What a year it’s been, wouldn’t you agree!? We’ve done our ultimate best to keep creating art with our communities this year and although it’s been at a distance, we’ve still had so much fun delivering our projects and connecting with you all. So, to celebrate the end of a very challenging year, here’s 20 of our best Junction Arts memories from 2020. We hope you enjoy reminiscing as much as we did!
As always, thank you for being with us every step of the way.
20/20. Shirebrook had a lively transformation to their Market Square shop shutters! (Try saying that quickly!) We love the new designs that we co-created with local residents. They really brighten up the square and reflect the busy market vibe and history of the town. If you haven’t seen them already we recommend a visit on market day!
19/20. How do we do participatory arts better? In January we went to Liverpool for the inaugural ArtWorks Alliance Gathering and it was a really inspiring day discussing ideas with other participatory arts organisations. How could participatory arts improve for you?
18/20. With all the travel restrictions poetry was our chosen mode of transport in 2020! We launched ‘Our Poems, Our Places’ online pinning poetry onto a map of NE Derbyshire and exploring local places by reading about them. Look out for writing workshops this year!
17/20. We all need a friend sometimes. The Creswell Gets Creative group have been incredible supporting one another through the pandemic by staying in touch and still taking part in activities at home. Luckily we were able to deliver some workshops at the start of the year for them. Their work always impresses us, look at this lovely wirework jewellery one participant created!
16/20. In April you helped us to raise a fantastic £1527 for our 2.6 challenge! With your encouragement the JA team completed a day full of mini challenges. Your donations and positivity really showed us just how amazing our community is!
Thank you! #twopointsixchallenge
15/20. The Art of Letter Writing project encouraged making connections between family and friends, to combat loneliness and isolation. You sent kind letters to the residents in care homes and they enjoyed them so much! Our first online project was a success! #inthistogether #isolationcreation
14/20. Our live Q&A series created an accessible way for artists to share their talents and for people at home to learn more about different creative practices.
It was so interesting to learn more about our artists. Catch the Q&A’s on IGTV if you missed them!
13/20. If you want community spirit come to Bolsover! Lights were shining across the town as the brilliant lantern making community came together for #LightingTheWay. This event marked what would have been the 27th Bolsover Lantern parade.
12/20. You gave us an early Christmas present by helping us to raise £3100 through The Big Give! Your kind donations mean we can continue to better lives and make change in 2021! Thank you so much! Thank you to our business sponsors, Wilkins Vardy, Yoga By Annie and Henry Boot! #biggive2020
11/20. The arts are a perfect way to create memories with loved ones. Art at Ashgate Hospice Care gives patients, their families, friends and bereaved the chance to be creative and make art at a time when their access is limited or lost.
10/20. To boost health and wellbeing we encouraged you to see what art you could find on your walks. Junction Arts has created a lot of public art over the years and we are always excited to find art work on our walks. Art can really transform a space!
9/10. Through The Voyage of Discovery, we supported young people across Derbyshire to receive their Arts Award certificate. Wonderful artworks were made and participants learnt about all sorts of interesting artists including painters, musicians, film makers & animators!
8/10. How magical are these Woodland Fox baubles? In the summer we created a new project as a response to lockdown called Home Comforts. We’re so glad to be able to support care homes and isolated individuals across the Bolsover district.
7/10. In Year 3 of This Girl Codes, we delivered Curiosity boxes to schools, online poetry workshops and installed a 3D printed art installation at Bolsover Castle!
6/20. We partnered with Leicestershire poet Kaozara Oyalowo who was assigned to work with the BAME community in Chesterfield, to create a brand new publication. We really enjoyed seeing everyones work inspired by the nature at Tapton Lock!
5/20. Our socially distanced outdoors exhibition was made safe and accessible for everyone to enjoy at one of our favourite places in Chesterfield! We thought the exhibition really did reflect the beauty and nature that can be found at Tapton Lock.
4/20. The film created by Esther Johnson, ‘A Role To Play’, beautifully explored contemporary working lives in Bolsover. A highlight was getting to know the participants so well. Here are some of our participants watching the Bolsover screening before lockdown!
You can watch the movie here: www.workprojects.org.uk
3/20. So, incase you missed it: Annie stepped up and became our fabulous Chair of trustees. We recruited Hannah as our new Relationship Fundraiser. We welcomed back Aly to cover Amy’s maternity leave and then at the end of the year, Jack joined us as our new trustee! We are so lucky to have such a great team! Thank you for coming on this journey with us! #squadgoals
2/20. We are thrilled to now call West Studios our new home! It definitely wasn’t the easiest thing to move during a pandemic! We haven’t yet had the chance to all be working in the office together, but we look forward to doing so hopefully in the near future!
1/20. This year has truly proven the impact of the arts. We’ve worked with 14 schools, 14 care homes and worked with hundreds of people at a distance. Art has helped people through these tough times by creating memories, improving wellbeing, spreading joy and hope, and keeping us connected. Thank you to all those who have helped us along the way and to all those who have participated.
