Arts Award And Families, Chester (Northwich, Middlewich

• Combined Arts • 324 participants / 10 Volunteers • 3 Visits/ 1 AA Taster workshop / 5 online challenges sessions (December 2021 -

January 2022)

Enable activity to restart Bring communities together Funding will ensure people feel safe participating

Working Title Artists Collective work with young people and their families, and continued connecting online throughout lockdown. Microgrant funding was used to support one Arts Award taster workshop and three visits, aiming to bring participants into Chester’s art and community spaces, including: • Chester Cathedral • Grosvenor Museum • Place For Art Chester (PACh)

Some of the planned in person activities were temporarily substituted for online activities due to increased COVID-19 cases affecting the groups. A series of challenge videos were created in response, encouraging people to visit Chester with family and friends, sharing via the facebook page. To ‘Celebrate the High Street’ challenge included a suggestion on where to get a cuppa in Chester, to help create an enjoyable experience and support local businesses.

Participants’ feedback and comments:

“I will definitely come to the Grosvenor Museum again!” “I like that the activities were so interactive.” “I enjoyed meeting the artist and afterwards we went to Storyhouse for lunch where we listened to some poetry and I enjoyed doing some drawing.” “I enjoyed the mix of art in the cathedral. There was something for everybody.”

LEGACY: The group tested new technology in a blended way, 5 online ‘Connect Communities with Art: The Chester Arts Challenges’ and a facebook page which people can continue to join. New students registered to do Arts Award and new connections were developed with venues. To learn more, visit their Facebook page @ChesterArtChallenges and Facebook group.