22 hours Ago
The free event, organised by the BCP Cultural Compact, was held on Wednesday, March 26 at Foundry in Poole. The gathering included artists from diverse fields such as theatre, dance, music, literature, poetry and visual art. Helen Keall, chair of the BCP Cultural Compact, said it was an "inspiring and hugely positive get-together".
"It was wonderful to have so many representatives of our incredibly vibrant cultural sector in one place at the same time to share their ideas and experiences, to talk about collaboration and, of course, to offer support to each other." Ms Keall, who is also joint chief executive of Pavilion Dance South West (PDSW), added: "It was very heartening to see so much talent come together and to be reminded that arts and culture are alive and well across BCP despite the constant challenges the sector faces." The Cultural Compact was established to help BCP Council deliver on the objectives in its cultural strategy published in 2023.
Partners include Arts University Bournemouth, Bournemouth University, Lighthouse Poole, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Town Centre BID, PDSW and BCP Council. Rohan Gotobed, the compact’s arts development lead who organised the evening, said: "I came away feeling very inspired by the positive energy in the room. "There are many phenomenal people working creatively across Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole, and it’s so important for us to be able to share knowledge and ideas together.
"Lots of the attendees spoke of their determination to bring exciting artistic projects to local audiences, and I’m hopeful that the Culture Network will help us to connect like-minded individuals, ensuring we can continue to engage with the wider community and general public." Ten freelancers were paid the Real Living Wage to attend, signalling the commitment to support freelance work across BCP. One attendee said it was "an invaluable opportunity to bring people together and a brilliant way to connect both for business purposes and just building friendships".
The next event will be taking place in Bournemouth on Thursday, July 3..
