2 . Background & purpose a new collaborative community creative project
NAC is a community arts centre based in Whitmore Reans , a hyper-diverse area of considerable social deprivation on the edge of Wolverhampton city centre . NAC ’ s programme has always embraced a mixture of creative and community-focused activity . Amongst the 21 resident organisations onsite are two recording studios , a group of visual artists and an adult day care . Regular classes weekly include dance , youth theatre and English for Speakers of Other Languages .
In 2019 , NAC received funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to plan and deliver Whitmore Reans Remapped , a community arts program of activity in 2020 . Like all cultural organisations in the UK , NAC was forced to shut its doors during the successive lockdowns in 2020-1 . In 2022 , it was in a phase of post-COVID recovery and needed to redefine the role that it could play in improving the lives of the citizens of Whitmore Reans and Wolverhampton . NAC were confident that there is more that NAC could and should be doing .
Rather than taking a decision themselves , NAC wanted to find out more about what is needed by co-creating work with their local communities , so moved the schedule from 2020 to deliver the project in 2022 with full in person access to all community organisations , artists and participants . As an arts centre NAC wanted artists to lead the process of discovery and display , through the commissioning of artists to work with groups in Whitmore Reans , and through a process of discussion and co-creation , to make maps of communities , networks , activities and needs .
In June 2022 , NAC announced a new collaborative community creative project taking place at NAC and within local grass roots community organisations to recognise , chronicle and celebrate the residents of Whitmore Reans . Curiosity Productions were appointed to take responsibility for project management and co-designing the commissions ( each focusing on a different community or network ). Curiosity Productions would be supported one day a week by NAC ’ s Community Engagement Officer ensuring greater continued communication with the networks during and after the project . Each commissioned artist would work with local community partners to deliver the project ; Gatis Community Space , ACCI , The Good Shepherd , Refugee & Migrant Centre and Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary .
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