Creative Colleagues - May 2024

MAY 2024

CREATIVE COLLEAGUES Creative Lives’ in-house magazine

NEW CREATIVE LIVES STRATEGIC PLAN “Our new Strategic Plan represents an important shift for Creative Lives, in response to the current fragility of society,” says Robin. “It focusses our work over the next five years on leveraging the proven ability of local creative groups to reduce isolation, improve wellbeing, increase inclusion, and build stronger community identity and cohesion.

“Our new Place, Profile and Policy staff teams will be working together to empower, support and connect local volunteer-led creative groups so they have the capacity and resilience to collaboratively address challenges facing their communities.”

You can see the new Strategic Plan on our website here.

THE QUICK CATCH-UP LIVE LAUNCH FOR NORFOLK & SUFFOLK REPORT “After working in Norfolk and Suffolk mapping creative health opportunities for over a year, it was a joy to finally launch the report on 18 April at Snape Maltings, Britten Pears Arts - an amazing historic setting and concert hall based in rural Suffolk,” says Jess. “The event was well attended and the panel discussion brought together academics, health commissioners and cultural leaders to explore how they can foster collaboration between the health and creative sectors more strategically.

“The report was well received and the event was buzzing with people exchanging contact details and ideas and we'll watch with interest as the recommendations are now being taken forward and driven by the Norfolk and Suffolk Culture Board.”

CREATIVE SCOTLAND FUNDING BID SUBMITTED Over the past month, Jemma (with support from Robin, Lindsey, Jill and other team members) has been working hard on the second phase of our Creative Scotland Multi-Year funding application. “We should expect a decision by the end of October,” says Jemma. “Thank you for all your contributions. I think it is a strong application and very much a product of our new organisational strategy.”

CREATIVE LIVES IN PRINT We’ve been writing articles for external magazines in a bid to raise our profile, impart helpful information and support our advocacy. The Supporting All Artists (SAA)’s membership magazine, ‘Paint & Create’, carried a piece by us on starting and running an artists trail, and we wrote an article on the importance of creative groups in communities for ‘The Geographer’, the membership magazine for the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, plus several blogs on the Cass Art website coming soon.

“If you’re aware of a membership/industry publication that might welcome a piece by us, please let us know,” says Kelly.

“We’re happy to write articles on a range of topics that support Creative Lives’ priorities.”

ON THE HORIZON NEW TEAM MEMBER IN WALES We've appointed Tracy Breathnach as the Artist-Facilitator for our project in Bridgend. Gareth says: “Tracy is a highly experienced performance artist and cultural manager, so we're very excited to be working with her.”

AWARDS DEADLINE LOOMING The window of opportunity will be closing on Monday 13 May, so make sure you encourage creative groups you’re working with to enter this year’s Creative Lives Awards!

EDENDERRY ARTISTS SOUND PROJECT A collaboration between Creative Lives and a sound researcher at Belfast’s Queen University, ‘Aethereal Material’ saw field recordings made with groups across Northern Ireland and artists in Edenderry. The artists are now heading to Belfast in May to share findings. Hear the recordings and find out more here.

CREATIVE LIVES EVENTS IN MAY Creative Network: Crafts - Tuesday 21 May (online) - How can we approach social media as a form of crafting, and make it part of the creative process? With guest, Daisy Bow du Toit (pictured).

Creative Learning: Fundraising for Creative Groups Wednesday 15 May (online) - a 90-minute introduction to raising funds, giving participants the skills and confidence they need to be a successful fundraiser.

STARTING OUR NEW GOVERNANCE MODEL Robin says: Our new simpler and leaner governance model (replacing our previous subcommittees, panels and task forces) will start in May with the initial meetings of five new standing Committees. These committees, involving staff, Trustees and external experts, are: Programmes and Strategy Committee (overseeing the work of the Place Team); Finance and Fundraising Committee; Profile and Data Committee (overseeing the work of the Profile Team); Policy and Nations Committee (overseeing the work of the Policy Team); People and EDI Committee.

GETTING TO KNOW...

LUKE WHITTLE Creative Lives Research Intern

What’s your first memory of being creative?

From a very young age, I remember my brother and I always had a notebook each that we doodled in, wrote stories and created comic strips. .

If you could click your fingers and be proficient at any art/craft form, what would it be?

Probably drawing. I don’t know if my drawing skills have improved very much since my childhood notebook.

Which do you prefer, river walk, beachside stroll or hill climb?

Hill climb. I love spending a day climbing Munros. Each hill has its own character, the views are incredible (when not hidden by clouds), and it's a great sense of achievement to be able to tick off another one.

You’re planning a day of live music and can book any 5 artists (living or dead) – who’s on the bill?

The Beatles, Billy Joel, Queen, White Lies, Catfish and the Bottlemen.

What inanimate object in your home most sums you up?

A fridge. I like to think I’m a chill guy.

What’s your favourite quality in a person?

Optimism. It’s always good when someone can spot the positives in life.

Which do you prefer – chocolate bar, slice of cake or biscuit?

This is a very difficult one but I’m going to say biscuit. I’m regularly having conversations with friends about our top 5 favourite biscuits.

If you could choose any work of art to hang in your home, what would it be?

Van Gogh. Probably any one from his series of Wheat Fields.

Which country have you never visited but would love to?

Italy. There are some iconic cycling climbs there that I’d love to tick off my bucket list.

Tell us one thing your colleagues would be surprised to learn about you I can juggle whilst riding a bike.

PHOTO FINISH Each month, we ask a colleague to capture an aspect of their life, at home, or out and about.

“This picture is of me against one wall in my study. Books are extremely important to me. I acquired a passion for them when, as a member of a collective in the 1970s, we opened a bookshop that specialised in the stories of, and by, the colonised, the poor and neglected. If we are to be inclusive, we need to embrace and appreciate others’ histories, stories and hopes.” David Bryan