I know sport isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, as much as art isn’t, but there are certain times, certain occasions, that transcend any previous knowledge, experience or preference. Watching the Cricket World Cup Final was one of those occasions. The drama, the anticipation and the joy were unparalleled. The thing that sent shivers down my spine, however, was the reaction of the crowd. The raw emotion, or should that be ‘roar’ emotion. I have already watched the final ball over ten times, just for the reaction of the commentators, players and the crowd. That sense of witnessing and experiencing something together is why sport, and indeed the arts, is so powerful. Rarely, if ever again, will we be able to match the intensity of that game, but in many ways, the work that we try to achieve here at Creativity Works, bringing people together and supporting collective, community participation, is part of that same experiential continuum. There is something profound about witnessing something together, whether you are the protagonist or audience.

To support the work that we do, and the many artists and volunteers that are also trying to make positive change through that collective experience, we try to programme exciting, relevant and impactful co|Create sessions, and we have quite a few coming up that I would thoroughly recommend. From social media film-making, to walking and writing as a socially engaged practice, through to creative journaling and another day of our Creative Resilience Programme, I am sure there will be something that you will be interested in. Details are in this newsletter and on our website.

We are also very excited to be taking our work outside of our usual geographical areas and back into Somerset. Following the highly impressive project we did with Somerset Libraries last year in Street and Bridgewater, we will be running a fresh project in Shepton Mallet called Futures Bright, through a newly established consortium, Well Wessex. This consortium is supported by the Somerset Community Foundation and links like-minded organisations who have a focus on mental health and community development, enabling us to deliver a more holistic programme in partnership.

Now, I wonder if the open-top bus celebration will be coming to Radstock?