The South West Culture Digest - Spring
For this Spring time’s edition, we’re celebrating the beginning of our 2023 – 26 Investment Programme, sharing details of creative Coronation activity, reporting on exciting projects, sharing sector jobs and opportunities; and finally giving a whistle stop spotlight on The West.
With the changing season, we draw our attention to the blossoming events and budding creative opportunities coming up. Get your cultural lowdown of what’s happening in the cultural sector… Jump right in!
If you have a good news story or an opportunity you’d like to share with us, get in touch.
Good News
It was the Coronation Weekend!
We’ve supported local communities across the country to come together through culture for the Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort, through an exciting raft of activities for people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved with; including Libraries Unlimited who provided free wildflower seeds at its local libraries to celebrate; Gloucestershire Libraries who are invited the community to take part in creating an installation from handwritten uplifting messages.
Family-friendly workshops were held at Royal Albert Memorial Museum, and South West Heritage Trust unveiled its collections relating to royals through the centuries…
With the National Lottery funded Coronation Bandstand Project staged by Music for Youth, there was lots of festivities and live music to enjoy at local public bandstands including: Cheltenham’s Pittville Park Bandstand, Falmouth’s Princess Pavillion, Morrab Gardens in Penzance and the Vivary Park Bandstand in Taunton.
From our new National Portfolio Organisations
The celebrations follow our start of our support to 117 organisations, museums and libraries in the south west between 2023-26. As we welcome our new portfolio, we wanted to shine a light on some of the good news stories and projects in communities that we helped fund.
Culture Weston’s GLOW Festival lit up Weston town! The festival by Theatre Orchard took place in February, and welcomed more than 20 thousand people to an illuminated town centre, with a series of pop-up artworks and light installations spilling out from the main festival site at Grove Park and into popular town centre locations.
Swindon Dance held their annual 5-day Jam Festival celebrating underground dance on 11 until 15 April, with workshops led by talented dancers across the region.
Museums across the nation joined the Art Fund’s Wild Escape, including The Box, who took part in World Earth Day on 22 April with fun packed events and workshops for families based on the Six-Banded nomad bee – Britain’s rarest type of bee found along the South Devon coast.
Over in Plymouth, Dame Darcey Bussell was appointed the new Chair for Theatre Royal Plymouth, taking over the position from Nick Buckland OBE. The regional producing theatre has also been working with 11 schools across Plymouth for a four-year project With Flying Colours consisting of co-created performances with young people, in collaboration with Plymouth City Council that will in a city-wide festival in June.
Elsewhere in Devon, Exeter City of Literature officially launched its Penguin Book Vending Machine in April. A collaboration with Penguin Books and the Great Western Railway, the machine makes a wonderful addition to Exeter St David’s station, offering those passing through a selection of affordable paperbacks before hopping on the train. Stay tuned for its other locations!
Diverse City toured their magical and unique new show Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror starting at Bristol Old Vic, which received an overwhelmingly positive response (and lots of tears!) from audiences and critics. Hear from Co-Artistic Director Jamie Beddard on Arts Council’s Instagram, here.
Three Bristol based organisations; National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, Open Up Music and Awards for Young Musicians, have also been announced as the South West’s cohort of National Youth and Music Organisations. They will make a significant contribution towards the delivery of our national plan for Music Education and provision, and bolster Bristol’s reputation as a hub for music, alongside the much-anticipated opening of Bristol Beacon later this year. Also in the city – the historically significant ss Great Britain, who in addition to being in the portfolio, have also received funding support through the Cultural Investment Fund, were awarded this May as the joint winner of the Museums and Heritage Award for Sustainable Project of the Year.
Projects Update
Supported by our open grants funding
Since April last year, we have supported over 1300 organisations and individuals in the south west through National Lottery Project Grants including:
Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub in East Devon who will create a series of joined artwork installations by the local community through Sidmouth
Bristol’s renowned Aardman Animations who will play a key role in bringing to life the story of the winner of the Amazing Authors’ Blue Peter Competition
Saltash Songs & Shanties Festival in Cornwall in June celebrating music for families and the local communities in and around Saltash
We’re also proud to have supported artist Roxana Vilk/Vilk Collective for the ‘Songs of Home and Circle/دایره’ project in March. Thanks to Lottery players, she and her team were able to showcase a co-created live performance and group workshops exploring themes of inclusion, immersive experiences and shared spaces, made in collaboration with Squidsoup and the local community in Portsmouth.
Cultural Investment Fund
We announced the 12 successful projects of our latest Cultural Investment Fund from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Over £9.7 million will be invested in museums, libraries and heritage sites in various parts of the county; from one of the oldest working mills in the country, Coldharbour Mill and the historic Weymouth Nothe Fort, to libraries in Devon, Portsmouth and Hampshire.
As part of this, we’ve also invested over £3 million in North Devon Council through the Cultural Development Fund – which will enable the transformation of Barnstaple into a vibrant town offering culture and activities for the local communities and its children and young people.
The fund is made up of a strand of three capital funds (Libraries Investment Fund, Cultural Development Fund and Museum Estate and Development Fund), set out to help to improve access to cultural buildings, grow the local economy and safeguard collections for the future.
Opportunities
MAYK is recruiting for a new voluntary Board Chair
As Chair, you would provide leadership, support and guidance for the board and MAYK’s Co-Directors.
Aspex Portsmouth has an open call for COMMUNAL
Whether you run a creative writing group or are looking to host workshops, this is a unique opportunity to make the most of a free experimental space in one of Portsmouth’s most important arts and community hubs.
OperaUpClose is looking for a Digital and Audience Development Officer
Responsible for implementing the digital and communication strategy of OperaUpClose, the candidate will lead on marketing campaigns and develop ideas with the executive team to reach a diverse audience across digital platforms.
a space is hiring a Content Creator
The visual arts organisation is seeking a candidate with creative skills and enthusiasm to join the team as Content Creator.
SW Spotlight: the West
In April, some of the team met newcomers to the portfolio, from across Gloucester and North Somerset – including Gloucestershire Libraries and Trigger, to visit their brand new homes.
At Oakley Library, they caught behind-the-scenes of the new Interactive Space and community hub launching in June, where Darren, our CEO, planted a tree for the community garden too.
The refurbishment is also funded by the Libraries Improvement Fund and will allow visitors to hire a book as well as immerse themselves in literacy and learning in fun and interactive ways.
Contact Us
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