Engagement

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has produced three new short films as part of its Pandemic and Beyond project, each focusing on a different way that arts and humanities research has contributed to Covid-19 response and recovery.

Led by Professor Pascale Aebischer of Exeter University, in partnership with resident filmmaker Benedict Morrison, the films are entitled “Coping Creatively”, “Getting the Message Across” and “Coming Together”. They are available to watch on the project website.

The Pandemic and Beyond project is a virtual hub for researchers, journalists and policymakers that brings together more than 70 different research projects that suggest solutions to urgent problems that have been created or exacerbated by the pandemic.

“Coping Creatively” focused on five AHRC projects that have explored the contribution made by the arts and humanities to helping vulnerable groups and individuals cope during the pandemic, using activities including drawing, theatre and walking.

“Getting the Message Across” focuses on five AHRC projects that have studied the contribution made by the arts and humanities to supporting communication during the pandemic, including the dissemination of public health messaging.

“Coming Together” looks at four AHRC projects that have explored ways in which the arts and humanities adapted to maintain audiences and communities of performers during lockdown, using tools such as outdoor performances, virtual dance technologies, telepresence and poetry.
 

Young people aged 16 to 25 have helped to curate a new exhibition at Ulster Museum in Belfast, assembling objects that represent their experiences, interests and opinions.

The exhibition was spearheaded by Reimagine Remake Replay, a creative programme that has connected over 4,000 young people with heritage through creative media and the latest digital technologies. It is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Kick the Dust programme.

A group of young people who have been active in the programme were selected to work on the exhibition Power to the Young People. 

The exhibition is based on themes including climate justice, arts and wellbeing and LGBTQIA+ rights, which developed naturally as a reflection of the priorities, interests and concerns of the young co-curators. It took a year to put together and features creative activities and digital interactives including a VR experience, a bespoke AR app and projection mapping.

“The programme recognises that this age group is under-served within heritage and within museums, so, for us being here is not just about the content, it’s also about changing the experience,” Niamh Kelly, Project Assistant and Youth Ambassador for Reimagine Remake Replay, told the Belfast Telegraph.

“It’s about making it more of a space that reflects young people, where they actually can see something that not just appeals to them, but speaks to them and is something that they want to get involved in.”

A theatre set up in a former shop in Coventry to allow audiences to enter a space and meet artists as equals is to close after 13 years.

Theatre Absolute has run the Shop Front Theatre in City Arcade since 2009, but has said it will close in November, with the premises due to be demolished next year as part of city centre redevelopment plans. 

The theatre, inspired by a model in Chicago, was set up by Theatre Absolute Artistic Directors Chris O’Connell and Julia Negus in partnership with Coventry City Council. 

It was the first, and remains the only, professional shop front theatre in the UK.

O'Connell said: “It will be immensely sad to see the space and the Arcade itself go, it’s been a brilliant home for independents. 

“But we had already decided that Theatre Absolute’s future lay in progressing our work in other ways and we’re excited to start exploring that.”

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has defended the Welsh Government's decision to spend £4.25m on a piece of land for the Green Man festival.

The Welsh Government has previously said that the purchase of Gilestone Farm in Powys was intended to ensure Green Man has a "permanent home" in Wales, but the festival organisers have said they have no plans to move from their current home at the Glanusk Estate near Crickhowell.

The festival is understood to want to use the farm for sustainable farming and local food production but no business plan has yet been submitted to the Welsh Government by the festival's organisers and will not be provided until next month.

Speaking in the Welsh Senedd in response to questioning by Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, Drakeford said those running the festival believe that they can do more to contribute to the economy of that part of Wales, "building on the success of their business".

"To do that they need more space in which to be able to develop those further possibilities. That's what lies behind the arrangements," he said.

Drakeford said that in the short term the farm will be leased back to the original owner in order that they can complete the bookings that they have in their tourism hospitality business and to make sure that the crops that have been planted are harvested this year.

"From the very beginning, we knew that the businesses plan from those who are responsible for the festival would be delivered to the Welsh Government in June of this year, and that is what we still expect," Drakeford added. 

"We are working with a trusted partner. We are working with a company that the Welsh Government has known and worked alongside over an extended period of time, as it has grown to be the fifth most successful festival of its kind anywhere in the United Kingdom. 

"We hold the land against the business plan and we will continue to scrutinise the business plan to see whether the objectives that the company have discussed with us can be delivered through it."

A new three-year collaboration agreement between the National Archives and Arts Council England will see the two organisations work together to identify and tackle challenges across culture and heritage. 

By advocating sharing knowledge, skills and data and maximising funding opportunities, the organisations hope to jointly address challenges including diversifying the workforce and improving accessibility and the visibility of collections. They will also aim to help the sector build resilience.

Methods of collaboration will include alerting each other to at-risk collections to facilitate swift preservation action, and promoting “the positive role of archives and collections in placemaking and wellbeing”, the organisations said.

The two organisations already work together on several initiatives that are set to continue.

“This agreement comes at an important time for our sector when many institutions are facing challenges and having to make difficult decisions due to a variety of circumstances,” said Dr Valerie Johnson, Director of Research and Collections at The National Archives.

“I believe that through this new agreement, both partners will be able to support the wider cultural sector much more effectively,” she added.

Sue Williamson, Director for Libraries at ACE, said that the new collaboration will build on “a strong foundation of mutual support”.

“There are many synergies and common areas of interest between archives and public libraries, with some library services being responsible for managing an archive collection. 

“We foresee many opportunities to work together in partnership to support national strategic developments, to share learning and intelligence and to continue to support the wider cultural sector.”