Penparcau Community Forum and Arts Centre join forces for year long project

Members of Penparcau Forum get in some early practice selling tickets to Aberystwyth University Vice-Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Treasure, ready for their project with Aberystwyth Arts Centre, in the company of representatives from Cynnal y Cardi, Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Aberystwyth University.

Aberystwyth Arts Centre is joining forces with Penparcau Community Forum for a project called ‘APT: Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Penparcau Forum Together’.

The year-long venture which will see a ‘hand over’ of the Arts Centre to Penparcau residents for a week’s worth of events and activities in June 2018. 

The APT project has been made possible thanks to LEADER support through the Cynnal y Cardi Local Action Group administered by Ceredigion County Council.

Cynnal y Cardi is funded through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

APT aims to develop a ‘Penparcau Partnership’ whereby members of Penparcau Forum groups and other Penparcau residents will come together to help to programme, organise, manage and run the venue for a week, with the support of the Arts Centre team. 

Speaking on behalf of Penparcau Forum, Forum Co-ordinator Bryn Jones said:  “We’re looking forward to working with the Arts Centre on this exciting new project. 

“With our new building opening in September it’s an exciting time for Penparcau Forum and being able to offer lots of workshops and activities for all our local residents is fantastic.

“There’s so much interest in the project already, with lots of ideas coming up for events we can run in the Arts Centre – from live music events to workshops for young families”. 

Over the life of the project experienced Arts Centre staff will help train residents from Penparcau in a wide range of skills including technical, event management, front-of-house, and marketing for the creative arts. 

At the end of the training project period in June 2018 the Arts Centre will then be ‘shared’ with Penparcau Forum, who will help to run it for the events they’ve been planning and put their newly gained skills into action in a live, professional arts environment.

Alongside informal training workshops and mentoring across all aspects of event management, technical, front of house, marketing and programming, participants will also be able to visit other arts organisations in Wales and further afield to see how other venues work and to meet the teams there and see productions in action.  

Young people participating in the project will also have the opportunity to gain Arts Award accreditation which could then help lead on to further study if they wished. 

Training and workshop sessions will take place in various locations around the town – including, the Arts Centre, Penparcau Forum’s new Community Centre, and in the University’s Old College.

The project is available to all groups and residents of Penparcau, whatever age or experience.

If you would like to get involved please get in touch with either Penparcau Forum on 01970 611 099 / contact@penparcau.cymru  or Aberystwyth Arts Centre amj@aber.ac.uk / 01970 622888.

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