The South West Culture Digest - November 2021
Hello, and welcome to the November issue of the South West Culture Digest.
With the days getting shorter and frost beginning to settle, the natural world will be preparing for hibernation and bidding farewell to 2021. Meanwhile in the culture sphere, activity is in full swing with plans for a major festival next year unveiled, the latest recipients of the Culture Recovery Fund announced, and artistic and professional opportunities aplenty. And it’s all wrapped up for you in this November edition.
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Good news
UNBOXED Festival unveils nationwide programme of creative events
The south west has a wave of spectacular creative events coming its way next year as part of the recently announced UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of creativity, taking place across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and online from March to October 2022. From live immersive ‘moon experiences’ in Southampton to a giant monster installation off the coast of Weston, highlights for the south west include:
SEE MONSTER | Weston-super-Mare
Located in the Tropicana, Weston-super-Mare’s former 1930s lido and site of Banksy’s 2015 Dismaland, SEE MONSTER will transform a decommissioned North Sea offshore platform into a large-scale public art installation which will harness the power of renewable energy.
Green Space Dark Skies | Outdoor locations across the south west
Green Space Dark Skies will see a series of mass gatherings take place in locations across the s0uth west and the UK at dusk, between April and September 2022. 20,000 people will become ‘Lumenators’, each carrying a light into the landscape. Be part of history in the making and volunteer to become part of this incredible outdoor art piece – either alone, with family and friends, or with an organisation.
Tour de Moon | Southampton
Tour de Moon is a large-scale public festival of immersive experience and live events that will be touring three English locations next summer, including Southampton in June 2022. With live and virtual experiences, the nationwide cosmic adventure will support youth, nightlife creators, scientists and digital creators.
The Tour de Moon creative team is looking for young (aged 18-25) filmmakers, producers, musicians, digital content creators, performers, writers, scientists, costume designers, editors, activists, storytellers and DJs to join them, with more than 850 bursaries up for grabs ranging from £100 to £25,000.
Story Trails | Bristol
StoryTrails will bring lost stories to life with technology in streets, square and libraries in 15 locations around the UK, including Bristol. Teaming up with BFI, historian David Olusoga, BBC and more, StoryFuture Academy will create a series of mobile AR walking trails, with an immersive map of the psycho-geography of each place and VR experiences.
Our CEO Darren Henley looks to the future
What is the role of arts and culture in a post-pandemic world? Earlier this month, our CEO Daren Henley joined UWE Bristol at Arnolfini on Bristol’s harbourside for a conversation on just that as part of the Bristol Distinguished Address Series. Tune into the podcast to hear Darren discuss everything from the huge challenges the sector faced over the past 18 months to our aims to build a creative and cultural future that brings about real change to people’s lives.
Check out the podcast >
New National Lottery investment to benefit primary school libraries in Swindon
One in four schools in disadvantaged communities do not have a library or dedicated reading space, despite the huge benefits that reading has on children’s learning and wellbeing. We recently awarded Penguin Random House UK £901,177 through National Lottery Project Grants to expand its World of Stories programme, which seeks to address that statistic.
Run in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, World of Stories helps primary schools improve their libraries and give children better access to the benefits of reading. Thanks to the National Lottery and its players, this new investment is expected to impact 125,000 children in 500 primary schools in disadvantaged communities across the country, including those in Swindon, one of our priority places in the south west.
Find out more >
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Funding news
More south west orgs are #HereForCulture thanks to Culture Recovery Fund
Last week, we announced the 132 cultural organisations across the south west that will receive a share of over £15 million in the third tranche of the Government’s lifeline Culture Recovery Fund. Thanks to this major investment from HM Treasury, many more organisations will survive the pandemic and can resume programmes and events, including the rural North Devon Theatres at the heart of their community in Ilfracombe and Barnstaple; Aerospace Bristol, the industrial heritage museum and learning centre in Filton; Diverse City, the award winning inclusive combined arts company; social enterprise Onion Collective with their recently opened East Quay development; and the Wedgewood Rooms, the celebrated grassroots music venue in Portsmouth.
Get the full list of recipients >
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Opportunities
Writing masterclasses for young people in Devon
What if YOU Spoke, is a new programme of writing masterclasses and competitions aimed at Devon residents aged 15-25. Led by Libraries Unlimited in partnership with Pen to Print, University of Exeter, Africa Writes and Literature Works as part of Exeter UNESCO City of Literature, the programme will empower the next generation of writers to share their voices and get writing, Check out Libraries Unlimited’s Evolve website for a series of free online classes from some of today’s most inspirational voices.
Sign up today >
Digital dance commissions
Swindon Dance has four digital commission opportunities available to artists and companies as part of its online platform. Each piece of work will receive £2,000 and support from the organisation, with all commissions to be produced between January – September 2022 and presented September – December 2022 in Swindon Dance’s online professional performance programme. All dance styles and digital mediums are welcome, with one commission to be appropriate for children and families, another to explore identity, and two open commissions. Apply by 10 December 2021.
Find out more >
Watershed seeks new Trustees
As its 40th birthday approaches, Bristol’s Watershed is looking to appoint five new trustees to support reinvention and growth in its next chapter. Applicants from inside and outside of the cultural sector are welcome, with particular interest in those with expertise in cultural cinema, hospitality, environmental sustainability, finance and business development, inclusion and social impact. Watershed is hoping to appoint a trustee with lived experience of being Deaf and/or Disabled to increase representation in this area.
Apply by 9 December.
Find out more >
Rife recruiting 16 – 24 year old Content Creators
Watershed’s Youth engagement programme, Rife, is seeking four Content Creators who will develop content creation skills alongside a multi-disciplinary team of young creatives, with support from Rife Resident Editors and the wider team. These freelance positions have a flat fee of £2,160 for 12 flexible days between January – July 2022. There is also scope to join Rife’s wider creative community by becoming a Pervasive Media Studio Resident during the role. Applications from people underrepresented in the creative and cultural sector encouraged. Apply by 6 December.
Find out more >
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SW spotlight
ICYMI: Our 11 priority places across the south west
We recently announced a new place-based approach as part of our Delivery Plan for 2021-24, with 11 priority places across the South West - from the unspoilt Isles of Scilly up to the cathedral city of Gloucester and over to rural New Forest. Priority place status recognises the need for increased development time from the Arts Council to grow cultural investment in the area, and is intended to give more people the opportunity to participate in creative activities and enjoy excellent cultural experiences in their communities and neighbourhoods.
Read our news story >
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Get in touch
If you have a story you’d like to share with us, email the ACE South West comms team and we’ll do our best to include it in a future issue.
