High Peak Community Arts

high peak community arts

High Lee Hall, St Mary’s Road, New Mills, High Peak, SK22 3BW

Tel: 01663 744516 Fax: 01663 744808

Dear Artists

We are looking for new project ideas for Project eARTh.

To do this, we are asking artists to come up with some ideas – see Artist’s brief – to be sent to us in writing – just one side of A4 please, plus CV. We will then invite artists to a New Ideas Day to present their ideas to our Project Steering Group, who will then get back to those artists whose ideas they wish to follow up. Depending on the response, we will either see all the artists, or need to shortlist. If we shortlist, this will also be done by the steering group.

All artists contracted for work will need an up to date CRB certificate.

The New Ideas day will be on 8th February 2012. Venue and times tbc.

If you are interested, please read the artist brief, and send in your ideas no later than 4 th January 2012.

Alison Bowry

High Peak Community Arts Limited – Registered Charity No. 517887 – Company Registered in England No. 2036083 Supported by Arts Council of England, Derbyshire County Council and High Peak Borough Council High Peak Community Arts Artist’s Brief – Project eARTh

Background

Partners: Project eARTh, environmental arts and health is run by High Peak Community Arts in partnership with High Peak Community Mental Health Team, Glossop Mental Health Project and High Peak CVS. It is a five year project, April 2010 - March 2015. It is funded by the Reaching Communities Fund of the BIG Lottery.

Workshops: There are 2 groups which meet approx 36 week each year, one in New Mills on Thursdays 10.30am – 1pm, and one in Fairfield, Buxton on Mondays 12.30pm – 3pm. These times can be extended for certain projects – e.g. we have worked outside from 10.30am – 2.30pm for some projects. Each session has one artist, one/two mental health support staff, and one /two volunteers.

Participants: The core participants are people aged sixteen plus experiencing mental distress.There are a few other community members who attend regularly, as well as the possibility of working with other groups – e.g. schools – within a particular project. The groups usually have between 10 and 20 members at any time.

Art work: During the 5 years, we run a varied programme of both short and longer projects, some simple and others more complex. We aim for an environmental angle in most projects. We aim also for collective working towards an end product, with a ‘home’ for the art work where possible, and for major projects, hold a launch / celebratory event.

Documentation and evaluation: Photographs are taken each week by a volunteer and along with comments from artist and participants go to create a weekly journal of the projects. Weekly evaluations are also undertaken at the end of each session- a short written chart filled in by participants. We also ask artist to keep short planning /evaluation notes each week, and write an evaluation at the end of the project. At the end of larger projects, we also hold group discussions with participants to evaluate. Participants also have one to one interviews 3 times per year with a mental health worker to review their progress etc. We write a yearly report to the BIG Lottery.

Payment: Our current rate of pay is £105 per half day session, plus 40p per mile transport.

Projects so far: 1. 6 weeks introductory sessions – keeping an artists’ sketch book 2. A Summer Stroll – a walk in the country followed by sessions of music and creative writing to create an audio CD distributed via local talking newspapers to visually impaired people across the High Peak and Stockport. 3. Textiles project creating upcycled textile wrapped chairs for display 4. Living willow arbours with carved oak benches 5. Lino cutting – to make individual prints plus a collective piece

Page 1 of 3 High Peak Community Arts 6. Hand printing onto fabric to make bunting 7. Felted wall hangings for a community centre. 8. An outdoor ceramic and aluminium human sundial for High Lea Park in New Mills 9. An outdoor carved cob oven for a farm project, with carved oak benches 10. A ceramic montage to go outdoors next to the oven. 11. Mixed media visual arts to make posters on the 5 ways to Wellbeing (digitally produced from all the art work) In progress. 12. Aluminium and steel sculptured seating for outside the shops in Fairfield and an archway for a local park on the estate. In progress.

What we are looking for:

We need to plan projects from Sept 2012 – March 2015 in a way that provides innovative, exciting art, and involves participants in decision making.

So we are asking artists to come up with ideas to present to the project steering group. This is made up of the project partners, and usually approx 6 participants. However for this event, we will ask as many participants as would like to attend.

The projects:

We need project ideas – these can be big or small – lasting 4 sessions or upto approx 16… They can be simple or complex. We will need to know: Art form(s) Idea / theme Approx number of sessions How much work the artist will need to do outside these sessions – this could be minimal, just planning and organising equipment and materials, or more involved, depending on the project and art form. (This has cost implications) What will the final product be? Where might it go /be distributed etc? Rough idea of materials / equipment needs and if possible at this stage, costs involved.

Our groups’ ideas so far:

We have chatted with both our groups, and these are the ideas that emerged, of art forms, ideas and possible sites for work…it might be you could pick up one of these, or you might want to do something different…

Possible Sites for art work: Glossop – the path from The Plough to Broadbottom ? At top of Monks’ Road, from Charlesworth to Chunal Hill Shiloh Road New Mills Youth Club Bugsworth Basin Ecclesfold / Blythe House, Chapel en le Frith Subway in Hayfield Sett Valley Trail New Mills to Hayfield Mousley Bottom, New Mills – in the clearing In The Torrs, New Mills.

Page 2 of 3 High Peak Community Arts As you enter Buxton – A6 Fairfield Common Near or on Morrison’s roundabout, Buxton Staden lane, A515 coming into /out of Buxton.. The Pavilion Gardens Hot House, Buxton Town Halls – Glossop, Buxton, New Mills.. An art / sculpture trail around Buxton – different sites with leaflet etc to follow, could include poetry etc – or the artwork include technology, which with use of smart phone, you can hear poetry at each one….

Art forms.. Working with glass Photography Shadow puppets Animation Music Drama Film Paper making Lino cutting (New Mills ) Felt making (New Mills) Ceramics Slate Wood Stone

Other ideas welcome.

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