Crowds Watch Reflection Connection at the Northumberland
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Crowds watch Reflection Connection at the Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, 2016 Credit: Richard Kenworthy baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 From October 2013 to September 2016, bait has worked with 215 partners to deliver 162 projects that’s over 10,547 hours of activities, creating 114,269 moments for people to take part. www.baittime.to twitter.com/bait_timeto facebook.com/baittimeto Page 6 Page 14 Page 20 Page 24 The Deciding People Power Sharing is caring bait progress Factor Front cover: Crowds watch Reflection Connection Page 26 Page 30 at the Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, 2016 Partners and Reflecting and Credit: Richard Kenworthy participants maps Connecting 2 baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 baittime.to/ celebrate! Welcome to the fifth edition of ‘bait time Another achievement is the variety and to celebrate’ and catch up with stories and scale of new art works that have been learning from across the programme in commissioned through the programme. South East Northumberland. Each commission has opened up new layers of learning and some of this is shared in The first phase of the project, delivered reflections about a recent music project autumn 2013 – autumn 2016, is coming to an (see p30). end and so this is a good moment to reflect on some of the achievements of the last Building on all the learning from phase one three years. of the programme we are now starting on phase two, which will run from autumn 2016 As a result of the programme, more people to autumn 2019. Led by the same mission, from South East Northumberland are taking the programme has a tighter focus (see p24) part in the arts and the maps (see p26) show and we’re looking forward to working with the change that has taken place. our many partners on the next stage of the journey. However looking beyond just the numbers, a very significant impact is that more Rachel people are now making decisions about Rachel Adam, Project Director, bait Credit: Sophie Sutherland commissioning and programming the arts (see p6). Rachel Adam, Project Director, bait [email protected] Working with people to make decisions has (01670) 624 475 proved to be extremely powerful and has unlocked some brilliant ideas and energy. See p14 for an exploration of what taking a ‘people focused’ approach has meant. Reviewing the last three years, another trend is that more people are taking a lead in supporting their own and other people’s well-being through the arts. See p18 for stories of people who began their arts journeys as participants and are now taking a lead in involving others. bait works in partnership to support more people in South East Northumberland to create and take part in inspiring and high quality arts experiences. All projects aim to build a stronger future with the people who live here. bait is part of the national Creative People and Places network. Our Funders Our Consortium 3 baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 Turn the page to find out how people across South East Northumberland are making decisions about the arts Edinburgh Fringe visit Credit: Alex Brenner 4 baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 5 5 baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 The Deciding Factor Above and facing: Audience at Near How more and more Taking the Lead Gone Credit: Jason people across South The annual Winter Event at Woodhorn is Thompson East Northumberland are a firm favourite with families and young people, so who better to help decide what deciding what kind of to put on than a group of local people? For arts activity they want to this year’s event from 17 - 23 December, bait set up a community programme panel see and do in their local to choose, including Irina - a young mum area as a result of the bait living in Ashington, a group from Leading Link (a charity that helps young people programme. to achieve their potential in Bedlington) and bait’s apprentice, Sophie from Newbiggin. We went for a cuppa in the cafe at Woodhorn with the panel and bait’s Creative Producer, Juliet Hardy to find out what they’ve been up to. 6 baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 How did you get involved and what’s it been like so far? think - it’s made me more confident in my own ability to make decisions. Lyn: Leading Link have been involved in the last two Winter Events (as performers first year, then a bit of prep work Emily: Not only does it giver younger people a voice in and marshalling last year), so it’s been interesting to come deciding local events and culture, but it improves and builds back this year and be involved right from the beginning. It’s on skills like communication, creating a fair argument for or exciting to be so involved, it’s amazing! against. It also allows people to be able to say, “I helped to do that.” Megan: I wanted to get involved with picking the artists as since it’s a local event it would be great to have a say Irina: I was into theatre before, but I’ve never seen this kind on what I would prefer and get my idea across about what of community project, it’s always been more traditional. This people would like. particular project is diferent to what I’ve done before, it engages me more and makes me think - I’ve really been able Irina: Some of the bait team came to the Children’s Centre to be myself. and told us about the Creative Connector opportunity. I was looking for something diferent as I’d just become a mum so I applied, and now I’m part of the winter event panel! What were you looking for? Mitchell: I think I’ve developed a lot of skills during this process - analytical skills to be able to look at a submission Irina: As a panel, we were looking for enthusiasm and and see the positives and negatives from lots of diferent passion. Plus, I was looking at it from my point of view as angles, and interviewing skills. Seeing and talking to the parent of a three year old. I was thinking about what families artists really allowed me to understand and visualise their would enjoy, making sure the event would be suitable for ideas. small children. Irina: It’s been great to work as part of a team - everything Juliet: It was good to have some mums in the mix, to think is new to me, so it’s been good to hear what other people about what would appeal to diferent ages. 7 baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 Above and facing: Caitlin: When we went to Stockton International like someone would do at work when you analyse Audience at Near Gone Riverside Festival (SIRF) this summer we were candidates for a job. It made me think properly Credit: Jason thinking about what might work here at Woodhorn, about who is best suited for Woodhorn as I didn’t Thompson what could work with the theme for the Winter want to make the wrong decision. Event. It was interesting to see all the diferent possibilities, we were looking for things that would Mitchell: After we read all the submissions on our be interactive. Something exciting! own there was a lot of group discussion involved in choosing the company, we all had diferent opinions Juliet: We went to SIRF with our programmer hats and ideas so we had to come to an agreement on, we had a day to see as many diferent things as that we felt was the best for the community and we could - we had a jam packed itinerary, some were Woodhorn. interactive, some aimed at family audiences, some spectacular. Lyn: One thing that was very interesting was when the group was divided down the middle - some Mitchell: Ideas that were interesting and imaginative people really loved it and others hated it. We tried while still being meaningful to the community and to find out what it was people liked about it, we Woodhorn, but also realistic in terms of timeframe discussed it from diferent points of view. and site limitations. Georgina: I’ve volunteered at an event like this but I have never had to shortlist anyone or help with the background work. I feel like I’ve had quite a bit of It must’ve been tough to pick just one company to responsibility; when we where discussing the artists work with! How did you choose? and everyone’s opinions it did make me re-think my choices. Megan: I’ve never done anything like that before but shortlisting 14 companies using the criteria made me Sophie: I really wanted one company at first, but properly look through them and analyse them just then when we talked about it and looked at the pros 8 baittime.to/celebrate: issue 5 – Autumn 2016 and cons and used the quality framework against This year’s winter commission at Woodhorn the briefs, I changed my mind. It was a really fair Museum is the Frost of Forgetfulness Winter process. Quest. Mitchell: I felt a responsibility because we were Saturday 17 – Friday 23 December from very involved in the decision making process and I 11am-3pm wanted to make sure that we chose well. Unfolding Theatre and visual artist Bethan Maddocks will work with local community groups, young mission consultants, Woodhorn What’s been your favourite part of being on the staf and volunteers will create a frosty trail panel? across the site.