Creative Hub: An Introduction

Sunday, 27 March 2011 16:12

The aim of the Hub is to be a network of people involved in or interest in the arts and creativity who live and/or work in Southbourne-on-Sea (BH6).

Many areas have similar organisations, set up and run by individuals who have come together to form a group. An excellent example just down the road is Christchurch and District Arts Council (CADArts) which began in the same way as our Hub is beginning – a few people wanting to ensure that the arts and creativity develop and flourish in our neighbourhood.

CADArts is now a strong and effective organisation in Christchurch, with charitable status, a website, a large membership and working regularly alongside local businesses, the Council and so on to ensure that arts activities in Christchurch involve local arts practitioners and can benefit the local environment and economy or provide events that members of the public can either simply enjoy or actively participate in.

It is clear that there are a lot of creative people here in Southbourne-on-Sea, and from all sorts of backgrounds: artists, musicians, crafts people, writers, dancers, photographers, web designers and many more. Some work full time with their skill, others part time and some on a voluntary basis. Some people see themselves as professional, others as amateurs.

By coming together as a group rather than as lots of individuals, it is much easier to find out about opportunities, events and so on, much easier to promote the various skills, activities, products and services each of us has to offer and to ensure that the arts and creativity play an important role here. And the Hub will, in time, also create and carry out new projects.

By becoming a member of the Southbourne-on-Sea Creative Hub the immediate benefits are the informal networking gatherings which will happen about every six weeks, the e-newsletter and the knowledge that the Hub has encouragement from various departments within Bournemouth Council, our local Councillor Robert Lawton, the Southbourne-on-Sea Business Association, Business-Link South West and some local charities including St Martin’s Bookshop and the Charles Rolls Memorial Trust amongst others. Other benefits will come, in time.

As with any group of people a few have put themselves forward to do the work to get the Hub off the ground, lots of others are interested but might need more time to think about it, others still will want to get involved in small ways now and then and some happy to just be a member without getting too hands-on. Everybody is welcome.