Making Connections November 2024 at Swindon Dance. Photo c. Tiger Watts
We think that the power of dance has the ability to reinvigorate and inspire. That’s why we’ve been focusing on connecting creatives in our home region through a series of innovative and forward-thinking creative workshops based on movement.
Neon established Making Connections with funding from Arts Council England, and the series has welcomed dozens of participants since its launch this September. It aims to plug a gap in professional development opportunities for artists in the area, and we’re really pleased that participants are reporting leaving enthused and ready for their next creative project.
Sessions are hosted by our own Artistic Director, Adrienne Hart, alongside artist and teacher Sarah Ferris and a roster of additional guest artists.
Gap in opportunities
Sarah would like to welcome anyone in the South West, and beyond, who might be interested in attending: “We know it's hard to carve out time, so we wanted to provide a held space for professionals and community artists to be together, to improvise and be creative with others. So many told us that they’d benefit from something like this, and I’m so glad we’ve been able to fulfil that need.”
Adrienne adds: “You don’t need to be a dancer to take part! Improvisational sessions have featured movement but also poetry, music and other art-forms. It’s about providing a pathway for creative ideas to take shape. And it's been wonderful to see the spectrum of people taking part, from recent graduates to a person in their 70's.”
Spirit of collaboration
Making Connections was born out of Neon's own ethos of collaboration. Adrienne commented: "Through working together, through experimentation - that's how you get to something truly original. Something that connects with different people on different levels. Inspired by our approach at Neon Dance, that’s what we’re bringing to this workshop series. Each session is shaped by who is in the room at the time; participants work together, and with the workshop leader to create something new. I can’t wait to see how people’s ideas take shape and what future projects come out of it.”
Our next appearance in Swindon, as part of the Festival of Tomorrow 2025 this February, will be just as collaborative, asking the public to input into ‘wearable sound sculptures’ that will form part of Neon’s next performance project!
Connecting the creative community
As well as providing an opportunity to develop creative practice, Making Connections sessions aim to support artists to generate new connections through facilitated networking.
When asked what they enjoyed about the session, one participant told us: "Connecting with others similar to me, having space to explore my movement in different ways, being inspired - and making new connections for work opportunities."
Adrienne added: “It’s great to see creatives in the South West making new connections and reinvigorating old ones. Working as an artist can be an isolating business - we can all benefit from being embedded within a community, to feel part of something inspiring. Keep talking to each other! And do come to another session if you’ve been to one already.”
The final three sessions will feature guest dance artists Theo Clinkard, Seke Chimutengwende and Marie-Louise Flexen.
Workshops take place during afternoons on the last Friday of the month at Swindon Dance, with sessions currently confirmed until March. For event details visit the Neon Dance Events page or Making Connections registration page.