Art Unites: Our Stories - Artist Networking
On Monday, the Art Unites team hosted a networking and information event at Princes Risborough Library. Inviting anyone who had applied to our Art Unites Artist call out, the event was designed to expand our network, understand how we can best help support the arts in Buckinghamshire, and offer practical advice to the artists on how to create work for a library setting. With an excellent turn-out, the event was buzzing!
We began with a quick presentation on Buckinghamshire Libraries, our cultural strategy and how to engage with library services as an artist. We were fortunate to hear from Kremena Dimitrova, our lead artist on the Art Unites project, to provide an artist perspective, and Lallie Davis, director of Buckinghamshire Culture, for insight into Buckinghamshire’s wider cultural landscape. The presentation was followed by networking and discussion, alongside copious cups of tea and coffee!
As a service we are committed to enhancing our cultural output. Art Unites: Our Stories is a project born out of passion to engage our communities with art and culture in the safe and welcoming environment a library provides. We are passionate about making our libraries places of exploration and unexpected discovery; from a new favourite author to interacting with an immersive art trail. However, this can only be achieved through supporting local talent to make local work, and the conversations had on Monday were an enlightening look at how we might secure a legacy for the Art Unites project aimed at creatives as well as community participants. It was a lively and inspiring morning, and I know my to-do list has certainly grown since then! My favourite quote came from one of the artists, who told me the felt “really heard” at the event.
Whilst not directly related to the creation of the Art Unites artwork, this event has set clear groundwork for how we might collaborate and champion artists across disciplines in the future. It was an eye-opening event and one that has already begun to enrich the project and how we approach our cultural offering. We’re very grateful to all the attending artists for their generosity and openness, as well as to Francesca Withers (Princes Risborough Group Manager) for allowing us to use Princes Risborough Library when it would normally be closed!
If you are excited by the opportunity to interact with art in your local library, why not come along to one of our artist workshops? Held across Bourne End, Marlow, Amersham and Princes Risborough libraries, our artists will work with you across a variety of mediums to create a travelling piece of art that will tour the libraries in the Spring. From monoprinting to collage, drop in to one of the workshops and get creative with us! There is no need to book, and each workshop is accessible for all ages, so bring your little (or big) ones along and join in the fun. Details of the workshops can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/ArtUnitesEvents
We’ll see you there!