Open space notes – why don't people engage in the arts locally?

Here are some brief notes on what was discussed at the session on why people in South Holland and Boston don’t engage much with the arts.

Social class – art seen as too ‘posh’?
People aren’t involved in the planning – art done to them, not with them
Financial pressure and affordability
People don’t see themselves as being ‘artistic’ enough
Art not considered relevant to people’s lives
Lack of time, people need to know benefits
Lack of recognition of what activities are seen as art
Location – rural isolation
Creativity
What is the cultural offer and how to communicate it
Language and avoiding art speak
Access to transport
Lots for children, less for adults
Self reliance, close networking, isolation
Communicating – finding out what small groups are out there and talking to them to find out what they would like
Developmental progress – look at what is happening now and how it can be developed
What happens round here? What is important to you?
Tensions between communities
Similarities between Boston and South Holland – engaging migrant workers and communities
Creative activity in the consultation – eg museum in a caravan
Need to manage expectations
Portable art installations – taking art out into the communities – people not knowing it’s on
Parking where the chip van parks! Reinventing it into an artistic experience
Capturing stories online – video, text, photos
Flash mob ideas
Connecting – ownership, social media etc
Building momentum
Where do you get a critical mass of people?