The idea
We will deliver workshops & events building on & extending our ROAD STORIES year-long creative reminiscence project & emerging from our need to relocate the Rural Art Hub. Working with our partners Shropshire Cycle Hub, Babbinswood Farm, Soulton Hall, Whitchurch Heritage Centre, Ellesmere Yard & more we will create an extraordinary, unique touring rural project. For this project we will deliver a series of accessible, inclusive cultural experiences bringing together creativity, heritage & sustainability. This will be a project for all ages, presenting stories through visual arts, sound, music, photography and theatre that will support experiencing the landscape in new and exciting ways.
What we'll deliver
- A Programme of Workshops and Events for all ages
- Volunteer Opportunities (offering experience across a range of activities)
- A Podcast and Online Archive
- Paid Opportunities for Creative Practitoners from the region
Why it's a great idea
Through a series of activities we will respond through creativity to rural isolation, climate change, access to the natural world & supporting mental/physical health & wellbeing. We will deliver nature walks to respond to the wayside, create opportunities for young people to become involved in a portrait & theatre project to dramatise the challenges of getting around, we will create singing walks & sound walks that open up unique creative experiences at the heart of the everyday. As well as develop a series of site-specific art works, for example, geo-tagged stories at bus stops that expand the horizons of where art & heritage can be experienced. All activities will be free or “pay what you can” & we will pay our practitioners according to recognised rates.
Steps to get it done
- Getting on the road - Launch Events - February to March
- Further Events throughout the Road Stories Project - April to August
We currently have a budget as part of our Postcode Lottery Trust that will cover the costs of part 1 of this project with a large part of it funding creative facilitators to collect stories and admin with a small amount for equipment. We will put £3000 of the funding from Postcode Lottery towards this part 2 of the project. However, this is not enough for all the amazing possibilities for the project and the crowdfund will enable us to take it to the next level of getting it on the road and developing more sustained activities with older people and young people experiencing rural isolation.
