CREATIVE COLLEAGUES
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD OPEN FOR ENTRIES
The shortlist for this year’s Creative Lives Awards has now been chosen (a huge thank you to everyone involved in that lovely but difficult process!) and is now up on our website.
We’ll be encouraging the 34 shortlisted groups to spread the word far and wide to garner votes for the People’s Choice Award – but please do take a look yourself and vote for your favourite group. You can view the shortlist here.
Judging panels will meet in June/July to choose this year’s winners and runners-up. Please ensure your nation has completed its judging by 25 July at the latest.
[Pictured: Vocal Vibes]
J U N E 2 0 2 4
Creative Lives’ in-house magazine
THE QUICK
CATCH-UP
AL VALUE SUMMIT PRESENTATIONS
On 20 May, members of the Place and Policy teams came together in Edinburgh to take part in ‘Connections and Partnerships: The Value of Culture in Communities’ , run by COSLA and the Scottish Government.
David, Jemma, Jess and Phoenix gave presentations and networked alongside Culture Counts, Glasgow Life, The Stove Network, V&A Dundee and others. Presentation topics included the social and economic value of culture and the role of partnership working
BRIDGING THE GAP IN BRIDGEND
After a few months of desk-based research mapping creative opportunities throughout Bridgend County, we have recently been out and about, conducting three open conversation events to explore the conditions that would help local creativity to thrive.
The events were hosted by local artist Tracy Breathnach and supported by our volunteer Alice Wilkins. The next step is to gather all the rich info into a report for Bridgend Council.
DANCING DIALOGUES SYMPOSIUM
KellywasatCecilSharpHouseinLondonon1June,attendingthe DancingDialoguesSymposium.FocussingongroupsintheSouth East,MidlandsandSouthWestofEngland,DancingDialoguesisa researchprojectlookingatcommonailitiesintraditional,national andfolkdancestyles.
Unexpectedly,aswellasinforminggroupsabouttheworkof CreativeLives,Kellyendedupdancingsixdifferentdancestyles! Wewillnowworkwiththeresearcherstogivethesegroups,and fascinatingmulti-culturaldancestyles,aplatformonourwebsite
CHIEF EXECUTIVE AT DEPT OF EDUCATION MEETING
Robin says: “Jess and I met Charlotte Piper and Helen Guezelkuecuek from the Community Learning team at the Department for Education to discuss the transition to the new programme of Tailored Learning starting in August 2024. We talked about the difficulty of measuring wider community impacts and identified a number of Creative Lives initiatives that might be helpful for the DfE to consider.”
ON THE HORIZON
CREATIVE HEALTH IN ESSEX
We’re delighted to be working with Natasha Richards-Crisp and Damian Hebron on a new project with Essex County Council to learn more about creative health activity across the county.
We’ll be holding conversations, online and in-person, between 12-14 June.
BARRIERS TO BANKING SURVEY
Creative Lives is concerned about the reduction in banking services and administrative delays by banks that are having a negative impact of the work of local creative groups
We are asking creative groups to complete this short survey about barriers to bankingso please send it to any groups you think may have something to contribute.
UK GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE
With the UK General Election under a month away, we have produced this election guide for creative groups.
Please feel free to share!
CREATIVE LIVES EVENTS IN JUNE
Creative Network: Theatre - Wednesday 26 June (online) - Claire Appleby from the Theatres Trust shares her insight and advice on operating more sustainably.
Creative Network: BIPOC Creatives - Friday 28 June (online)
Creative Lives in Reading: How can grassroots creative groups thrive? - Friday 28 June (online)
CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO MEET KEY SPEAKER
Robin says: “As we continue to prepare for the 2024 Everyday Creativ Cecil Sharp House, London, on 26 September, I will be meeting Dr Ma University of Sheffield and Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Cen be one of our keynote speakers.
Mark is one of the authors of 'Culture is bad for you: Inequality in the creative industries' - an updated version of which is due to be publishe
GETTING TO KNOW...
SUNITA PANDYA
Creative Lives TrusteeWhat’s your first memory of being creative?
Going to see panto with my mum as a young child at our local theatre and loving it!
If you could click your fingers and be proficient at any art/craft form, what would it be?
Drawing – stick people are my best attempt . . .
Which do you prefer: river walk, beachside stroll or hill climb?
I’d prefer a beach stroll but the sand, the sand! So probably a river walk as it is peaceful and no sand!
You’re planning a day of live music and can book any 5 artists (living or dead) –who’s on the bill?
ABBA, Skunk Anasie, Ray Charles, Macklemore, Amy Winehouse
What inanimate object in your home most sums you up?
The washing machine – it seems to have a daily appointment with me!
What’s your favourite quality in a person? Empathy
Which do you prefer – chocolate bar, slice of cake or biscuit? Slice of cake
If you could choose any work of art to hang in your home, what would it be? Anything from Louise Bourgeois
Which country have you never visited but would love to? Russia
es would be surprised to learn about you sters at Wembley when I was a teenager – I was
PHOTO FINISH
Each month, we ask a colleague to capture an aspect of their life, at home, or out and about.
“When we got married in 2017, the daydream honeymoon was a Greek island, and the reality was a beach hut in Devon.
But this year, Ben and I finally got to Rhodes – and this was the view overlooking our resort, just outside Lindos.
Yes, we did tell them it was our honeymoon, and yes, they did gift us celebratory yoghurt.”
Emily Sherwood C i ti Offi