Junction arts

Junction Arts intern progresses into apprentice role

Chesterfield-based community organisation Junction Arts is continuing it’s growth, by promoting intern Martha Bramwell into a full-time Projects Apprentice role.

Martha is now aiming to become a full-time projects assistant with Junction Arts, following the completion of her apprenticeship.

Originally starting with Junction Arts back in December 2020, Martha was looking to gain hands on experience within community arts to support her Foundation Art Course at Chesterfield College.

However, Hannah Bowdler, Relationship Fundraiser at Junction Arts explained how much of an impact the young intern made since joining the organisation: “Martha has made a huge impact on the charity. During her time with us, she has worked with each of our team members getting a wider understanding of the running of a community arts charity. With each person, she has shared her enthusiasm and energy making Junction Arts a truly positive place to work.

“Her direct impact on the charity includes, redesigning our new office layout in West Studios, after we downsized. It is now a welcoming and practical workspace for us to use as a hub for all our projects and activities.

“Project wise, Martha has been a vital deputy during projects including the Chesterfield Lantern Parade. Supporting a project coordinator to run a busy and complicated celebration event whilst learning what’s needed to make a large scale project successful.”

Hannah added that she was delighted to see the continued growth of the charity: “It’s a very exciting time for the charity, whilst in our 45th year Martha has enabled Junctions Arts to take the next steps to increase our capacity. Through her supportive role within the charity and with this soon to increase, the types of projects and number of communities we can work with and support has really increased in the years leading out of the pandemic.”

Martha expressed her delight at being taken on in a permanent capacity: “I am absolutely ecstatic to be offered a permanent role with Junction Arts. I can honestly say receiving the Job offer from our Managing Director, Paul, was one of the happiest moments in my life. As I feel I have worked really hard and this area is something I am really passionate about and I’m so excited for my future with Junction arts.

“Every day I’m surrounded by a supportive team who have individually worked with me trying to give me the best experience possible over the last 15 months.

“I love having roles in events and being with local communities. In December, I played a part in creating Chesterfield’s first lantern parade. I had an overwhelming sense of pride seeing all the lanterns made by school children and members of the community walk together from Queen’s Park into the town centre and will treasure this memory forever. After a difficult couple of years, I’ve never seen so many smiling faces in one place. At 19 years old, I feel so grateful that my days are filled with creativity, exciting projects and great people.

“I love the community we have here in Chesterfield and I think that’s what makes chesterfield such a great place to live, work and enjoy! I am very excited to see Chesterfield in the future and how it will develop into a town with creativity in every corner and street.”

Hannah added that the charity is now looking to further support young talent in the region by taking on a new intern: “Within the next month, we will start the process for advertising for a 1 year Internship from July 2022. It is currently an unpaid role of up to 15 hours a week, depending on the applicates availability. Applicants are to be 18yrs +.

“The Intern is positioned at the centre of the charity, with opportunities to work with all the team, support on projects and events, access to training and involved in the planning of projects. This is an entry level role into the creative/community arts/charity sector.

“We are actively looking for funding to make this a 2 day paid for position, as an investment into young people and new careers within the area.

“As a busy charity, we are always looking for volunteers on our events and projects to help them run smoothly and have a positive impact on those to attend. More details of volunteering with Junction Arts can be found here: https://junctionarts.org/volunteer/”

Junction Arts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Junction Arts at the Tapton Lock Festival

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Junction Arts appeals for volunteers to get involved in community events

Junction Arts is looking for Chesterfield residents to help with a number of community projects and events, which help bring people together across the town.

The local Charity which helps to celebrate our community through the arts and other creative projects, is looking for people to help with initiatives ranging from supporting family art workshops, visitor support at festivals and parades, and assisting project coordinators in the set up of these vital projects.

Junction Arts says no previous experience is needed, just a willingness to get involved and have some fun. The charity has a number of events lined up throughout 2022, with voluntary roles available in February and March. Opportunities include behind the scenes event prep and site specific live art events.

Upcoming events include the Love Bolsover event in Bolsover Town Centre on Saturday, 26th February and the Bolsover Artisan and Craft Market on Saturday 19th March.

Katie Petraitis originally started with Junction Arts as a volunteer and is now the lead artist at the Bolsover Lantern Parade. She commented: “I’ve been volunteering for Junction Arts for over 10 years, and it is always a fun, varied and worthwhile experience. I volunteer because I believe that having access to creative experiences is important for everybody.

“Creative activities allow people a space to pause, think, reflect and express themselves, and the better supported these activities are, the more enjoyable and fulfilling they are for the participants.

“Junction Arts provide workshops and activities which are accessible in a way which gallery-based or city-based experiences might not be, and encourage shared creative experiences in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

“No creative experience happens without people supporting it, and through volunteering for Junction Arts I’ve met some amazing people and learnt lots of brilliant new skills.”

All volunteers are given a free Junction Arts T-shirt and have their travel expenses to the project or event covered. Anyone interested in volunteering for the charity is invited to contact the team by emailing hannah@junctionarts.org.

Junction Arts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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West Studios marks landmark anniversary for tenant Junction Arts with Christmas giving tree

This year, to celebrate West Studios tenant and charity, Junction Arts 45th Anniversary, West Studios are hosting their first Christmas Giving Tree celebrating the work they have done across North East Derbyshire, Bolsover district and Chesterfield.

Junction Arts is a community arts charity embedded within communities facing social barriers such as poverty, poor mental health and isolation. They work across the community in care homes, schools, youth clubs and directly with families offering opportunities to be creative, learn new skills and create lasting and supportive friendships. Best known for their events Tapton Lock Festival and Bolsover Lantern Parade, the charity is also hosting Chesterfield’s first lantern parade on the 19th December.

West Studios is supporting Junction Arts campaign to raise £3000 this Christmas to go towards new projects and events to celebrate what matters most to communities across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Joby Parsons, Events & Sales Coordinator, West Studios said: “Junction Arts are a fantastic organisation that uses the arts to bring communities together and help our most isolated and vulnerable. Their values align closely with those of West Studios which is why our community believes it’s so important to give them support, especially at Christmas when those isolated and vulnerable individuals are at more risk.”

Hannah Bowdler, Relationship Fundraiser at Junction Arts commented: “Through the generous support of individuals, local businesses and our incredible volunteers, Junction Arts has been able to carry our aim of bringing our communities back together safely and confidently in 2021! The support of the West Studios Giving Tree signifies our plans to continue vital creative activities which empower lives and create strong and supportive friendships within our communities.”

To support Junction Arts, West Studios is welcoming people to visit the Gallery Shop reception to see the tree, donate and find out more about the charity.  You can also donate directly through Junction Arts online giving page:  https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/18702#!/DonationDetails

Donations will support local creative workshops giving isolated and vulnerable older people the chance to reconnect with their community; help the charity to create events that give young families the space and time to make magical memories together; and offer opportunities for young people to learn new skills, building their confidence to reach new heights.

West Studios and Junction Arts support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Festive lantern parade to take place in Chesterfield this December

Visitors and residents are invited to join a festive lantern parade taking place in Chesterfield on Sunday 19 December.

The lantern parade, organised by Chesterfield Borough Council and Junction Arts, is beginning at the bandstand in Queen’s Park at 3.30pm and will make its way into the town centre to end at the Christmas tree in the Market Place.

The Handmade Samba Band will accompany the parade walking into the town centre and the Ireland Colliery Brass Band will be performing at the Christmas tree in the Market Place.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “This event is being organised as part of the Year of Outdoors campaign, that encourages residents and visitors to explore Chesterfield’s parks and open spaces.

“This is the first time that the lantern parade has taken place in Chesterfield and we are looking forward to seeing all of the handmade lanterns created at the various community-based workshops taking place, or others that have been made at home.”

Jemma Burton, project co-ordinator for Junction Arts, said: “We are excited to be delivering a magical lantern parade in Chesterfield this year and to be working with school children and communities across the town. During dark winter nights lantern parades are a wonderful way for people to come together and celebrate through creativity.”

If you would like to take part in the lantern parade and would like to make a lantern in advance, you can attend a number of free workshops taking place across the borough.

Workshop – dates, times and locations:

4 December – from 10am to 4pm in Staveley Hall. This workshop is recommended for children aged five and over and must be accompanied by an adult.

11 December – from 10am to 4pm at Loundsley Green Church. This workshop is recommended for children aged five and over and must be accompanied by an adult.

11 December – taking place at the unit directly under the big screen on Vicar Lane in the town centre from 10am to 3pm.  This workshop is open to everyone to attend.

The workshops in Staveley and Loundsley Green will be working with willow and tissue and guided by an artist. You do not need to be pre-book but there will be limited spaces. Please contact Info@junctionarts.org / junctionarts.org for more details.

You can drop into the workshop in the town centre, however, there are limited kits available to make a free lantern so please contact Wendy Blunt on 01246 959657 or email  wendy.blunt@chesterfield.gov.uk to book in advance and avoid disappointment. The lanterns made at this workshop will be made out of paper and decorated with tissue paper.

There is also an option to download or collect a template and instructions to make a lantern at home: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/explore-chesterfield/year-of-outdoors/year-of-outdoors-events#lantern_parade. For this version you can use a recycled plastic bottle.

Keep up to date with the latest event news on the council’s social media channels:

Find out more about the range of events and activities taking place in Chesterfield this Christmas at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/christmas/

Chesterfield Borough Council and Junction Arts support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Exciting arts project re-creates the first live-linked satellite broadcast to celebrate our region

Junction Arts, in association with six arts organisations from across three counties, is set to be take part in ‘Our Place’ which showcases the people and places of the East Midlands, through the arts.

Led by the Chesterfield-based community arts charity, Our Place travels the East Midlands to celebrate diversity, community, culture and place. Through seven creative residencies, Our Place brings together the hills of the High Peak to the streets of inner-city Leicester, where Ukrainian dance from Derby will share the stage with embellished aprons made in rural Lincolnshire.

Junction Arts will be working with several project partners: City Arts (Nottingham), High Peak Community Arts (High Peak), People Express (Swadlincote), Soft Touch (Leicester), Surtal Arts (Derby) and The Hub (Sleaford).

The project has seen over 50 participants working with 27 artists throughout the summer in a series of diverse residencies involving textiles, VR, filmmaking, dance, creative writing and music video production.

The new work created through each residency has been brought together into a feature length film broadcast by Director Chris Bevan, co-curated by Junction Arts with partners and artists to showcase and connect communities across our diverse East Midlands region.

Managing Director of Junction Arts, Paul Steele says: “The project is about connecting people and places. After a hard year of dealing with lock downs and restricted activities, what better way to bring back local communities, by celebrating the people in them and sharing the unique cultures and talents with others.

“We know what it feels like to be ‘in this together’ and we’ve taken that feeling of connectedness and built it into a project where people from across three counties are uniting to share what it means to live in a place in this moment and time.”

Junction Arts were inspired by the first global TV satellite broadcast conceived in 1967, entitled ‘Our World’ which ended with the Beatles performing ‘All You Need is Love’ for the first time, during the height of the Vietnam War.

For their creative residency, Junction Arts commissioned Movement and Theatre Director Chris Yarnell and writer Simon Marshall to work with young people from Derbyshire LGBT+ Youth group to explore what it means to be young, LBGT and growing up in Chesterfield. Filmed within the property of where the group meet, ‘place’ is explored through creative writing, performance and spoken word demonstrating the exciting spirit and anarchic energy of young people challenging norms and finding their place in the world.

The celebratory web broadcast will launch on the Our Place website at 6:30pm on the 9th September 2021: https://junctionarts.org/our-place-broadcast/

Junction Arts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Junction Arts links up with Hardwick Hall to deliver ‘This Girl Codes Curiosity Academy’

Chesterfield Champion, Junction Arts has linked up with the historic North Derbyshire landmark, Hardwick Hall to deliver a project aimed at inspiring and empowering local people.

‘This Girl Codes’ is a Junction Arts project funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund and The People’s Postcode Lottery. The project uniquely uses arts, science, technology and maths to give new interpretation and relevance to the rich heritage in and around Chesterfield.

This Girl Codes aims to empower and inspire people of all ages and genders through the stories of strong women in history such as Bess of Hardwick and Florence Nightingale. Taking inspiration from their work, lives and homes to inspire creative outcomes that build science, maths and technology skills in playful ways.

It is an aim of This Girl Codes to work with different heritage partners each year; in 2020 the project worked with English Heritage at Bolsover Castle. Junction Arts have built a good relationship with Hardwick Hall through working together on previous projects.

The partnership this year has drawn on the themes of light, data science and conservation. Hardwick Hall has a significant textiles collection to conserve including The Noble Women embroideries which are around 450 years old. Both organisations wanted to convey the importance of this work to the public and how The National Trust monitor and control light within a property locally known as ‘Hardwick Hall more glass than wall’.

During 2021 Junction Arts have worked with home educators, Tibshelf School, Rhubarb Farm, Forest schools, families and individuals collecting light data, creating ‘Data Selfies’ and more.

In July they held the first ‘Curiosity Academy’ at Hardwick Hall for participants to delve deeper into the history on site and explore steganography – the practice of concealing messages. Over three days they welcomed over 40 people to the Academy, from ages 6-83! Lead artist Cora Glasser and technologist Claire Garside guided participants through creative activities inspired by hidden messages in Tudor times right up to NASA’s Mars Rover landing.

The Curiosity Academy encouraged all ages to be inquisitive, think creatively and decode messages in historic and contemporary images. All participants experienced Hardwick Hall in new and exciting ways, learned about binary code and how to create images using UV light.

Participants said “The history is really playful, relevant and inspiring. The same code can be translated so many ways. The behind the scenes tour and insider information has made us want to plan another visit.”

The project has been working towards a co-created, collaborative art piece which will be designed and made by artist Cora Glasser using participant’s artwork. The piece will be exhibited at Hardwick Hall later this year.

Jemma Burton, Project Co-ordinator said: “We’re so pleased to be engaging a diverse range of ages and backgrounds with this fantastic heritage and bringing the stories to new audiences in exciting ways.”

This Girl Codes will continue into 2022 working with a new heritage partner and there will be another Curiosity Academy next summer. Anyone can get involved with the project including schools and community groups. If you are interested in hearing about the upcoming activities email info@junctionarts.org to be added to the mailing list or call 01246 209219.

Junction Arts’ work across Bolsover, North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield supports communities, improves well-being and provides access and opportunity in the arts for everyone.

The group also supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Tapton Lock Festival set to bring the Chesterfield community together

The charity behind Chesterfield’s Tapton Lock Festival says it is set to return this year, offering free family fun for residents and visitors.

Taking place along the banks of the Chesterfield canal on the weekend of Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September, the event celebrates the great outdoors and the incredible wildlife on our doorstep in North Derbyshire.

This year’s festival, organised by Junction Arts will feature activities and entertainment, including a climbing wall and canoeing, art workshops and live performances.

Attendees will also be able to take a trip aboard the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s trip boat, John Varley II.

This year, organisers are welcoming back the captivating bubbleologist, while on Sunday, the event will host children’s puppet shows and performances by Bee Guides Bombus and Borage and their amazing Bee Cart.

Hosted in partnership with the Derbyshire County Council Countryside Service, this festival is the first large event that Junction Arts has been able to run since March 2020. Having worked hard to continue their support to care homes, schools and families at a distance, the team is back running events and workshops face-to-face again, offering people the opportunity to be creative and empowering lives.

Hannah Bowdler, Relationship Fundraiser for Junction Arts said: “This year, Junction Arts is on a mission to bring our communities back together safely, through its calendar of exciting events. They see how involvement in creative and social activities and interaction within our communities alleviates loneliness, anxiety and stress, and you are invited to benefit from this too!”

Festival organisers are asking local people to become a sponsor of the Tapton Lock Festival, by donating what they can to help bring our communities back together safely. For more information, visit: www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/TaptonLockFestival2021

Junction Arts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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