The South West Culture Digest - May 2021
In the first ever South West Culture Digest, we’re sharing good news and opportunities from and for the creative and cultural sector in all corners of the region – from Cornwall, up to Gloucestershire, over to Southampton and all the villages, towns and cities in between.
After a difficult year, we’re so pleased that many of our much-loved cultural organisations in the south west can finally begin to welcome back live audiences and visitors once again. We know that creativity and culture is needed now more than ever to bring communities together, to create much-needed jobs, to grow local pride and to boost our happiness – and we want to shout about it!
If you have a good news story you’d like to share with us, email us and we’ll do our best to include it in a future issue.
Good news
Paraorchestra appoints new Musicians in Residence
Three incredibly talented musicians will begin a 12-month paid residency with Paraorchestra this month, thanks to a £60,000 bursary from Sky Arts. The Musicians in Residence will receive support and guidance from Paraorchestra’s Artistic Director, Charles Hazlewood, and the wider Paraorchestra team over the next 12 months in a unique opportunity to develop their practice. The scheme forms part of Charles Hazlewood’s recent appointment as Ambassador for Music for Sky Arts. The bursary will create further residency opportunities for Paraorchestra musicians identifying as D/deaf, disabled or neuro-diverse in 2022-23.
A giant leap for south west innovation
Real Ideas have released the first look of their magnificent Immersive Dome at the Grade II listed Market Hall – a world-class space for digital innovation and learning in Plymouth, as supported by the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund and HM Treasury. The dome is the first of its type in Europe, with cutting edge tech that will create a seamless, shared virtual reality experience. Alongside this, the Market Hall will also offer creative and collaborative workspaces, learning, workshops, a production suite and more, and Real Ideas will also support 13 new creative/tech start up business ideas as part of its Start Something Immersive programme, with many using the Dome to get their project off the ground.
A kickstart for young people
SPUD, an arts charity based in the New Forest, has recently employed the area’s first Kickstart apprentice – Seth Horton – as part of the Government’s newly launched Kickstart Scheme, which provides funding to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit. Seth will receive hands-on communications experience, developing new skills on SPUD’s digital and social media channels, and showing the community what SPUD can offer them through promotional work.
Another south west organisation doing fantastic work through the Kickstart Scheme is Create Gloucestershire, who has been selected as a Gateway organisation to support 13 employers in Gloucestershire – including The Music Works, Stroud Valleys Artspace and Cheltenham Festivals. The organisations will recruit 31 young people, giving them the change to build their confidence and skills in the workplace whilst improving their chances of finding long-term, sustainable work.
Celebrating the humble Cornish hedge
Kerdroya is a major new piece of permanent public art at Bodmin Moor in Cornwall made entirely of traditional Cornish hedging – and the largest classical labyrinth in the world – supported through Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants. The masterminds behind the work, Golden Tree, are on a mission to train the next generation of Cornish Hedgers, and have been working with community groups and schools to pass on the ancient knowledge and skills. They’ve also launched the Outdoor University of Cornish Hedging - an extensive training programme in partnership with the Guild of Cornish Hedgers giving people a unique opportunity to learn the ancient craft of hedging.
Also taking part in the Government’s Kickstart Scheme, The Outdoor University of Cornish Hedging is offering four 6-month placements. Golden Tree is running a sector-based work academy with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to give potential Kickstart applicants a taste of Cornish Hedging before they apply. All Kickstart employees will leave as a Guild of Cornish Hedgers Hedger with an externally accredited certificate from Lantra, the UK’s leading provider of land-based training, as well as CV and interview training, and help with a job search. Those interested in applying should speak to their DWP Work Coach.
Opportunities
Open call from All in the Mind Festival
All in the Mind is an outdoor mental health arts festival from Fluid Motion Theatre Company taking place in Basingstoke on Saturday 11 September. Supported through Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants, the free annual one day event will offer a broad range of music, dance, spoken word and theatre. The festival is searching for both emerging and established artists to create either a performance piece or an interactive, creative activity to be part of the programme. The call out is open to artists, collectives and organisations from all disciplines and backgrounds. Deadline for applications is 4 June.
Musicians needed for Front Garden Music Festival
Seed is a creative initiative, funded through our Creative People and Places scheme, which supports people to take part in creative and cultural activity across Sedgemoor. Seed is currently looking for local performers and musicians for Sedgemoor’s first socially distanced music festival on Sunday 6 June. Performers will take to their front gardens and outside spaces throughout the day to perform short sets for their neighbours and passers-by. A roaming live stream team of three will be travelling across Sedgemoor to capture the highlights. This paid opportunity is for musicians in the area.
Take SANCTUARY at Lighthouse Poole
Artists and creative practitioners of any kind in Dorset are being offered a safe haven this summer in which to bring their ideas to life – free of charge. The opportunity is courtesy of Lighthouse, Poole’s centre for the arts, which is inviting artists and practitioners to apply to SANCTUARY. The fully funded new support scheme will see Lighthouse’s Sherling Studio turned into a creation space from May to September for artists to develop their work – whether rehearsing, undertaking research and development, or holding workshops and sharing events. The scheme is made possible through support from the Cultural Recovery Fund and Weston Culture Fund.
Funding news
Breaking Barriers with Asian Arts agency
Asian Arts Agency develop, promote and support South Asian Arts both nationally and internationally. They were recently awarded £100,000 through National Lottery Project Grants for Breaking Barriers – a one year talent development project focussed on supporting South Asian Musicians. The project aims to address some of the current difficulties facing freelancers and individuals, particularly those from Asian backgrounds who have disproportionately suffered the impact of Covid-19. Breaking Barriers will be delivered in partnership with leading arts venues and specialist music industry organisations, including Arnolfini, British Phonographic Industry, Bristol Beacon, and Real World Studios in Bath.
SW highlights
Reopening with Ventnor Exchange
As many cultural organisations across the country prepare to welcome back their audiences, we caught up with the team at Ventnor Exchange, a creative arts hub and social enterprise on the Isle of Wight, who took over our Instagram feed for the week to tell us what they’re looking forward to in the coming weeks and months. Inspired by the culture and people of the island, Ventnor Exchange combines theatre with a record shop and a craft beer bar, and uses its profits to fund projects that develop the cultural offer of the area and opportunities for young people - from street art commissions to producing the annual Ventnor Fringe, the island’s largest arts festival!
