Purpose
We would see the arts being used to:
- Engage in civic life – bringing forward new voices, reaching out to the excluded and young people in particular through supporting intergenerational conversations
- Enable local creativity – supporting personal creative activity for wellbeing including social prescribing and developing professional skills and possibly new businesses
- Help to explore and express a sense of place – artists working with local people to co‐design the built and natural environment and bring forward what makes Par Bay a special and unique place
Stage 1
Stage 1 of the initiative is now complete with five successful projects.
Par Bay Panto
Two sell out performances involving 20 children took place in December 2020, after just 8 weeks of rehearsal. Despite this success and the demand from the community for a similar event in 2020, the impact of the pandemic has meant that this will not go ahead.
Intergenerational Poetry
Local youth groups (Brownies and Guides) were involved. 90 residents in all took part , including seniors from Hendra Court and Trecarrel. A book of creative writing will now be produced to complete this project.
St Blazey Son et Lumière
A lantern parade with approx. 200 people took place in February. Due to last minute problems the image projection was not able to go ahead. There were Youth Music and Yarn Bombing workshops and a Textile Fayre. The bulk of the organisation of the event fell on too few people and this, together with the Covid pandemic, means a similar event next year is in doubt.
Open Studios
3 successful Wellbeing Workshops in Par, St Blazey and Tywardreath in the winter. 150 residents took part. 67 people signed up for future events.
Par Bay Heritage Trails and Walks Booklet
The Book has been published and is selling well. The Guided walks have been delayed due to Covid.
Other projects
- The Knife Crime Film and Mural have been delayed due to the pandemic
- The LED Art Box project has not claimed funding due to insurance problems
- Let’s Make Christmas has been withdrawn due to the Covid pandemic
Stage 2
Preparations are now in place for Round 2 of the Project which will focus on larger scale projects. This will run from August 2020 – December 2021.
Since the lockdown, there are now weekly group meetings on Zoom which are well attending. A model of collaborative working, rather than participants competing for the budget has emerged. Participants may express creative ideas in a supportive and safe environment and to learn from the experience and critique of others.
