Newsletter
– September 2017
Introduction
The
summer seems a long time ago as I write this on a cold, murky late September
morning. Yet there is something of a new-year feeling with lots of arts
resolutions in place. What better way of a new start than having a new person
in place and so I say 'Welcome Elaine Knight'. Elaine is the new Part Time 'Arts
Development Assistant' for Worcestershire County Council. She will be managed
by Trevor Jones and despite listening to my jokes is still smiling. In between
jokes I asked Elaine a few questions!
Hi Elaine –
tell us about yourself?
I lived and worked in Lincolnshire for 26
years before moving to Worcestershire. I was the Performing Arts Manager for
artsNK, an arts development agency based in Sleaford, in the heart of
Lincolnshire. My role included; developing the performing arts programme
across North Kesteven, overseeing the artistic programme of The Terry O Toole
Theatre (a 200 seater venue), managing a dance and older people's programme
across the county, overseeing the Lincolnshire One Venue's programme which aims
to connect young people and venues together in a more meaningful way and
codirected a Creative People and Places Programme, Transported, in the south of
the county.
Originally I trained as dancer and have always
worked in rural areas, creating opportunities for people to take part in the
arts who don't always have access to them.
What
attracted you to working in Worcestershire?
Worcestershire feels a little bit similar to
Lincolnshire - A rural county made up of a city, a number of market towns
and large areas of more isolated villages. As someone who believes in
creating opportunities for people who don't always have access to the arts it
was important to me to move to somewhere where the arts didn't always take
place in dedicated arts venues and there was the opportunity to develop a
programme in non-traditional venues like village halls, schools and
libraries.
What are you
looking forward to most?
I really like the way the arts in
Worcestershire work together through the Arts Partnership so I am looking
forward to getting to know how that works and how together we can put the arts
at the centre of people's lives.
Good
stuff and I know Elaine will be a brilliant addition to the WAP er
family/massive/group.
Updates
Arts
and Health (New Prescriptions)
The NP
Group, led by Jenny Davis, have been very busy with an event called
'Conversations About Death and Dying'. This was undertaken in partnership with
Dr Maggie Keeble, who has a great interest in supporting people in their final
years. We had a mixture of arts and health professionals at the event at the
Hive on the 20th September and we listened to a great presentation
from Sharon Hudson from Birmingham YODO (You Only Die Once) who showed what our
Brum friends are up too as well as some terrific arts interventions in this
area. Despite the subject matter the event was both serious but also light
hearted. Interesting fact – the mortality rate for those who will read this
will be 100%. It was also the first project where someone emailed me as Dr
Wilson too.
Economy
Last
night (the 28th of September) saw 15 Festival providers get together
to see if as a group (a flock perhaps) of Festivals can get together to share
good practice, ideas and collaboration. Led by Oliver Carpenter, we had a great
evening, with live music and free beer from the Teme Valley Brewery. There was
lots of enthusiasm and energy and our next question is 'what next' but there
was a real drive and purpose to it all. Big thanks to Oliver for driving this.
Jump Start Performance
Our
next event is planned for the Feast Festival at The Malvern Cube. There will be
two events. The first is a new showcase of new plays. Lee and I read through 27
submissions of new work which we have shortlisted to 5. The showcase will be on
Thursday 9th of November and on the Sunday 12th there
will be a workshop by Pentabus Theatre in writing for a Rural audience.
Inspiring Futures in the Arts
Debbie
Birch and yours truly have been busy recruiting artists for our project funded
by the West Mercia Police Crime Commissioner. We have recruited 7 new artists
from a variety of art forms and are ready to go! We now have great partnerships
with Probation, YSS and County Council Children Services.
Vamos and Forthright Productions (Jest a
Minute)
I was
so proud to recently attend shows from two of our wonderful theatre companies.
Vamos performed Finding Joy at The Courtyard in Hereford and Forthright at The
Everyman in Cheltenham. Two excellent shows from companies who we should be
proud of.
Last
but least…
This is my last newsletter as County Arts
Officer. When I took over, the Arts Partnership was 6 local authority officers.
Now thanks to you all we have over 150 active 'members' and a thousand or so followers.
To see this happen has been inspiring. Thank you. It really has been a
pleasure. – Steve
