We are seeking ALL the movers and shakers in the city across ALL genera , communities and religions who want to get involved and drive a vibrant and varied Arts scene in Gloucester, developing events and festivals of all shapes and sizes under the banner of The Gloucester Arts Project (GAP). GAP’s aim is to break down social and religious barriers under the common banner of the Arts and build pride and community in the city through connectivity:
- Fill The GAP
To fill Gloucester with a vibrant and varied Music , Dance, Theatre , Literature and Arts Festival program with large scale annual events to promote the City its heritage and economy. - Close The GAP
Close the gap between communities and religious groups and create a ‘Community of Communities’
with each group bringing their culture and art into the mix. - Bridge The GAP
Bringing all the community sectors together under a common goal. Business, Schools, Ethnic and religious, community Groups such as FSB, WI , Rotary , Masonic, to create a common plan of action to get every one pushing in the same direction to get Gloucester vibrant and alive. - Mind’ The GAP
Theatre therapy and Dementia Cafe’s to create support for sufferers of Head Injuries, Dementia and Alzheimer’s and their carers. (In partnership with the Bristol scheme)
Gloucester Arts Quarter
We have developed the Gloucester Arts Quarter concept and have started to engaged with all the venues shown on the map and now the City Council.
Arts Quarter Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zLOL-e37N4IM.kjeBy_H78Ojs
Gloucestershire Box Office
We have built the Gloucester Box Office (GBO) site which is up and running on PCs and will have the Smart phone and tablet version ready for launch by June with a central ‘What’s On’ and proactive mailing data collection and monthly mail shots to promote ALL events in the County.
Gloucester Mystery Play and Medieval Festival 2016
We have a commitment from ALL the UK Mystery Play Cities ( York, Chester, Lincoln , Lichfield , Coventry ) and the Passion Trust to gather in Gloucester and bring their wagons to perform in the streets in 2016 as part of the full medieval weekend festival which was originally planed for 2013.
New Gloucester History Plays Commissioned
Having Commissioned The Gloucester Mystery Plays we have now also commissioned a new play which has been written by the Everyman writers lab to mark the 800th anniversary of Henry III coronation at the Cathedral in October 2016 and we have agreed in principle with Orial College Oxford that we can have their original Magna Carta and Forest Charter signed by Henry III to display as part of this production as it hopefully tours in partnership with theatre companies across the UK working to produce this as a pro-am community production promoting this cities arts and heritage.
We have also commissioned Jarek Adams (Olympus Scriptorium) to write a new play covering the life of Gloucester’s Saxon Queen AEthelflaed to mark her anniversary in 2018 as part of this Arts & Heritage in Gloucester drive.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship and support has already been pledged by The Everyman , Travis Perkins, Sainsbury and Tesco and The Merlin Group (Alton Towers, Warwick Castle, Thorp Park etc. ) . And Jeremy Irons has extended his patronage across this project. GCC have given us access to the schools via their internal mail system and the Cathedral will connect us to the Church Schools . So as you can see we are driving on .
First meeting Gloucester Arts Council
We hope to hold the first meeting of the GAC in June when GBO will be launched offering free online ticketing for all groups , venues and events however large or small with full seat selection.
Theatre Trust
A Theatre Trust will now be formed that will act as an umbrella organisation and eventually take a majority ownership of suitable buildings so securing a permanent Arts Hub and Theatre in the long term for the city and enabling us to access grant funding for future development.
Please look at the Warwick University research which came out last month:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/research/warwickcommission/futureculture/finalreport/enriching_britain_-_culture_creativity_and_growth.pdf
I feel this hits the nail on the head with regards the Arts and the ‘Cultural Apartheid’ which is developing.
“A landmark new report has warned that more needs to be done to fix the “mismatch” between publicly funded arts and the taste of the general public, in order to avoid “cultural apartheid”.
http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2015/02/arts-must-appeal-wider-public-face-cultural-apartheid-report/
With the City Council now cutting the budget again to the Guildhall and the Museum its time I feel for the population of Gloucester to have an arts revolution and drive and create the Arts and Heritage environment that this city so desperately needs for its self. (do you recall the comments made by Jeremy Irons in his interview of 2013).
Are you a mover and shaker ?
Do you know who is already doing great things in the city and think they should know about this?
Then get in touch with Phil McCormick on 07786177501! Let’s get this to as many people as possible please to start the debate and really get things moving .
