About Creative People & Places Hounslow
Creative People & Places is Arts Council England’s major national investment in engaging new people and communities in the arts. In Hounslow it is a consortium of five organisations, including community arts organisations, Hounslow Music Service and the local authority, and is led by Watermans.
The 10-year vision is to build a confident, colourful and creative borough. We will do this by boosting Arts capacity in the borough through: the development of four arts hubs in Feltham, Hounslow Central, Heston and Cranford and Brentford; putting on free, high quality outdoor arts events; supporting small arts organisations in Hounslow by giving small grants and 1:1 business support.
Creative People & Places Hounslow launched in 2015 and is funded to continue its programme until 2025.
WHO WE ARE
Creative People & Places is a consortium led by Watermans. Four other partners come from council bodies, community organisations and the private sector to ensure this project has the maximum impact and legacy. The consortium is made up of: Watermans, Hounslow Music Service, Hounslow Library Service, TW4 Community Development Trust, and London Borough of Hounslow.
LOCAL ADVISORY GROUPS
Four Local Advisory Groups (LAG) lead the development of the programme in their local areas: Brentford, Feltham, Hounslow and Heston & Cranford.
Each Local Advisory Group is made up of people who live, work or have a connection to Hounslow, and who have a passion for shaping its future. They take the lead on everything from imagining new ideas to the practicalities of making them happen.
No special experience is needed to become a member of your LAG, just a love for your area and a willingness to involved.
LAGs put on a wide range of activities, ranging from Feltham Fete and TW3 Creative Space to an outdoor cinema on Beavers Estate and creative writing workshops.
THE VISUAL ARTS PROGRAMME
Our programme places high quality exhibitions in a network of London Borough of Hounslow Libraries and in local cafes, particularly focusing on the western edge of the Borough.
The programme is curated by the Hounslow Exhibitions Group, a panel of local people, artists and library staff who select and curate the programme, supported by a Visual Arts Producer.
Whilst four Local Advisory Groups are based in a particular geographic community, the Hounslow Exhibitions Group creates and supports exhibitions right across the borough. Exhibitions have been hosted in libraries, on the streets and in community cafes – as well as online. Exhibitions have focussed on exploring themes that are important to local people, such as mental health, hidden disabilities and climate change – all from a local perspective.
BELL SQUARE
Bell Square is an exciting outdoor arts space in the heart of Hounslow, launched in 2014. It’s a place where anyone and everyone can come to see some of the best outdoor performers in the world, for free. Featuring anything from circus to dance to acrobats, the shows aim to delight and inspire people whether they’re 4 or 84.
Situated at the end of Hounslow High Street, it’s a permanent outdoor space. A large square, with seating and standing space, there are performances every other Saturday.
PARTICIPATION GROUPS
Creative People & Places Hounslow supports creative participation groups who meet regularly across the borough – to sing, dance or play an instrument, as well as to talk, learn and laugh together. They’re all friendly and welcoming to new members – no previous experience required.
Groups include a Ukulele Collective based in Brentford, Hounslow Community Choir, The Shakti Divas Bhangra group in Heston and Cranford, and Community Brass Band based in in Feltham.
CREATIVE NETWORK WEST
The network is a place for creatives in Hounslow to meet, share ideas and contacts, and to develop their practice through forums and workshops. It was first set up in first phase of our programme and continues today as part of Hounslow’s Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ), Creative Enterprise West.
London’s six CEZs are a Mayor of London initiative to support artists, makers and creative businesses in a targeted area. In Hounslow, the zone runs from Chiswick Business Park to Sky in Osterley, including Brentford town centre to the south and going north to include Boston Manor and Gunnersbury parks.
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to know more about any of our activities please email cpphounslow@watermans.org.uk or call 020 8232 1027
ABOUT CREATIVE PEOPLE & PLACES
Creative people & Places Hounslow is part of the Creative People & Places programme, initiated and funded by Arts Council England. Creative People & Places is about more people taking the lead in choosing, creating and taking part in art experiences in the places where they live. There are 21 independent projects, each located in an area where people have traditionally had fewer opportunities to get involved with the arts. Creative People & Places projects have reached over 1.2 million people, 90% of whom do not regularly engage in the arts.
You can find out more about the national Creative People & Places network in this video..
