Arts Council pays Gloucester a visit
In December, we joined Culture Matson partners to share the fantastic work being created and delivered by and for the residents of Matson, with visitors from Arts Council England.
Darren Henley catching up with Create Glos, Gloucester Gateway Trust, GL4, Strike a Light and Culture Matson at Matson Library in Gloucester. Image courtesy Gloucestershire Gateway Trust. Photo by Rebecca Boseley
Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, Phil Gibby, Area Director for the South West and Annielise Slader, Relationship Manager Dance, South West met Sarah and Naomi from from GL4 Festival, Dawn from The Venture Play White City, Mark from the Gloucestershire Gateway Trust and Emma-Jane and Charlene from Strike A light Festival and of course our very own Pippa from Create Glos - all of whom work collaboratively through Culture Matson.
The conversation took place in the newly renovated Matson Library. The group discussed how culture can change a place and how over time it can also change how a place is seen by others. Everyone believed that by investing in culture on people’s doorsteps you can reach people who don’t necessarily engage with the publicly funded venues that are mostly in city centres. Culture Matson is also seen as a group that can join the dots between individuals and organisations to bring people together. It has become a positive and neutral space for people to get support to make more creative opportunities happen and for those opportunities to be amplified through the ideas and energy in the group.
In short, generosity drives the partnership as people offer their time, ideas and physical spaces to each other.
Darren Henley and Culture Matson partners standing outside Matson library . Image courtesy Gloucestershire Gateway Trust. Photo by Rebecca Boseley
A warm conversation in Matson library. Image courtesy Gloucestershire Gateway Trust. Photo by Rebecca Boseley
Phil Gibby laughing in Matson library. Image courtesy Gloucestershire Gateway Trust. Photo by Rebecca Boseley
You can read more about the Arts Council England’s trip to Gloucester on their blog ‘South West Spotlight: Gloucester’.
You can also find out more about Culture Matson and how to get involved as well as read about the wider Create Local project.
