Community Arts in Cannock Chase District

Today I went to Chase Leisure Centre to meet Lisa Shephard and Kerrie Jones, of the Arts, Health and Well Being team. which is managed by Wigan Leisure Culture Trust. Two enthusiastic ladies who are passionate about using the arts to increase the health and well being of the people of the Cannock Chase District.

Communities within Cannock are still very much based around the traditional but now defunct mining areas. Each had their own pit, their brass band and their identity and people are still reluctant to travel from one area of Cannock to another. New manufacturing industries have not replaced the pits; traditional manual work is in short supply with new industries being based in the service sector. We discussed the possibility of doing an arts and well-being project in the Blake area of Cannock to help build capacity within this community. This is an area Cannock with a lack of literacy skills and academic aspiration and a high incidence of alcohol and substance misuse. Work has been done here previously by the Cannock team; it has been thoroughly consulted and connections are in place which would enable Lichfield Mysteries to do projects in this area. They are currently compiling a Reaching Communities funding bid for a three year programme of work in Blake and other areas of Cannock Chase District.

It was lovely to meet such committed and enthusiastic people who care so much for the communities in which they live and work. I am looking forward to further discussions and planning some exciting community arts projects with them.

Every little helps

What a smart green car...

I've just got back from meeting with Laurence Shenker, Lichfield Tesco's Community Champion. Tesco employ 300-400 people at this store, making it one of Lichfield's largest employers. They operate on a variety of shift patterns so large numbers of the workforce are unknown to each other. Part of Laurence's remit is to encourage staff activities and the social committee have organised several competitions - Easter egg decorating, poster making etc. These have not been overwhelmingly supported and Laurence has concerns about whether we could motivate people to take part in an arts activity. I think this sets us a challenge!
Laurence is going to sound out the staff and see if there is any response and I am going away to think of arts activities which might appeal and projects which individuals could perhaps contribute to over a period of time creating a collaborative piece.
I will also contact other Tesco branches in the target areas - we might be able to do a project all together.

Hmmmm...thinking caps on....

Simon and Mal

I've just got back from afternoon tea in the Lichfield Garrick Green Room with Simon Quinn and Mal Dewhirst, two lovely gentlemen who areas  passionate about community arts as me. Brilliant!
Simon is Director of Fired up Theatre, devising and delivering performance projects with people who do not usually access the arts. They do lots of intergenerational work breaking down social barriers and challenging perceptions and are very keen on partnership working. Amongst many other projects, together with Mal Dewhirst, Simon was responsible for The Wall, Tamworth's largest community production to date based on Pink Floyd's album and they are now both working on Quadrophenia as a community piece for performance in May 2013.
Mal is a poet, writer and film maker and is Staffordshire's first Poet Laureate. Mal's ideas for poetry in Staffordshire are really innovative and accessible.
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Together they make a great and multi-talented team.We had a lovely chat about multi-disciplinary art works; they have used projections, sound installations and textile work in previous projects, all of which would be an exciting new adventure for Lichfield Mysteries. Being well established in Tamworth they have made lots of contacts with all kinds of people and are thinking about potential participants and work which we could do in partnership to extend community engagement with Lichfield Mysteries in the Tamworth area.

I like nothing better than a cup of tea and a good conversation about community arts!