Arts Connection: generating learning 'thru' creative experience

Arts Connection is an inspirational community arts organisation working in North Powys and the border communities. We are revenue funded by the Arts Council of Wales and have provided high quality participatory arts projects in a wide range of artistic mediums since 1994. Our work with schools, children, youth, the learning disabled and the wider community offers increased involvement and participation and a welcoming bi-lingual doorway into the arts.

We provide opportunities for artists in all media to develop innovative arts projects within the local and wider community. Acting as a broker between artists, organisations and various cultural constituencies.

Our portfolio is extensive, our ambitions are high, our status is unrivalled.

Have a good look around our site. Tell us what you think. Contact us if you think we can assist you with development of a project or as an artist.

Our Approach

Arts Connection creates, consults, collaborates and coordinates.

We create new opportunities for artistic expression.

We consult with our local communities to identify and develop activities that will encourage wider participation in the arts and promote access to the arts for all.

We collaborate with individuals, organisations, clients and funders in the delivery of projects and programmes.

We coordinate projects on behalf of others and facilitate the development of creative partnerships between artists, schools, youth clubs, community groups, other arts organisations, the health service, social services, the business community and other partners.

Funding

Arts Connection receives revenue funding for running costs and project funding from the Arts Council for Wales.

Each year we find partnership funding from Powys County Council, Powys Youth Service, Mencap, Clwyd Alyn Housing Association and many more.

Structure

Arts Connection is a non-profit making company limited by guarantee. The company is managed by a voluntary Board of Directors and employs a part-time Arts Director, full-time Project Officer and part-time administrator. Documentation relating to our legal constitution and policies is available for inspection at our office.

History

Formed in March 1994 as a non-profit making cooperative by a group of 5 artists. The group moved into the Youth & Community Centre in 1995.

In 1997 a part-time co-ordinator and new management board were appointed and various community arts projects initiated.

In 1998, we were awarded £147,000 over 3 years from the Arts Council of Wales "Arts for All" lottery fund to develop exciting projects around North Powys. Match funding worth more than £20,000 was also raised during this year.

We were awarded the first ever Arts and Business Cymru "Best Sponsorship of New Work" prize for our work with Severn Trent on the Lake Vyrnwy Sculpture Trail.

In September 2000 we presented "Reminiscences", a project linking young and older people, at the millennium dome.

Since 2002 we have been a revenue client of the Arts Council of Wales, who have offered immense support and advice during our development.

In 2003 we were described in the Arts Council of Wales annual report as having undertaken outstanding community arts work and being an excellent role model for community arts practice.

In 2004 we celebrated our 10th Anniversary, with an open event attended by Lembit Opik, Arts Connection members, Town councillors and many more.

In 2005 the Arts Council of Wales invested in us further via the Sustainability Project, which involved us, CARAD and Celf o Gwmpas.

From 2005 - 2007 we received WEFO (Welsh European Funding Office) funding. This gave us the capacity to employ a Project Officer, which led to me project activity and thus allowed us to make the post sustainable. It also led to some exciting projects such as 9 primary schools visiting the Senedd to sing Welsh nursery rhymes.

We are always developing and furthering our work with partner organisations, creating sustainable funding sources and raising awareness of our membership services in North Powys.