
across the UK who will be creating a new, step-change job
opportunity for talent from socio-economic backgrounds currently
under-represented across the arts.
The Fellow will be a paid four days a week role at £19,000 per
annum pro rata, starting with Creative Scene in early 2021. We want
to make sure this opportunity reaches the ears of the less usual
suspects, and that people who would like to consider a career in
the arts are supported to apply.
If you work with young people or adults, in an education or
training capacity, or if you are a community or arts group with
members who might be interested in applying for this opportunity,
please register your interest.
We will make sure application packs come to you so you can support
potential candidates into the process and can arrange for informal
pre-application conversations.
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Locked
down but not left out
Our summer programme saw us getting out and about as
well as meeting up online
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The Gift
was inspired by the heritage, cultures, people and towns of
the area and helped over 2,000 people get creative at home. We
distributed The Gift in partnership with third sector agencies RVS,
More in Common, PKWA, Kumon Y’All, Yorkshire Children’s Centre and
Ravensthorpe Community Centre - as well as on our own stall on
Dewsbury Market.
We’re happy to be able to extend this project over the winter
months, with £9,472 of new funding from the National Lottery
Coronavirus Support Fund. If you run a group with members who might
like to receive The Gift, or can help us distribute to community
members, please get in touch and we’ll tell you how you can
take part.
It’s free and we want to reach people who are isolated, vulnerable,
or who don't usually get the chance to take part in the arts.
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Lockdown
Lives featured North Kirklees creative
businesses and community groups and showed their resilience and
creativity as they adapted to COVID restrictions - the films have
reached over 15,000 people so far.
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BANK - a
movement of artists with important things to say about the issues
facing towns and neighbourhoods have been coming together to share
conversations about the role of the arts in making places.
Our next online event is Thursday 22 October, where we’ll be
welcoming Kath Davies (Strategic Lead for Cultural Development for
Kirklees Council) to discuss the public art initiatives in Dewsbury
and the wider area.
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Walking
Through Time was created as part of Heritage
Open Day in Dewsbury, working with writer Kay Douglas and members
of Dewsbury Community Outreach to create a cast of characters
bringing tales from Dewsbury’s history to life. Thousands of people
witnessed the new ‘street performers’ as they animated the town on
a sunny market day.
Batley-based artist Lauren Roadnight undertook her first
professional commission too. We hope you spotted her posters, as
well as performers, around town and that we’ll be able to introduce
you to some colourful characters from Dewsbury’s past again in the
future.
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Creative
Scene is the Arts Council England Creative People and Places
project operating in North Kirklees, West Yorkshire. For more
information about Creative People and Places, check out their
website.
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