Working within our local community

We all have different definitions of what community means to us, for some people it’s the place in which they live, for others it is a group of friends that they feel comfortable and accepted by. But, in the broader sense community is about how we function as people within our locality, at home, work and during our free time.

Community Arts is a great way of bringing together people that may not ordinarily meet, may not think that they have a lot in common, or simply don’t have the confidence to socialise in a particular setting. The creative arts are generally considered a place of belonging, where we can be whoever we chose to be, and where transferable skills are taught to support the same resilience within everyday life and the outside world.

Community Arts enables us to look at the places that we live and to explore the potential in creative ideas and activities which might be useful to support the people within it. Projects around mental health and well-being, through theatre and performance, can provide a voice for young people and their families to share experiences and find ways to move forward in a positive way. Projects that tackle difficult issues such as illness and death, for example, can be a cathartic way to release emotion and share knowledge and experience. Equally, projects that are devised in a place, can tell, and share the heritage of the area and give perspective to how we might shape the future of place, through skill sharing and wisdom.

As a teacher I have taught many talented young people that have a very clear vision with regards to their goals, usually, but not exclusively, they tend to involve working in the West End, Touring, TV, and Film.  Whilst these are incredible goals and certainly an amazing pathway, I wonder why we don’t teach more broadly about the multiple pathways available for talented creative people.

Community and Outdoor, Site-Specific Arts can provide a valuable and fruitful career for those that wish to work within the creative industries, whilst providing opportunities for people in the places that they live.