Our Story
Art Rising Collective's Creative and Community Events Since 2021
“Stratford-upon-Avon is famous as Shakespeare’s birthplace. It has nearly 3 million visitors a year and boasts one of the best theatres in the world, but living here, a person can really struggle to connect with the arts.”
Arts Rising Collective (ARC) was founded in February 2021, because we heard that statement too often. It was made to us by young people in Stratford and by other residents. Older people, in particular, felt that they could not access the benefits that flow from involvement in and exposure to the arts. Particularly concerning was the frustration voiced by local artists themselves, who told us how unsupported they were.
Isolation, a lack of networks, a feeling that the arts were “just for tourists, the wealthy, and not for us” - all those factors were coming together to discourage the people of the area from being involved in creative activities. ARC, a Community Interest Company, is a not-for-profit organisation committed to making the arts accessible to the people of Stratford and to fostering a supportive environment in which everyone can benefit and grow, whether they are starting their artistic journey or are experienced creatives.
We are already 200+ strong, and getting larger. We have established ourselves as a well-known group in the Stratford-on-Avon area and we have run a series of successful events. We have built a thriving network. And now we intend to do even more by running a physical hub that will be a centre for our activities, hosting artists in affordable studios, hosting workshops, organising artist talks and cultural events, and providing exhibition space and acting as a permanent base for outreach work.
The arts thrive on contact
Many artistic fields have been wrongly thought of as naturally lonely endeavours. The myth of the solitary artist in the garret is a persistent one. We knew from day one that we had to counter it and show how creative people work best when connected with their communities. We wanted to pull down the barriers to the discovery and enjoyment of art and unlock its potential to stimulate personal growth and improve social cohesion.
ARC has always believed that we must make the arts relevant to daily life and facilitate its expansion through our members who include, for example, painters, printmakers, illustrators, writers, ceramicists, woodworkers, sculptors, photographers, podcasters and videographers. Our members work in traditional and modern media. At our events and gatherings, you can see ideas and knowledge enthusiastically exchanged between fields that might, at first sight, seem completely different. The variety of knowledge and experience at play is rich and surprising. We are a large, active group that wants more than anything else to reach out and bring the arts to the widest possible audience. Our members want to share with others and help improve the quality of life for everyone, but especially they want to help the young, the isolated, the marginalised and those struggling with the pressures of modern life.
About ARC
ARC was founded with the following goals:
Community Integration
To bring together artists of all disciplines within the communities in which they live.
Engagement for all ages
To help people of all ages, including children, benefit from the arts through educational and participatory programmes.
Social Inclusion
To reduce social isolation, particularly among marginalised groups, the elderly, the lonely, and those suffering from mental health issues.
Member Support
To provide networking, support, exchange of ideas and skills, and opportunities for ARC members.
Past events
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