Our journey began in Bourton with The Cotswold Youth Theatre, a local, affordable and inclusive group dedicated to raising confidence and self-esteem in young people. We now welcome over 100 weekly attendees across 8 groups, from ages 4 to 19, and have seen first-hand the life-changing impact that creativity can have.
Building on this success, we are developing Sparkhouse Creatives CIC – a not-for-profit umbrella organisation that will expand access to the arts across the North Cotswolds and, in time, further afield. Our mission is to provide safe, affordable, and inspiring opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy a wide variety of creative activities – from visual and expressive arts to performance – delivered right in the heart of their communities.
This summer we successfully ran a week-long Arts Camp, which brought together children and young people for an intensive programme of creativity, teamwork and performance. The response was overwhelmingly positive and highlighted the need – and appetite – for more accessible opportunities like this in our rural communities.
Just as grassroots football provides accessible, community-based sport, we want the arts to be just as available to young people in the evenings and at weekends. Our vision is for young people to develop new skills and confidence, supported by members of their community, in their own local halls.
To achieve this, Sparkhouse Creatives will build a network of local artists, performers, and craftspeople who can share their skills with young people and the wider community. We will remove barriers by covering the cost of space hire, advertising, insurance, and resources. We will also provide a trained facilitator at every session to ensure safeguarding and first aid are in place, so activities are safe as well as inspiring.
Beyond weekly clubs, we want to branch out into one-off events and community arts festivals across rural areas, giving people the chance to come together to celebrate creativity. Financial support will be available for families who might otherwise struggle to access classes and events, ensuring inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do.
In the longer term, we also want to help young people and local creatives develop job skills, training and qualifications around the arts, making it a viable career path within rural communities. By doing so, we can nurture both the next generation of artists and the communities that support them.
