Image by Edwina Kung
Five new creative projects will bring folk art, life drawing, music, outdoor illustration and family fun to communities across Ashfield.
We’re delighted to announce the five successful recipients of Round 3 of the Ashfield Creates Community Commissions, with projects taking place across Ashfield between May and July.
This latest round brings together an exciting mix of creative experiences across the district, from folk art and life drawing to songwriting circles, outdoor illustration and a summer celebration packed with activities for all ages.
Through the Community Commissions programme, Ashfield Creates supports local artists, organisations and residents to bring creative ideas to life. Designed to be simple, accessible and open to everyone, whether you’re taking your first creative steps or already delivering community projects, the commissions help grow exciting local ideas that might otherwise not happen.
We’re thrilled to support another brilliant group of artists and community organisations whose projects celebrate local talent, build confidence and create opportunities for people to come together through creativity. Meet them below!
Deborah Hill – You Can Folk It
Deborah Hill will be delivering You Can Folk It, a series of folk art-inspired workshops at Teversal Visitors Centre. Participants will have the opportunity to explore traditional decorative painting techniques and get creative with a range of materials.
Karen Walsgrove – The Selston Life Drawing Sessions
Karen Walsgrove will host a series of welcoming life drawing sessions at The Tin Hat Centre in Selston. Open to beginners and experienced artists alike, the sessions will offer a chance to develop creative skills in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Borderland Folk (Martin Carey/Alan Taylor) – Songwriters Circle
Borderland Folk will be curating 2 ‘Songwriter Circle’ events in the Ashfield area, led by Martin John Carey (King of Rome/Borderland Folk) and Al Rate (Lawrence County/Borderland Folk), encompassing a range local songwriters of all ages, genders and levels. Each event will showcase the talents of 3 established or aspiring local songwriters, who will talk about their own songwriting process and inspirations and feature their own songs during the sessions.
Edwina Kung – Illustration Trail / Trace the Walk
Edwina Kung will deliver a series of outdoor creative workshops combining drawing with nature walks across Ashfield. Aimed at creating opportunities for people from different backgrounds to come together, the sessions will encourage participants to explore local landscapes and connect through creativity.
THE CRAG – Bounce into Summer
Jenni Bishop, founding member of Coxmoor Residents Action Group (CRAG), a local community group that organises activities and events to support the Coxmoor area, will deliver Bounce into Summer. The event will bring together a mix of indoor and outdoor stalls and activities, including a range of handmade craft stalls supporting local small businesses, alongside free activities such as games, creative making, bouncy castles, face painting and much more.
We can’t wait to share more about the free events and activities being created by our amazing Round 3 commission recipients. Keep an eye on our What’s On page, sign up to our newsletter and follow us on social media to find out more about upcoming events and how to get involved!
