3 years on - reflections from the Library development team on the Art of Libraries programme
The Art of Libraries Logo which has a graphic shape representing a unicycle leaning on more coloured shapes that look like books, a pencil and microphone.
Many library staff have been involved in the Art of Libraries programme – both in local libraries and in supporting teams. In this blog we hear from Jill Barker - who was involved with Create Gloucestershire as the development manager on the original Art of Libraries programme and reflects on the pilot. We’ll also hear from Curtis Fulcher who has recently joined the team as the development manager after Jill's retirement, as he brings us up to speed with new developments across the library service and a look to the future of creativity in libraries.
Jill Barker enjoys herself at an Art of Libraries ‘Mindreading’ event at Dursley Library.
Jill Barker was development manager at Gloucestershire Libraries and partnered with Create Gloucestershire to secure the original funding for the Arts of Libraries project, working and supporting staff to develop the project for three years. She has now retired but has revisited the team to reflect on the library journey through the project.
Shortly after her retirement, Jill Barker was awarded the British Empire Medal, (BEM) from the Queen. In particular her work with the Art of Libraries project was mentioned in the award announcement – “bringing arts and culture to audiences that wouldn’t normally engage and exploring how libraries could become a truly public space.” Congratulations Jill on such an achievement!
Curtis Fulcher in his design studio.
Curtis Fulcher is the current development manager at Gloucestershire Libraries with a wide range of experience in arts and cultural marketing. He has worked with Hay Festivals, was the Director and developed the offer of the Bridport Prize. Working as relationship manager in venues with the Arts Council England he promoted arts and health specifically with dementia. He looks at how the Art of Libraries project adapted during the pandemic as well as the future for libraries from brand new buildings to creativity through digital innovation.
Jill: The Art of Libraries project has shone a light on the way in which children and families can encounter art and culture in their local library and how performers and artists can develop their work in this flexible and democratic space.
We started with 6 libraries each of which had a Creative Catalyst to support them. Our aim was to provide exciting programmes of events and activities and to attract people who wouldn’t usually attend arts venues. The journey has not been straightforward but it has always been inspiring and thought provoking. It was also refreshing to embark on a project that was testing a proposition rather than delivering an agreed set of goals. Working within the council we are not used to this type of approach but we have found it to be energising and productive.
Along the way we realised that we need to create a more enabling environment for staff where they have ‘permission to try and permission to fail’. We didn’t realise this was a problem but could see that ‘rules’ had taken over from initiative. As a result we now have teams of staff who are developing and delivering ambitious programmes and events, sometimes in partnership with others and sometimes independently. For me the learning has been as much about supporting and encouraging staff to take risks as it has about the outcomes.
Curtis:
It is wonderful to be back with Gloucestershire Libraries. After I left in 2009 I have mainly worked within the cultural sector, including theatres, arts centres and exhibition galleries. As I started my new role at Gloucestershire Libraries in March, the final two commissions for Art of Libraries were well underway.
The library teams could have had no idea on how their journey with the Art of Libraries programme would change as it reached its third year. With the pandemic affecting all aspects of library services, including taking away the physical spaces that the artists had been working in, the team had to have a huge rethink. They began to test new and innovative ways for libraries to engage virtually with families.
Our staff were on a steep learning curve to see how digital initiatives used elsewhere during lockdown would work for the library service. Library staff worked with both experienced creative teams who had already developed their online skills as well as other newer artists who were learning with us. Frontline and development staff still came together – even if they were working from home or from a library with limited access. The artists and library staff recorded their experiences and insights to add to the digital chapter of the Art of Libraries toolkit which will be available later this Summer. This stage of the project has also informed how we communicate online as a library service – reaching out to families with more online creative ideas.
At the moment our local libraries are moving forward in a measured approach to put back together those vital physical family-friendly spaces that had to be cleared to make libraries safe. This will be an ongoing process that I’m sure will apply to many in the arts and creative sectors.
Despite the pandemic and the restriction imposed on our local libraries we have still pushed on with many new developments.
At Stonehouse we opened a brand new library in the heart of the town which has seen a positive uptake in new members joining during the past year. Elsewhere in the Gloucester area, Matson library is just about to reopen after a complete refurbishment – a community that benefited hugely from the Art of Libraries project.
We also are launching a network of innovation labs which will also be a resource to inspire creativity for freelancers, small businesses and students. These dedicated areas within certain libraries will offer a range of digital design studio and modelling equipment along with technical expertise on hand. They offer artists and designers from many disciplines a chance to develop their digital skills and access equipment to realise their ideas. Coleford Innovation Lab will be reopening soon with a further lab due shortly in Gloucester Library. Four more labs in the network are being planned in libraries for 2022.
We are always looking to develop these important spaces and facilities in the heart of communities, in order to offer those creative activities and partnerships which we know are so important for children and families.
In 2020 Gloucestershire Libraries worked to take existing commissions online and in 2021 created two brand new commissions to test new and innovative ways for libraries to engage virtually with families whilst the library wasn’t able to host groups and activities.
The Art of Libraries Toolkit. This image shows the front cover of the toolkit which has brightly coloured illustrations of children and adults making willow sculptures, drawing, playing instruments and wearing virtual reality goggles in a library. The title text reads ‘Art of Libraries Toolkit’ and the subtitle text reads ‘Making arts part of the everyday for children, young people and families’.
The artists have shared their experiences in this blog series (their creative journeys and some top tips) so that other performers can gain insights into making the transition from a live to digital space.
You can read Jonny Fluffypunk’s blog about his experience taking his first family production online, watch theatre company Can’t Sit Still’s videos about their experience had when they of taking a live show and turning it into a digital interactive theatre performance. Rizpah Amadasun’s blog is about creating fairytales with children in interactive online workshops and finally Brave Bold Drama, an award-winning theatre & community arts company brought their project ‘The Company of International Artists’ to children in Gloucestershire.
All this insight will be gathered together to make a new chapter in the Art of Libraries toolkit which is coming soon! The toolkit will share a plethora of both creative and practical ideas to support artists and library staff to work together to co-create an irresistible creative programme for children and young people.
If you are inspired to work in libraries and would like to find out more please email libraries-