creative use of technology
led by MediaActive Projects, in collaboration with the project artists
The MediaActive Projects team have led on developing the digital elements of the programme, liaising with artists, partners, participants and embedding creative digital practice and opportunities within the project. Donna Cliftlands, Max Allwood and Richard Hepenstal have all provided creative and technical support.
Additionally, MediaActive linked some aspects of their wider programme to the project, building connectivity and capacity and enhancing partnership working. Adventures with Archives, a cinema and filmmaking programme that specialises in working with archive film is a good example of this. The Adventures expertise and resources supported artists training and a series of creative interventions that linked directly to partners’ and audiences’ interests.
Additionally, MediaActive linked some aspects of their wider programme to the project, building connectivity and capacity and enhancing partnership working. Adventures with Archives, a cinema and filmmaking programme that specialises in working with archive film is a good example of this. The Adventures expertise and resources supported artists training and a series of creative interventions that linked directly to partners’ and audiences’ interests.
Prior to lockdown, and in direct response to feedback from Creative Conversations’ participants and partners, and inspired by the At My Home Helsinki pilot profiled at The Art of Ageing Artfully conference in February 2020, MediaActive had begun to consider how to support people unable to travel to take part in the arts. Connexus social housing joined us as a partner and funder for an offshoot pilot: Creative Conversations at Home. When Covid-19 struck some weeks later, the relevance of developing a virtual model became all too apparent! We moved quickly to support a number of the CC artists in their development of a virtual approach that related to their artform practice. CC supported artists development time, provided advice and guidance, and facilitated a number of test runs, trialing new arts participatory approaches using video conferencing, bringing together focus groups who have provided feedback from a range of societal and artform perspectives.
We attempted to find new ways to offer technical support whilst face to face home visits were not appropriate, but we had limited success in this area. As the pandemic eases, for the future there is scope to recruit Digital Buddies, volunteers who can provide hands on technical support and encouragement, as needed.
MediaActive established a new partnerships for the new “virtual” development (Connexus Housing: 25 supported living communities across Shropshire) and attracted investment from the Community Foundation for Staffordshire & the NET Coronavirus Appeal, Shropshire Council (Arts, Libraries, Museums), Connexus, and The National Lottery Community Fund. Whilst this development supported much needed research and development and artist-led activity during lockdowns , our commitment to this way of working remains long-term, post pandemic.
MediaActive established a new partnerships for the new “virtual” development (Connexus Housing: 25 supported living communities across Shropshire) and attracted investment from the Community Foundation for Staffordshire & the NET Coronavirus Appeal, Shropshire Council (Arts, Libraries, Museums), Connexus, and The National Lottery Community Fund. Whilst this development supported much needed research and development and artist-led activity during lockdowns , our commitment to this way of working remains long-term, post pandemic.
“We met up online with the At My Home team in Helsinki to share learning and ideas, and this was such a valuable experience…and inspiring! It served as a mutual peer review…. and enabled us to recognise that the projects approach to moving activity online and to supporting our artists to make this transition, was really quite special. For the future we have agreed to continue to meet to share ideas and learning with the Helsinki team, and to involve the CC artists and our partners in this process.” - Sue Gainsborough, MediaActive Projects
Finally, MediaActive launched a culminating online exhibition - this website - to showcase the project, to share learning and inspiration, and serve as an advocacy tool in moving forward.
Finally, MediaActive launched a culminating online exhibition - this website - to showcase the project, to share learning and inspiration, and serve as an advocacy tool in moving forward.