DANCE, drama, painting and prose...
Wigan borough’s bursting with raw talent and the desire to express itself artistically.
It may come as a surprise for a place famed for its sporting prowess and success on the field of play but the arts are everywhere.
And at the heart of it all is a very special group of volunteers which has taken up the challenge of keeping Wigan’s creativity connected and encouraging ordinary members of the community to get involved.
The Arts Exchange began life some 10 years ago – a meeting of minds for those who wanted to see grass roots cultural activities in our borough flourish.
Today, through support from Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, it works with more than 90 groups and promotes every aspect of artistic expression.
Arts Exchange chair Gill David explains: “We do see the group as the champion for the arts in our borough. At the heart of what we do is helping those people who really want to pursue their own creativity and passion for a particular activity to be able to do this.
“We believe the Arts Exchange is one way to discover all the arts activities and opportunities taking place in Wigan. That’s everything including writing, IT, graphics, photography, theatre and music.
“Many of the groups we work with regularly stage performances and we keep all our members informed about what’s going on and what’s out there.”
The Arts Exchange also helps to provide funding for fledgling artistic endeavours by helping the leisure trust co-ordinate its NewstART grant scheme, which can provide up to £1,000 to help get things moving.
A typical example of the work of the Arts Exchange comes in the form of this summer’s successful production by the Turnpike Community Theatre of A Fox’s Tail which tells the history of the Westleigh area by focusing on the Twelve Apostles Church.
The theatre group received a grant to develop the script and worked with borough-based playwright Julie McKiernan to deliver it. The resulting performance garnered interest from Westleigh ex-pats from across the globe.
“By working in this way we were able to support the work of the amateur theatre group and the professional writer,” says Gill. “So everyone wins.”
Arts Development Officer Vicky Fletcher, who works with the group says: “The Arts Exchange has been extremely important in helping voluntary arts groups flourish and this role will only increase in future years. It will become the borough’s representative for the arts on a regional and even national level.”
So is it all arts for arts sake?
“Well yes it is,” says Gill. “But when you consider that getting involved with the arts can help boost your confidence and self-esteem and help strengthen entire communities, that’s no bad thing is it?”
You can find out more about the work of the Arts Exchange by visiting the website – The Arts Exchange (external link) or call Vicky Fletcher on 01942 486918.
