Community

Peterborough Presents… small commissions programme  

Peterborough Presents… is a consortium of local artists, arts organisations and communities working together to create great art in our city. By great, we mean art that is new, diverse and, most importantly, relevant to local residents  

Peterborough Presents… Small Commissions Programme provides up to £2000 worth of funding to individuals and organisations wanting to create new arts activities in the city. It is designed to encourage artists, and organisations working with artists, to try something new with the support of the Peterborough Presents team. Since its launch in July 2014, the Small Commissions Programme has awarded over £27,000 to 16 different projects. All of the applications are assessed and scored by a panel of community representatives ensuring that it supports a diverse range of projects. This is just a snapshot of the projects funded so far:

CELEBRATE PETERBOROUGH
Local dance practitioner Hannah Clissett worked with students from Ken Stimpson Community School and Heltwate Special Needs School to create a series of dance performances inspired by local landmarks. The students were filmed performing the dances at the different landmark spaces, including Central Park. The project culminated with a film screening at the Key Theatre.

EVENSONG
Artists Bettina Furnee and Lucy Sheerman are interviewing 12 couples about the possibility of going on an extended space journey together; could they cope with just each other for company? The interview material will then be used to create a new musical composition, based on Evensong, to be performed at Peterborough Cathedral in Spring 2017.

PICCOLO
Piccolo is a monthly classical music concert for pre-schoolers. Organised by St Johns CIC, and taking place at St John’s Church in the city centre, these concerts are family friendly events for the under 5s, their parents and carers. The concerts started this September and already proving very popular.

FREAKSPEAK
Created and curated by local poet, Charley Genever, Freakspeak is a new quarterly spoken word night, bringing you the best punch-you-in-the-gut poetry from across the country. It launches on Thursday 12 November 7:30pm at The Lounge, The Solstice with performances from Ross Sutherland, Vanessa Kisuule, and Rachel Long. Tickets available from www.eventbriteco.uk

MATT LEWIS
Sound artist Matt Lewis will be running community workshops in Cardea, Dogsthorpe and Welland, encouraging residents to explore their relationship with their surroundings. The workshops will result in a series of sound installations which will be played in the participating communities next year as part of the city’s annual Green Festival.

NINA VON DER WERTH
Nina is a dancer and choreographer bringing contemporary dance to the masses through performing in unexpected places. Over the weekend of November 14 she’ll be bringing her latest piece ‘Two Pints of Lager and a Piece of Contemporary Dance’ to a series of pubs in and around the city centre. Visit www.idea1.co.uk for the full list of venues and times.
For another Small Commissions Programme project, read about Jessie Brennan’s Green Backyard residency which was part funded by Peterborough Presents.

Interested in applying to the Small Commissions Programme?
The closing date for the next round of applications is Friday 29th January 2016. We’ll be hosting an information evening for any interested in applying from 6pm-9pm on Wednesday 18th November at Metal, Chauffeurs Cottage, St Peters Road, Peterborough, PE1 1YX. For more information on Peterborough Presents, The Small Commissions Programme and the information evening visit www.peterboroughpresents.org or contact Josie Hickin, Programme Manager at josie.hickin@vivacity-peterborough Peterborough Presents is the city’s Creative People and Places project; led by Vivacity in a consortium with Metal, Creative Peterborough, Voluntary Arts and Step Up Community Association. It is funded by Arts Council England, Peterborough City Council and the NNF Bridge.

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