Tag: Culture

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Women of Culture – Celebrating Women in the Cultural Sector

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Bucks Culture is proud to present Women of Culture, a networking and celebratory event in honor of International Women’s Day, bringing together women from Buckinghamshire’s cultural sector. This gathering offers a space to connect, exchange ideas, and champion women’s contributions in arts, heritage, and creative industries.

Join us on the 6th of March, in a space for Connection, Reflection, and Inspiration

More than just networking, Women of Culture is a space for reflection, discussion, and collaboration. Through engaging activities and thought-provoking conversations, we’ll explore women’s leadership, representation, and creative expression. While designed with women in mind, men are welcome as allies in fostering an inclusive, supportive sector.

Meet the Inspirational Women Leading the Conversation

At the heart of Women of Culture are the inspiring voices of three incredible female leaders in Buckinghamshire’s cultural sector, each bringing a unique perspective on leadership, creativity, and advocacy for inclusion.

Rosie Axon, Founder of Chiltern Music Therapy, an advocate for music’s power in transforming lives.
Betty Makharinsky, Founder of Vache Baroque, making Baroque music and drama more accessible.
Vicky Hope-Walker, CEO of National Paralympic Heritage Trust, championing inclusion in arts and heritage.

Exploring Women’s Leadership, Voice & Expression

Rosie, Betty, and Vicky will lead a dynamic, interactive session that blends storytelling, music, and discussion, offering valuable insight into what it means to be a leader in the cultural sector.

Through artist-led activities and participatory sessions, the event will explore the significance of the female voice in music, movement, and leadership. Attendees will gain inspiration from the Female Founder Journey, where Rosie and Betty will share their experiences in building and sustaining cultural organisations, while Vicky will offer a deeper perspective on leading inclusion-focused initiatives and advocating for greater representation in the sector.

A Collective Commitment to Change

A key moment in the event will be The Tree of Insight & Intentions, where participants will have the opportunity to share how they have adapted their work to better support women in their fields and make a pledge for future action.

The event will close with informal networking over tea and coffee, providing a space to continue conversations, forge new connections, and build a stronger, more collaborative creative community in Buckinghamshire.

Venue & Booking Details:

 March 6th, 12:30–2:30 PM 
📍Elgiva Theatre, St Mary’s Way, Chesham HP5 1HR
🔗Booking Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-of-culture-celebrating-women-in-the-cultural-sector-tickets-1244870795059?aff=oddtdtcreator

Culture

Made in Bucks

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We are currently exploring the idea of a new programme to celebrate and promote the creative and cultural industries across Bucks, with the working title, Made in Bucks. This new piece of R&D, inspired by our Co-Chair Julius Weinberg’s vision to “make Buckinghamshire sticky,” will reflect and celebrate the unique cultural identity of Bucks.

We are keen to hear your thoughts about how we could better celebrate and harness the creative industries across the county – in terms of profile, career pathways and vibrancy. Please see the ‘Made in Bucks One Pager’ below for more details and review the attached project outline. We’d love your feedback—share your thoughts through our brief questionnaire by Monday, 9th of December by scanning the QR code at the bottom of the page or click here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our consultant, Jacqui Gellman, at jacqui.gellman@gmail.com.

Tagged Buckinghamshire, Buckinghamshire Culture, creative, creative-industries, cultural-industry, Culture, project, survey

Culture

Bucks Culture seeks new Co-Chair

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Do you have the passion, expertise and collaborative approach to help steer our charity into it’s next phase?

Bucks Culture is seeking a new Co-Chair to serve alongside Julius Weinberg, leading our Board of Trustees.  We have a model of two Chair-persons serving together, each bringing different knowledge and experience to the role.  Bill Morris joined Bucks Culture in 2019 and has been a fantastic support, a knowledgeable guide and a great person to work with – we will miss him!  However, Bill’s other commitments require more and more of his time and he is keen to handover his role as Co-Chair around the end of 2024. 

We are seeking a collaborative person that can be a champion and guide for Bucks Culture as it evolves from a fledgling charity into its next phase. 

If you think you might be interested in this role, please take a look at the Role Description below. We are requesting expressions of interest by: 9am, 16th September 2024.

BC Co-Chair Role June 24Download

If you would like to speak to Lallie, our Director or Julius, our ongoing Co-Chair about the role, please email Lallie: Lallie@buckinghamshireculture.org to arrange a conversation.

Culture

You are invited… Village Stories

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Hundreds of residents invited to take part in epic photo project this Summer – sharing our STORIES project

On the left a Breugel paining, on the right, a modern photo of people walking on a grey background

This July community meetings will take place in three ‘villages’ across Buckinghamshire, inviting local residents to be part of large-scale photographs.  These meetings will be the start of our Village Stories strand, which aims to create new portraits of modern villages through photography and writing.  Residents in Burnham, Brill and Fairford Leys (a village within Aylesbury) are invited to join in. 

Photographer Camilla Greenwell and choreographer Theo Clinkard have devised this celebratory photo project inspired by the works of 16th-century Flemish artist, Pieter Bruegel the Elder.  These famous and often humorous images are bustling with life and full of characters and incidents.  They show people at work and leisure, individuals and groups, old and young.  The project asks who lives in our villages now?  And how can we capture the vibrant life of these communities?  We are inviting 100+ local residents and those connected to these villages to take part in the project in each location.  It will be simple and fun and take only a couple of hours, on one day in September. Participants will be given some easy ideas and tasks to create a gesture or action to capture the essence of the place they live in.

Photo of Burnham Village, a man and a woman stand in the foreground.

In addition to the photoshoots we are also offering writing workshops with authors, including Costa Novel Award winning novelist Claire Fuller.

If you, your family or group would like to take part in Village in one of the three locations across Bucks this Summer please use this link to sign up: https://buckinghamshireculture.org/village-stories/

Village Stories is just one strand of our multi-faceted STORIES programme in 2024.  We are inviting residents across Bucks to take part in creative and cultural activities that explore what makes this county unique: its people, heritage, natural environment and histories. STORIES will grow and develop over the next years into a festival-like series of events and participation opportunities. From June to November 2024, we kick off with three pilot projects, stretching across the county from Buckingham in the north to the Chilterns in the South, with events in woodlands as well as village and town centres, from projects that see artists researching in local archives, to mass participation in local villages. 

Alongside Village Stories, in 2024 we will deliver:

Archive Stories, which will see a new disabled artist collective led by poet Ellen Renton working with Arden Fitzroy, Guy Morris, Jess Starns and Noor-e-Sehar Ali, investigate the National Paralympic Heritage Trust archive and the National Disability Art Collection & Archive to inspire the creation of new artworks. 

FiresideStories, which will bring three outdoor performances by circus and theatre artists Nikki & JD and Lost Dog Dance to local spaces and woodland settings, telling a story of monsters and what makes us afraid, in a family-friendly performances with real fire.  In each location additional wrap-around events will make the evening special.

To find out more about the STORIES programme, visit our website: https://buckinghamshireculture.org/stories/

Theo Clinkard, Choreographer says: 

“I can’t wait to tell new stories with local folk who are up for the challenge of making a huge artwork together, one that captures both the physical fact of this place and this moment in time, but also the collective imagination of the people that live here” 

Eckhard Thiemann, STORIES Creative Associate said:

“Village is just such a brilliantly simple and creative idea: A rallying call to leave your home or work for a moment to congregate and create an action-filled snapshot of yourself, your community, your location and this moment in time. Let Buckinghamshire’s village life become as famous and loved as Breugel’s Flemish scenes from nearly 500 years ago.”

Clive Harriss, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure said:

“We are very pleased to be supporting the development of Buckinghamshire Culture’s STORIES project, we are excited to see what is produced and where it goes next!  With so many villages making up our landscape in Bucks it feels appropriate to put village life in the spotlight!”

STORIES 2024 is made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England, Rothschild Foundation, Buckinghamshire Council, National Paralympic Heritage Trust, National Lottery Heritage Fund and supported by a range of committed partners across the county.

Culture

STORIES receives Arts Council Funding

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Fireside by Nikki & JD and Lost Dog Dance

Buckinghamshire residents are invited to explore the power of stories and join walks, fireside performances, story-telling and village portraits this Summer/Autumn. There will be a range of community-focussed activities across the county as Buckinghamshire Culture pilots STORIES, a programme that aims to shine a light on the rich history and life of the county, thanks to public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

In this first year of STORIES activity, we and our partners, will work with artists, communities and other organisations to develop our ideas. Taking inspiration from our beautiful natural landscapes, our pilot season will include performances of Fireside by Nikki & JD in several Buckinghamshire locations. Inspired by the Paralympic story we will recruit d/Deaf and disabled artists to form an artist collective working with Ellen Renton, spoken-word artist and poet, to create new work. And inspired by the nature of our county as a place of small towns and villages, we will celebrate the nature of community through village portraits created by Theo Clinkard Dance, captured in photographs by Camilla Greenwell and new writing from a range of writers.

Stories Creative Associate, Eckhard Thiemann, says: “STORIES is an invitation for residents and visitors to discover and participate in new cultural experiences in places that make the county unique. We take panoramic shots of modern village life, animate natural beauty spots through performance, and delve into the important history of paralympic heritage. The outcome will be new stories to remember, to share and to inspire us.”

Clive Harriss, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure & Culture said: “Buckinghamshire Council is pleased to support this new initiative being run by Buckinghamshire Culture. Projects like this do so much to bring the arts to life in our local communities, allowing people to watch and participate in new cultural experiences which entertain and inspire all ages. The funding we are providing helps to ensure that everyone is able to access and enjoy something exciting in their local area.”

During this pilot Season we will work with a number of communities in local villages. We will partner with a range of organisations, including BuDs, National Disability Arts Collection and Archive, National Paralympic Heritage Trust among others.
We will be sharing opportunities for commissions and volunteering as the year progresses, please keep an eye out on social media if you are interested in collaborating with us.

Following this period of exploration, we will continue to work with artists and communities to weave together stories of people, places, histories and future dreams to celebrate unique places and moments across the county. We aim to share further STORIES work with residents across 2025 and 2026.

STORIES Season 1 is made possible thanks to public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and support from Buckinghamshire Council, National Paralympic Heritage Trust, Rothschild Foundation and a number of other partners.

Culture

Administration and Communications Assistant

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Buckinghamshire Culture is seeking a motivated individual to take on the freelance role of Administration & Communications Assistant to support our growing charity. Suiting some one with voluntary, charity, arts or heritage experience, the role will have the opportunity to help deliver our projects, training programmes and day-to-day business.

We support flexible working and are open to how the hours are delivered but will require some time each week to be spent at our office within Buckinghamshire New University’s High Wycombe campus.

As well as assisting with the day to day running of the charity, this role will champion Buckinghamshire Culture, ensuring excellent communication with partners and potential partners, raising the charity’s profile and reach.

For full details and how to apply, please see the Job Description below:

BC-admin-and-comms-assist-finalDownload
A still from Within Sight showing Ellen Renton running through parkland towards the viewer, down a straight path lined with trees.
Culture

Archive STORIES

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Call Out to D/deaf and Disabled Artists

Paid Opportunity

Application Deadline: Tuesday 7th May, 2024, 5pm

We invite performers (theatre, dance, circus), musicians, composers, spoken word artists, writers, poets, visual and digital artists to apply.

We are looking for up to four artists from a variety of disciplines, to be part of an artist collective with writer, poet and spoken word artist Ellen Renton, to create new works based on the exploration of Paralympic and Disability Arts archives in Buckinghamshire. The project is called Archive STORIES. We are particularly keen to hear from artists based in Buckinghamshire or neighbouring counties or artists with a strong connection to Buckinghamshire. This is a paid opportunity.

Archive STORIES coincides with this summer’s Paralympic Games in Paris and forms part of Buckinghamshire Culture’s new season of STORIES, a pilot season of events and activities taking place across Buckinghamshire between May and November 2024.

Please see our Call Out form for more information and to apply. This link contains all the details that you need to know in advance of an application, and a form to gather your application responses. Please click here to apply https://forms.gle/uWNSfh5zypCcYiJr8

You can also download the Call Out document, as either a Word or PDF below. These documents contain the same information as the Google Form.

For further information or assistance please email: Ursula White (Engagement Producer) ursula@buckinghamshireculture.org

PDF:

archive-stories_ddeaf_disabled-artist_call-out-finalDownload

Word document:

archive-stories_ddeaf_disabled-artist_call-out-final-word-docDownload
Culture

Sector Development Opportunities

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Creating Quality Video Content with the Digital Culture Network

6th of May – Online 1:15-2:30

Join Dean Shaw from Arts Council England’s, Digital Culture Network and learn how to create fun and engaging video content across online platforms.

We are delighted to welcome Dean Shaw to our series of sector networking sessions. This online learning session is devised to amplify your marketing approaches and work towards developing digital strategies to free up time and increase impact.

Dean is a Tech Champion at the Digital Culture Network (DCN) and set to share top tips on content creation and introduce you to the ACE , Digital Culture Network. The team at  DCN are available to advise on all things digital from accessibility and ticketing to ecommerce and marketing.

Dean is expert in supporting others to create high quality digital content, increasing impact and making the most time spent online. 

Join us for a fun and engaging session with opportunity for networking and conversations to explore how we can work together to increase reach and raise the profile of the great work happening in Bucks.

book here

March Highlights for the Cultural Sector

Green Gathering, 17th March

Join us at Amersham Museum for our final Going Green Gathering and help us work out the next steps for a more sustainable approach to programme delivery across culture and heritage settings.

The session is led by Melissa Maynard from Dacorum Heritage Trust on the 17th of March from 3-5 in person at Amersham Museum 

Melissa works with the Group for Education in Museums to look at how public-facing programmes and events can be more sustainable.

Melissa’s work on environmental sustainability is focused on how to implement impact behind the scenes to reduce carbon footprint taking into consideration; insulation, heating and lighting.  Melissa’s session explores how to consider the impact of visitor activities, shops and displays, and programme accordingly.

This workshop explores some of the ways in which we can make greener choices for visitor events. The session is followed with opportunity for Q&A and networking with tea, coffee and snacks provided.

Sign up for your free ticket at Eventbrite and email kerry@buckinghamshireculture.org with any questions.

Venue & Booking Details:

📅 March 17th, 3.00-5.00pm

📍 Amersham Museum, HP7 0DP

🔗 Booking Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1252756852469?aff=oddtdtcreator

Have your say – join us for Creative Culture Conversations, 20th March

Bucks Culture invites cultural organisations of all sizes to join our online Creative Culture Conversation to inform how we connect and collaborate to enable sector growth.

Aiming to deliver a fun and engaging session providing feedback in real-time, the session offers opportunity to input into strategic planning, inform groupings and allow people to feel heard, part of something and understood.

This facilitated session will enable peer sharing, identification of trends and celebration of successes – ultimately helping Bucks Culture to see how best to support the sector to develop and grow.

A series of digital tools will be used to help participants respond to a proposed programme of sector development presented by Bucks Culture.

Be part of the conversation

Join Bucks Culture and cultural organisations of all sizes to shape the future of arts and culture in Buckinghamshire.

  • Share success stories
  • Identify sector needs
  • Explore sector challenges
  • Access funding
  • Share learning to nurture peer support
  • Collect real-time data to measure impact
  • Work in partnership.

Venue & Booking Details:

📅 March 20th, 2-4pm

📍 Online via MS Teams

🔗 Booking Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creative-culture-conversations-tickets-1257992572649?aff=oddtdtcreator

Celebrate International Women’s Day at our Women of Culture Event, 6th March

Women of Culture – Celebrating Women in the Cultural Sector

Bucks Culture is hosting Women of Culture, a special networking and celebratory event in honour of International Women’s Day, bringing together women in the cultural sector.

On March 6th, we bring together women working across Buckinghamshire’s cultural sector to exchange ideas, share insights, and build meaningful connections. This event is a dedicated space to reflect on the role of women in the arts and culture, celebrate achievements, and discuss the challenges that remain. While the session is designed with women in mind, men are welcome as allies—this is about fostering an inclusive and supportive conversation.

Rosie Axon (Founder and Director, Chiltern Music Therapy), Betty Makharinsky (Founder and Executive Director, Vache Baroque), and Vicky Hope-Walker (CEO, National Paralympic Heritage Trust) will lead a dynamic and interactive session, offering insight into their experiences as founders and leaders in the cultural sector. Through artist-led discussions and participatory activities, they will explore the role of music and the female voice in storytelling, leadership, and creative expression.  As part of the Female Founder Journey, Rosie and Betty will share their perspectives on establishing and leading cultural organisations, while Vicky will provide insight into her work with the National Paralympic Heritage Trust, highlighting her leadership in Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion within the sector.

Venue & Booking Details:
📅 March 6th, 12:30–2:30 PM

📍 Elgiva Theatre, St Mary’s Way, Chesham HP5 1HR

🔗 Booking Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-of-culture-celebrating-women-in-the-cultural-sector-tickets-1244870795059?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please pass this on to other women in your organisations too. 

Culture

See Mascots, Torches, Racing Wheelchairs and much more across Bucks

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colourful graphic showing elements linked to the Paralympics

The Together We Build exhibition and events programme kicks off on 9th September and runs until 4th November at cultural venues across Bucks.  12 venues that have chosen to take part, will celebrate our County’s Paralympic heritage by displaying objects chosen by disabled Community Curators, and running events inspired by the Paralympic story.

Our project celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the London 2012 Paralympics, honouring the work of Dr Guttmann and the heritage and stories linked to this amazing event.  We are extremely proud to be working with a group of passionate Community Curators, who are bringing their voices to the project and sharing their stories too.

This is a chance to see a selection of Paralympic objects that have not been on display before, including: the Tokyo 2020 Torch, a Paralympic Athlete’s shirt designed by Stella McCartney for 2012, the Swaypole Dress and Gravity Corset from the 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, lion and futuristic mascots and Chris Hallam’s Racing Wheelchair, among others.  These items will be on display at venues across the County and via our virtual gallery.

In October (date tbc) we are hosting an online Panel Discussion exploring the legacy since 2012.  This event will also begin to shape our thinking about an Access Manifesto for cultural venues in Bucks.

To find out more about the exhibition and events, to view our virtual gallery and to book a place for the Panel Discussion, please visit: www.buckinghamshireculture.org/Together-We-Build 

Chris Hallam's Racing Wheelchair
Chris Hallam’s Racing Wheelchair

Waddesdon Manor are leading on a schools programme for this project and will create a schools resource inspired by the objects chosen by our Community Curators, as well as hosting a schools event on site in September 2022. 

Buckinghamshire Culture is leading this project.  Project partners include those who hold Paralympic collections: Buckinghamshire Archives, Discover Bucks Museum, National Paralympic Heritage Trust and Waddesdon.  And those who will host objects, displays and events for our exhibition: Amersham Museum, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Bekonscot, Chiltern Open Air Museum, Discover Bucks Museum, The Elgiva, Marlow Library, Milton’s Cottage, Queens Park Arts Centre and Waddesdon Manor.

For further information about the project and to see all opportunities as they arise please see: www.buckinghamshireculture.org/Together-We-Build and #TogetherWeBuildBucks on social media.  Or contact Lallie: Lallie@buckinghamshireculture.org

Together We Build is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.  Support has also been provided by Buckinghamshire Council.

Culture

Seeking Artists for 2 Bucks Commissions

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Photograph of pebbles. One pebble, bigger than the others, has a question mark drawn on it.

Buckinghamshire Culture has teamed up with two local organisations to develop two co-commission opportunities:

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

We are working with Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to appoint an artist/creative/collective to work with patients and staff on site at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire, in order to create a new 2D or 3D art installation for the site.  We are seeking an artist with experience of creative arts supporting wellbeing and working with people in a healthcare setting.  We are looking for someone capable of inspiring people and encouraging them to get involved and create and shape new work together or individually.  We want to see a final piece that shows pride in Buckinghamshire and the BHT community.

We are opening an expression of interest process, from which we will select 3 artists to receive £350 in order to visit the BHT site and explore the available spaces for their work before submitting a more detailed proposal.

A budget of £7,640 inclusive of any VAT to be charged is available to the final selected candidate for the community engagement, development, fabrication and install of the artwork.

Delivery period: September-November 2022

Deadline for expressions of interest: 9am, 10th August 2022.

For more information please download the full artist’s brief.

Co-commission brief BHT Jul 22 FinalDownload

Wycombe Homeless Connection and Aylesbury Homeless Action Group

We are working with Wycombe Homeless Connection and Aylesbury Homeless Action Group (WHC/AHAG) to appoint an artist/creative/collective to work with homeless, or previously homeless clients and WHC/AHAG staff in High Wycombe and Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in order to share stories of homelessness through art/cultural means (this might include visual arts, photography, poetry, performance, sharing/displaying objects).  We are seeking an artist with experience of working with people with disordered lives and who is able to flex ideas and approaches according to need.  We are looking for someone capable of inspiring people and encouraging this cohort to get involved and create and shape new work together or individually.  We want to see a final piece/performance/installation that shares experiences of homelessness in interesting ways.

We are opening an expression of interest process, from which we will select 3 artists to receive £350 in order to visit the BHT site and explore the available spaces for their work before submitting a more detailed proposal.

A budget of £7,640 inclusive of any VAT to be charged is available to the final selected candidate for the community engagement, development, fabrication and install of the artwork.

Delivery period: September-November 2022

Deadline for expressions of interest: 9am, 10th August 2022.

For more information please download the full artist’s brief.

Co-Commission brief WHC AHAG Jul 22 FinalDownload

These co-commissions have been made possible with funding from the Rothschild Foundation.