Is this the way to keep the network networked?: February 2012

Tuesday 28 February 2012

VisitWiltshire Board Opportunity

Would be great to have an arts advocate on their board, anyone fancy it?

VisitWiltshire currently has a vacancy for a new Board Member. If you would like to have a say in the future plans of VisitWiltshire and be instrumental in the on-going development of tourism in Wiltshire then please contact David Andrews .

An introduction to on-line marketing

On-line marketing is now a vital part of any business - VisitWiltshire invite you to come along to our On-Line Marketing seminar led by Dr Philip Alford to find out how you can benefit from this. Aimed at those with little or no knowledge of on-line marketing, the seminar will be held in Devizes on 20 March, 10am - 12noon at a cost of just £20 + vat for members or £40 + vat for non-members. For more details or to register for the course, contact Theresa Hopwood.

Promote your "Great" offers

Let's get a few arts offers on here shall we?

VisitEngland's “Holidays at home are GREAT” campaign will launch on 8 March 2012, VisitEngland and VisitWiltshire invite you to submit special offers showing visitors that 2012 is going to be a truly exciting year to be in Wiltshire.

Your offer will appear on VisitEngland’s national campaign website. The concept is a 20.12% discount but any suitable offers can be submitted, for example, three nights for the price of two; two-for-one entry; added-value offers, for example a free lunch or a special meal for £20.12. Click here to upload your offers and be part of the 2012 "Great" campaign. VisitWiltshire members will be given priority.

Monday 27 February 2012

Free Funding Events from the Wiltshire & Swindon Funding Network

WSFN is a network of funding advisors and funders working in Wiltshire & Swindon. It meets to improve opportunities for the voluntary & community and statutory sectors in Wiltshire and Swindon to secure funds for their work, and to improve the co-ordination and provision of funding advice in Wiltshire and Swindon.

In 2012 WSFN are running four FREE events for community groups across the county.

Funding for Changing Times, 26th April, 9:30 - 2pm (Including Buffet Lunch), Civic Hall, Trowbridge, http://fundingtrowbridge.eventbrite.co.uk

Better Applications, 3rd July, 9:30 - 1pm, Assembly Rooms, Town Hall, Devizes - http://betterapplicationsdevizes.eventbrite.co.uk

Creative Ways to Raise Money, 26th September, 9:30-1pm, Neeld Hall, Chippenham - http://creativefundraisingchippenham.eventbrite.co.uk

Creative Ways to Raise Money, 10th October, 9:30-pm, Salisbury Methodist Church - http://creativefundraisingsalisbury.eventbrite.co.uk

All events are completely FREE OF CHARGE but you must book a ticket. They are open to all and are generously funded by Wiltshire Council through WFSN.

http://www.stepupwiltshire.org.uk/wsfn

Friday 24 February 2012

Creative writing workshop through PAWS

PARTICIPATORY ARTS WILTSHIRE SCHEME

Angie Street

– Playwriting/Creative Writing

I’m one of the artists selected by Wiltshire County Council for the PAWS (Participatory Arts Wiltshire Scheme), whereby subsidised arts workshops are offered to formal or informal community groups at greatly reduced rates.

The cost to the group is £35 for 8 hours over 2-4 visits.

And the Council pays the artist £350 plus expenses.

I’m offering a Writing Triathlon in keeping with the Olympic spirit of the moment. I can tailor the workshop content to suit the group.

The success of the scheme depends on groups applying to the Council before March 9^th for a professional artist to come and work with them.

Examples of formal/informal groups are:

local arts groups * reading/book groups * writing groups

after school clubs * youth groups * gay groups

summer schemes * elderly groups * disability groups *

Women’s Institutes * uniformed groups * community associations

Information about qualifying and applying for the PAWS Scheme can be found here:

http://www.participatoryartswiltshire.co.uk/

Contact: Faye Bradley email: arts@wiltshire.gov.uk or call 01722 434217

Thursday 23 February 2012

Should the government include culture in its measure of wellbeing?

I'm really sorry but I shared this too late for you to vote but the results are pretty decisive! Click on yes below to read the article and see the results.

Wellbeing Poll

Over the past few weeks we’ve been keeping you updated with the Wellbeing consultation, now The Guardian is running a poll – ‘should the government include culture in its measure of wellbeing?’. Simply vote YES or no here.

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Booking for Edinburgh Flat now OPEN!!

If you would like to join other Wiltshires arts professionals in a flat at subsidised rates this year booking is now OPEN:

We have a 5 bedroom flat available from Friday 3 August - Monday 26 August at the following rates:

£35 - single bed in twin room/ single room
£45 - single occupancy of twin room
£60 - double occupancy of twin room
£10 off your rate for one or two people who take on housekeeper duties (only if required)

We will be offering this to members of Wiltshire Arts Promoters at this rate until April 27^th before we allow non members and those outside of Wiltshire to book accommodation. Do get in touch if you would like to become a member.

We hope that this will make a visit to Edinburgh festival more affordable and will provide a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow arts professionals and share the good the bad and the ugly of Edinburgh with each other.

If you would like more details and a copy of the booking form please email wiltshireartspromoters@gmail.com

what would YOU like to see on the agenda of our next full meeting?

We are all due to meet on March 22nd! The steering group and I generally set the agenda. At past meetings we have heard from Visit Wiltshire about how we can work more closely with them in the future, we have looked at developing a cultural passport mobile phone app', we have found out about commissioning and arts awards... now it's over to you. What would you like us to talk about or invite speakers in to talk to us about?

Where would you like us to meet? We try to move around the County but due to available venues tend to meet in Salisbury, Corsham or Bradford On Avon. Is there somewhere you think we should meet that is easyish for people to get to. There's usually about 20 of us and we're happy to pay for tea, coffee and biscuits but would rather not pay for room hire if possible.

Please leave any thoughts on the blog or email me at wiltshireartspromoters@gmail.com. Would be great to have ideas by the end of February so I have time to organise the meeting.

Thanks all

Tracy

2012 WAP meeting dates

Here are the dates of the next members meetings and steering group meetings.

Members meetings:

Thursday 22nd March - venue TBC 11am - 1pm
Wednesday 13 June - Salisbury Arts Centre 11am - 1pm
October - CONFERENCE- date TBC

Steering group meetings all at 10am:

Thursday 10 May - Salisbury Playhouse
Tuesday 10 July - Venue TBC
Wednesday 5 September

If you are interested in joining our steering group email wiltshireartspromoters@gmail.com

Opportunties to work at Salisbury Arts Centre!

There are some fabulous opportunities to work at Salisbury Arts Centre, have a look!

http://www.salisburyartscentre.co.uk/about-us/jobs-and-opportunities/jobs.aspx

Trowbridge and The Arts

What Trowbridge Communnity Area want from arts and culture as identified at a recent knowledge eventhosted by the Local Area Board and Area Partnership in Trowbridge

Campaigning, Fundraising and Volunteer management apprenticeship!

New Apprenticeships in Campaigning, Fundraising and Volunteer Management

New advanced apprenticeships in campaigning, fundraising and volunteer management have been approved by the National Apprenticeships Service for funding by the Skills Funding Agency, Skills Third Sector has announced. This means that third sector employers can now get help towards the training costs of apprenticeships in these professions. For more information click here.

Buy Wiltshire, opportunities to tender

This is the website Simon Jefferies highlighted to us at one of our full meeting slast year.It's here we may be able to identify opportunities to tender for work as arts organisations!

Re-launch of the Buy Wiltshire Website

As part of the restructuring of the economic support to Wiltshire businesses, the Buy Wiltshire website has been redeveloped with a range of new features. The new site went live in February and is at the same address: www.buywiltshire.co.uk. Buy Wiltshire is one of a family of initiatives designed to support Wiltshire businesses. Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council are both part of a regional procurement portal project to promote public sector contract opportunities called Supplying the Southwest. Both authorities use the Pro contract system to manage the issue of contract opportunities and to register suppliers. By registering on the Supplying the South West portal you will be alerted of relevant contract and tender opportunities as they arise which will make the system even more effective.

Wiltshire Assembly Conference Report

Thanks for highlighing this Grow!

Wiltshire Assembly (1 December 2011) - Conference Report

Following the Wiltshire Assembly conference on 1 December 2011, please find attached the conference report which provides an overview of the highlights of the day. You will see on pages 7-8, the workshop two outcomes have been used to develop the draft Wiltshire steps for putting communities in control. The details of each step are included within the report. It is hoped that these be formally adopted by the Wiltshire Assembly at the next conference. In the mean-time, please share with your colleagues and send any comments you may have to Liz.Richardson@wiltshire.gov.uk by Friday 20th April. Wilts hire Assembly (1 December 2011) - conference report.

Call For Artists

Call for Artists: The Salisbury Giant

Salisbury Arts Centre is inviting a local visual artist to lead a participatory arts project that will engage the public in community arts as well as their local history through creatively responding to the idea of the Salisbury Giant.

Background

The Salisbury Giant housed in Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum stands over 12ft tall and is decorated with coats of arms. He was originally used by the Salisbury Guild of Tailors during the medieval period to exhibit the clothing they had produced as well as for their annual celebration on midsummer’s day. The tailors flourished in Salisbury during this period due to the prosperity which was brought to the town through the wool trade and cloth manufacture. Later the Giant was used for public celebrations, such as coronations or jubilees, along with his companion Hob-Nob who cavorted in front of the procession to clear the way.

The Brief

We are inviting an artist to respond to the theme of the Giant and its symbol as a celebration of Salisbury by creating a community arts project that engages the public in the creation of a temporary sculptural work/s that can be made by and/or added to by members of the public. The materials used could reflect Salisbury’s rich textile history or perhaps take a modern twist on the giant’s medieval roots or purpose. Your challenge is to encourage meaningful participation by Wiltshire residents in a pressured environment, to highlight this part of Salisbury’s history and to enable the creation of a surprising and visually impressive piece of local artwork. The giant will be created by hundreds of local people of all ages who will drop-in throughout the day as part of Wiltshire’s celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Year. You will need to be able to transport/carry the work created to the Guildhall at the end of the day (with assistance from Guildhall staff if needed) where it will be displayed to the public.

The fee for the project is £2500 inclusive of preparation, research time, attendance on the day, materials and VAT. Funding for the project has come from the Salisbury Area Board.

The deadline for application is March 12. For more information email melanie@salisburyarts.co.uk

Thursday 9 February 2012

Wiltshire Council Arts Project Grant Scheme is now open

The Wiltshire Council Arts Project Grant Scheme is now open to all voluntary and community organisations (not individuals) wishing to provide arts projects in Wiltshire. Arts projects can cover a wide range of creative opportunities, including visual arts, crafts, media and digital forms, literature and performing arts. The Scheme aims to support the vibrant Wiltshire arts sector.

The deadlines for applications are as follows:

· Round 1 –30 April 2012 - Approved projects should take place between July 2012 and June 2013.

· Round 2 –30 September 2012 - Approved projects should take place between November 2012 and October 2013.

The total 2012/13 budget available is £20,000 and will be allocated in 2 rounds. The maximum amount that can be applied for per application is £4,000. We aim to allocate 50% of the budget in each round of applications.

Please download the application form with criteria and guidelines here:

Please also visit the arts service website and look at the Funding and Governance pages to find some more ways to fund your projects.

Tuesday 7 February 2012

Interested in Sharing Premises with Splitz?

I saw this on the Grow bulletin and thought it might be of interest?

Splitz are seeking other groups who may want to co-share office space. They are considering renting the large first floor of Oak House, White Horse Business Park, Trowbridge. Although the space is too large for them and is interested in hearing from any Voluntary groups who may be willing to share this office space. For more information please contact fran@splitz.org or 01225 777724.