Creative Collaboration Conference

Our 2024 Conference will take place on 7th November at Garsington Studios

Join us at Garsington Studios for our second ever Cultural Conference on 7th November! The day will include a range of speakers from beyond our borders, as well as case studies from within the county and opportunities to network with Bucks-based colleagues. We will finish the day with our first ever Bucks Spark Award Ceremony.

This year our theme will be Creative Collaboration: whether collaborating with partners, organisations, creatives or communities, working together is enriching practice, cementing relevance, sparking learning and discovery, bringing communities together and making us stronger.  This conference aims to explore how organisations and practitioners can build authentic relationships with those we want to work with and how those relationships can unlock new stories, stimulate vibrancy, disrupt hierarchies, catalyse innovation, and enhance relevance, inclusivity and excellence.

We have a range of tickets available to enable you to experience the whole day, or to balance your schedule with other commitments such as school pick up etc. 

Book your ticket using the button below:

As a joined-up sector focussed on true co-creation we have the opportunity to facilitate change, support increased opportunities, engage new audiences and elevate our practice as a collective. Our focus on ambition and excellence, data informed delivery, and robust evaluation allows the cultural sector to explore societal issues and strive for solutions. With a focus on creative collaboration, we can grow together as a connected creative collective representing the communities within which we produce and using the arts as a vehicle for change, regeneration and cohesion.

Bucks Culture invites you to make, move, co-create and collaborate in a fun and engaging day of talks and participatory creative activities to help us all in building a practice of co-creation with artists, communities and partners. The conference aims to identify a common thread through our work as a sector and to explore how this resonates with everyone involved, as we work together to strengthen bonds, pursue justice and create a more equitable society for all.

If you are an artist, creative, work for a cultural organisation, social enterprise, local charity or business, or are just interested in how you can build and support creative and cultural projects, please join us. Our first ever Bucks Spark Awards will also be part of the programme – find out more here.

Programme overview:

09:00 – 09:40 – Arrivals & Registration

09:40 – 10:10 – Welcome

Compere John Prebble welcomes Buckinghamshire Culture Co-Chairs, Bill Morris and Julius Weinberg, and Garsington Opera Executive Director, Nicola Creed, to greet delegates and introduce the day.

Keynotes, Speakers & Workshops

10:10-10:40 – Keynote 1: Exploring Co-Creation – Lindsey Pugh – Creative Director and CEO of Revoluton Arts
Lindsey will share insights from the new creative venture Undercurrent, which explores the history of activism and music subcultures along the River Lea, from Luton to London, and its connection with co-creation in communities.

10:40-10:50 – Case Study 1: Diversifying Archives – Daniel Williams – County and Diocesan Archivist at Buckinghamshire Archives
Daniel will share how Buckinghamshire Archives is uncovering untold stories through outreach work, including projects with HM Prison Service.

11:00 – 11:20 Break

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10:50-11:00 – Moment of Interactive Engagement: Karen Gillingham – Head of Engagement at Garsington Opera Karen invites you to participate in an interactive engagement session linked to the day’s themes.

11:20 – 11:50 – Interview with Artists – James Latunji – Cockbill, Producer at Ikon Gallery and Steel Door Studio
James will lead a discussion on creative collaboration opportunities with artists in residence at HMP Grendon, supported by Ikon Gallery’s residency programme.

11:50 – 12:20 – Keynote 2: Thinking with the Hands – Dr. Alexandra Antonopoulou Alexandra will explore themes of community building, creativity, and play as collaborative tools for invention and creative pedagogy. Her work spans institutions like Goldsmiths, the Royal College of Art, and the V&A.

12:20 – 12:30 Case Study 2: STORIES Engagement – Lallie Davis, Director & Ursula White, Engagement Producer for Buckinghamshire Culture
Ursula and Lalliewill share insights into outreach and co-creation from the STORIES initiative, celebrating Buckinghamshire’s people, heritage, and history.

12:30 – 1:00 – Keynote 3: Connecting Institutions to Communities – Tamsin Ace – Director of East Bank and Layla Conway – Head of Education, Youth, and Communities, Senior Communities Manager at London Legacy Development Corporation ……… Tamsin and Layla will discuss connecting local communities with cultural institutions, sharing insights from Queen Elizabeth Park’s East Bank project.

1:00 – 2:00 Lunch

2:00 – 3:00 Workshops & Breakout Sessions

Sheila De Rosa: Paper Houses
Create artwork using house templates with local images or your own designs.

Sarah Nelson & Foundation for Future London Team
Explore how participatory grant-making supports vulnerable communities through co-design and flexible processes.

Tamsin Greave: Social Justice and Creative Practice
Hands-on workshop inspired by the Art Power project, focusing on using art to address trauma.

Julia Puebla Fortier: Co-Creation and Care
Discuss designing cultural wellbeing projects for young people, with a focus on collaboration and care.

3:00 – 3:45 Break & Networking

3:45 – 5:00 Facilitated Networking: Karen Gillingham will lead an interactive session exploring the benefits and challenges of co- creation and collaboration. Participate in creative activities and explore the installation.

5:00-5:20 Drinks, Creative Activities & Networking

Bucks Spark Awards

5:20-6:00 Inaugural Bucks Spark Award Ceremony

Awards will be made by award-winning author, Claire Fuller, to organisations that submitted work across three categories:

Best Event

Best Collaboration

Best Exhibition.

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