Ledbury Poetry
Creative Pathways was managed and led by the ACE National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) Ledbury Poetry Festival, working with the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership. During the project Ledbury Poetry hosted many Creative Pathways volunteers, workshops and training sessions.
Ledbury Poetry is the biggest poetry festival in the UK and features poets from all over the world. Inspiring, inclusive and international in its programme, everyone is welcome to this celebration of poetry. The line-up includes live readings and conversations, workshops, music, exhibitions and films.
The Courtyard Theatre, Hereford
The Courtyard is a multi-art-form cultural centre in Hereford and an NPO. They were supportive of the Creative Pathways initiative: ‘Overall, I think it is a great concept and certainly welcome it' and they took on multiple memebers of the Young Reviewers in The Shire project.
National Trust
The National Trust is a significant national charity, with sites across the UK, including a number of sites in Herefordshire, such as Croft Castle, Berrington Hall and The Weir Garden. The National Trust are well known for their volunteering roles, but numbers had reduced since Covid. They were keen to attract younger volunteers and be part of a wider volunteer network. The National Trust provided a fantastic volunteering opportunity for an aspiring marketing volunteer, including a tour, 1:1 career discussions and the opportunity to produce a marketing video.
Meadow Arts (Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire)
Meadow Arts is a contemporary arts NPO working across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. They were involved from the start as Creative Pathways was developed and hoped to see volunteering policies, templates and guidance produced. They appreciated the Volunteer Management policy shared by LPF and funding towards equipment that would support volunteers in placement.
2 Faced Dance (Hereford, and touring)
2Faced Dance is a female led male dance company in Hereford. They recently lost their NPO status and are forging a new path ahead as a result.
Ledbury Places
Ledbury Places is a charity that looks after 3 historic buildings in Ledbury: The Old Grammar School, The Barrett Browning Institute and The Burgage Hall. They are volunteer run with only 1 paid administrative post. Their existing 50-60 volunteers are mainly from an older demographic. ‘We have a great need for volunteers and saw it as a great opportunity to have younger volunteers’. Ledbury Places collaborated with Creative Pathways and artist Jeannette McCulloch to develop the 'Create a heritage exhibition project' for aspiring volunteers.
Borderlines Film Festival
Borderlines Film Festival works across Herefordshire, Shropshire, Malvern and the Welsh Borders. They partner with independent venues to show world cinema and independent films. They have had volunteers through Hereford College of Arts (HCA) before and were approached to be involved in Creative Pathways: ‘Our audience is an older one and we are always looking for younger audiences and felt this might help us achieve that’. Through Creative Pathways, Borderlines Film Festival hosted both volunteers and Young Reviewers in The Shire.
CUP ceramics
CUP Ceramics provide space and facilities for Herefordshire communities to develop practical skills and gain therapeutic benefits through creating ceramics. They are community driven and started with a campaign for volunteers. They have hosted volunteers through HCA and provide use of their studio space in return for time volunteered. Through Creative Pathways, CUP Ceramics have hosted 2 volunteers and provided them with training, workshops and opportunities to make and sell their own work.
FEAST FESTIVAL
FEAST (Festival of Equality in Arts and Society through Theatre) is an annual festival held in Malvern and organised by Reaction Theatre Makers, providing ‘challenging, diverse and highly professional work that is accessible to all’. They hosted a Creative Pathways volunteer as an event photographer, capturing images from the festival’s many performances.
Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral is a prominent cultural building in Herefordshire, home to the Mappa Mundi and enabling worship for over 1,300 years. They have c.350 volunteers but wanted to diversify the demographics that they attract to volunteering roles. The Cathedral have had multiple volunteers through Creative Pathways. Volunteer Maddison particularly enjoyed her time as a tour guide in the Chained Library.
Open Sky
Open Sky is a new NPO creating physical and digital theatre and film. They tour work and deliver community projects. They already had an ambition to embed training opportunities throughout their offer. The Creative Pathways programme allowed them to grow this further and develop the offer. They have hosted 20 Creative Pathways volunteers over 3 film shoots.
The Poetry Pharmacy
The Poetry Pharmacy started as The Emergency Poet, dispensing poetry prescriptions through a converted ambulance at events. They now have a shop in Bishop’s Castle and are supported by a small team of volunteers. They have taken on volunteer Amber as a Young Reviewer and as a display artist.
Rural Media
Rural Media is a leading cultural NPO in Herefordshire, using film, media and digital art and carrying out much of their work with young people. They offer work experience placements and they pay young people to be part of the Point of View programme. They did not host any volunteers through Creative Pathways but LPF helped them formalise work experience placements and they are applying to run a programme with volunteers. They see the Creative Pathways initiative as very important to the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership.
Ledbury Carnival
Ledbury Carnival is a part of the culture of Ledbury. Running for 50 years, Ledbury Carnival is a wonderful day for all the family! Fairground rides, bands, stalls, dance displays, children’s entertainment and the Carnival Procession. Ledbury Carnival took on Creative Pathways training and volunteers to support their delivery of the 50 year anniversary of the carnival.
Ludwig Arts
Ludwig Theatre Arts is an academy for Performing Arts whose goal is to offer the highest quality of training in all the artistic disciplines. Jack Ludwig has recruited experienced and talented teachers who all have a passion for student success and development. The Academy also holds industry workshops with professionals from TV/Film, Dance and West End. Ludwig took on an aspiring Creative Pathways volunteer looking for experience in production and backstage management.
