Bedford Creative Arts (BCA)

Community outreach project Archive

BCA has undertaken so many projects over the years that it would be impossible to feature them all. The selection of projects given here has been chosen to demonstrate the kind of project work we have done with community groups.

Creative Mapping

Creative Mapping has been a creative photography project for adults looking for skills for learning or employment. Through taking part, people have learnt more about their local area, how to plan a creative project as a team and how to operate a digital camera!

The first session has always been a discussion about places that groups would like to explore and photograph. The river in Bedford and other natural landscapes have been tremendously popular because of their peaceful and natural beauty that appeals. The challenge is trying to portray these places in a distinctive way.
On the other hand the ugliness and mess of some town sites have been photographed too to show disorder in the environment.
The Sikh community in Bedford has attracted the interest of a couple of groups one through the procession to commemorate Guru Nanak's birthday and another to visit the brand new Sikh temple completed in March 2007.

Many of the participants have an existing interest in art and were looking for inspiration by visiting art exhibitions and collections at Cecil Higgins Art Gallery, Bedford Museum and discussing the exhibitions at BCA Gallery. The mineral and natural history collection at Bedford Museum has provided still life materials for participants who wanted to try out close up photography.

There have been strong links with local libraries who have provided us with space to meet, maps to plan our river tour, display space for finished photographs and access to local history archives for the photos for a “then and now” display. Some of the group members have joined the libraries as a result of these visits.
Demystifying digital cameras that are everywhere but not everyone feels comfortable with them and gaining good results.
Using your artistic skills to put all the resulting photos together in a finished design of a high standard gave satisfaction

Many of the Creative Mapping participants had not worked with other people for a while as one participant said “It gave me confidence to try new things and interact more with other people”. She highlighted how motivational the project was as regards planning, going out and decision making as a group.

T.O.P.P.P. The Older people's Photography Project

The Older Peoples Photography Project, set out to introduce digital photography to older people. We wanted to show, through their images, what is of value in the here and now of everyday living and that older people not only have a past but a present and a future. Working with 8 groups across Bedfordshire. The groups not only documented their daily lives, interests and families but also took trips to Priory Marina, Bedford Museum and participated in activities and games using the various “modes” on their cameras, that enabled them to approach photography in a new and (hopefully) exciting way. The results are truly inspirational and demonstrate talents that would have remained hidden if they had not been given the opportunity to explore this creative digital journey.

View some of the groups images contributed to their project pages on Flickr (photo management site).
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bcatopp/