Just so you know: Ericsson are still looking for charities to support!

Ericsson, the technology and communications company, are looking to match 300 volunteers with a range of charities. The employees will offer digital, marketing, IT and HR skills to name a few. There will also be the opportunity to acquire non skilled volunteers as well as fundraising.

This is your chance to gain the voluntary work that we know many organisations such as ours are in desperate need of.  If your CML would benefit from any or all of skills based volunteers, non-skills based volunteers, or fundraising opportunities then please get in touch – for further info and details of how to apply visit their WEBSITE.

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Updates: forthcoming website, funding opportunity, article and toolkit

1. New CML Website and Newsletters

The CML Peer Network is developing a new website and revamping its quarterly Newsletter. Further information will be available in December. We hope both will provide access to much needed and relevant resources and help CMLs connect for shared learning and peer support.

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2. Community Trade Up Programme

The Community Business Trade Up Programme will support 80 organisations in England focused on improving their local area. It’s run by the School for Social Entrepreneurs, in partnership with Power to Change. The offer includes

• A free learning programme, to develop income and impact
• A Match Trading grant of up to £10,000
• A community of supportive peers

Find out more @ www.the-sse.org/community-business/

You can download the guidance notes, and have a read to consider whether you would like to apply. If you have any questions, or if would like to discuss anything further contact Amy Harrison via email: amy.harrison@sse.org.uk

To share this opportunity via email to all your networks, the team have created a  bundle of ready-made social media posts and graphics – simply copy and paste!

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3. Article on Community Asset Transfer and Taking Over Your Local museum toolkit

A new article has been published on community asset transfer which may be of interest to you. The article concentrates on museums which have been transferred. It includes a discussion of the wider political strategies of relevance to community managed museums and then moves on to reflect on the main challenges experienced by local authorities and community members during the asset transfer process.

The article is based on PhD research by Bethany Rex, who has also produced a toolkit on ‘Successfully Taking Over Your Local Museum’ (supported by Arts Council England and the Association of Independent Museums) where findings from the research are translated into practical guidance. The toolkit can be accessed via this link:https://www.aim-museums.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/V-5-Successfully-Taking-Over-Your-Local-Museum-2018-6.pdf

In the article, Bethany talks about her personal experience of trying to undertake research which results in positive action of benefit to the people who participated in the project. The article is published in the Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage. The first 50 copies can be downloaded for free via this link: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SDVSABSQKR7EXSVBBGJU/full?target=10.1080/20518196.2019.1688265

If you wish to read the article but cannot access the free copies or would prefer to receive a PDF copy you can contact Bethany on b.rex@arts.ac.uk or via Twitter @bethanyrex

LIBRARIES LIVE LEARNING JOURNAL

Libraries Live Learning Journal

New online resources have been developed as part of the #LibrariesLive project to share the project’s learning with other libraries and the wider public library sector.

Libraries Live is a creative partnership project which took place in three libraries, led by three artists in three different communities, across Staffordshire, Warwickshire & Leicestershire.

Artists took up residency in community managed libraries and embedded creative activity in each library over 8 weeks to inspire and engage their visitors, volunteers and the wider community to explore the theme of ‘change’ in libraries and the ethos behind communities working together.

In response, artists have created new work which has toured libraries over the summer and will now form a permanent centrepiece at the heart of each community to celebrate their achievements and encourage newcomers.

To accompany the Libraries Live film made by Geoff Broadway which shows each residency in action, one of our main aims for the project was to create a learning journal to share with other community managed libraries.

The journal is mostly relevant to those wanting to run creative projects to engage more with their existing communities as well as bring in new audiences. It illustrates the path we took and what we learned along the way including case studies, artist profiles, artistic commissions, challenges and successes, top tips to take forward and finally, arts takeaway ideas to inspire further activities in library venues.

Artist Residencies & Commissions

In Staffordshire, a performance for children & families ‘Bobbi in the Blue Room’ was developed by New Vic Theatre’s education team with Glascote Library and neighbouring nursery and primary school. The performance comes from the perspective of a young child who sees change happening around them but without any explanation of why it has to happen. Following a tour over the summer, the piece is now shown on a screen in the library together with interactive resources for younger children and families to enjoy.

At Water Orton Library in Warwickshire, Michaela McMillan worked with young adults and teenagers on the themes of Change, Growth and Time for her residency. As a response, Michaela created an installation, ‘The Mother of Libraries’ which shows the maternal, female face of the library being held up and supported by the hands of the volunteers, all holding books with the names of the participants and volunteers that took part.

At Newbold Verdon Library, Leicestershire, textile artist Ruth Singer worked with adults and older people to explore their experiences of volunteering and the sense of community which working together brings. Ruth chose to work with the idea of Patterns of Making, her finished piece is a quilted book which represents community connections reflecting the way that each little act of community adds up to a much greater whole. The book is on display alongside an activity book and resources to encourage further activity and engagement.

Resources

Libraries Live Film: vimeo.com/339651462

Bobbi in the Blue Room: vimeo.com/343025990

Libraries Live Journal: https://www.paperturn-view.com/uk/arts-connected/libraries-live-journal?pid=NjQ64541&v=3.1

#LibrariesLive #LibrariesWeek

@StaffsLibraries @leicslibraries @warkslibraries

Website: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/LibrariesLive

Libraries Live is a tri-county partnership project between Staffordshire, Warwickshire & Leicestershire County Library Services, supported by Arts Council England Lottery Fund.