The project created a cultural and artistic mixed media map of the Gaunless Gateway area through running artistic workshops that produced all the visuals for the map. Each workshop was a day or half day long creating an activity that worked with a wide cultural mixture of school-aged students to produce a diverse representation of the local area. The final map brought together the work of different generations to create a beautiful representation of the Gaunless Gateway area that will be shared with all its residents through the local press, and online channels.
The first people who benefited were those directly involved in the production of art work to make up the map, who develop confidence in their abilities, improved teamworking skills and a developed understanding of their home town and the importance of their place within it and the opportunities available to them.
Once the map was created and shared with the town through printing it on different products, the people affected by the map reaches into the hundreds. People discover new local businesses, landmarks and activities they never knew existed through being provided a fresh perspective of the town, making people look at the streets and buildings in a new way, providing people with the opportunity for rediscovery. There will also be permanent installations available for community centres taking part.
We successfully completed the map with local people and printed the design onto many products i.e. a lampshade, apron, mugs, cushion, wall hanging etc.in this way we went beyond our initial proposal.
What worked well? Working with the school worked well, as they all worked very hard and produced artwork beyond expectations. Applying design to different product types enabled more far reaching local interest, as some people preferred the cushion or the apron for instance.
What did not work so well? We unerestimated the time involved in project managing the project which resulted in not offering workshops to a wider range of people. Also, as the quality of work from the student was so high, we t it better to concentrate on spending time making the most of their work for the end resulting design and products to be of high quality.
Difference to our orgaisation Activities funded through the small grant have made a difference to our organisation as it has benefitted us hugely as we were a newly formed CIC and Gaunless Gateway believing in our work has helped us to form and craft the way we need to go forward as a CIC
It has strengthened our organisation ias we have learnt so much from our mistakes, to then be more confident in realistically pitching future projects. It has helpedus to improve the way we work as it helped to test a way of working model which can be improved on in future projects. It has enabled us to do more by giving us the opportunity to be more connected to the GG area which we live on the edge of. And in being more connected has given us valuable insight into the needs of the community and be able to pitch for more projects that align with these.
It has helped us to reach more people through presenting the map products in a committee meeting; we found out about many local organisations who were delighted to see the area in this cultural map format and were keen to order products for themselves and the organisations they represented.
It has helped us understand our organisation role as part of the Gaunless Gateway Big Local Partnership; as a Bishop Auckland based CIC, our mission is to facilitate creative platforms for local people to develop their artistic skills, compose their artwork and produce professional qualities products which elevate their artistic endeavours in valuable ways. This project has been invaluable in putting that mission into action.
This project : * Provided more activities for children and young people to do * Provided training, volunteering or job opportunities *Improved health and wellbeing *Increased Partnership working
Approximately 60 pupils from St. John’s Secondary School took part by researching and creating visuals that produced the Gaunless Gateway cultural map.
Total number of people involved 100 How many were: male 20 female 80 How many were aged: 0-15yrs 80 White British 90 White – other European 10
New skills gained from this activity: Learned new drawing, painting and compositional techniques.
It gave them information about their local area, as it had to be culturally depicted by them
It gave participants nformation about plans and activities happening in their area: Knowledge gained during this project included learning about activities certain places offered, the characteristics of landmarks past and present and stories associated with aspects of their locality.
It gave opportunities for people to give their views: The nature of the project involved people deciding what needed to be depicted in the map showing their area. A map made by the local people for the local people. The project brought community groups and local residents together with people from statutory agencies as the cultural map in its nature made it inclusive and connecting.
Follow up is happening organically, as local organisations are placing orders to have locally themed and designed products.
From going to the full partnership monthly meeting it became clear from their feedback that a project of this type encourages community cohesion. The young people who took part certainly have taken great pride in their artwork having far reaching exposure. I hope to do similar projects with Gaunless Gateway in the near future, and we have been very grateful for the continued support of our community endeavours.