New developments
Hello cultural freelancers,
I wanted to write something to let you know what we’ve been up to and why perhaps, sometimes I’ve have been so quiet.
Typically, I’m going to leave the most exciting thing until the end…so you can either read the whole thing or skip forward…it’s up to you!
Firstly, it bizarrely takes quite a bit of time and effort to keep the group running smoothly! Who knew it would take so much time to just keep info flowing to the right places? I try to keep up with what is going on in the group and ensure everyone is respectful in their exchanges. You’re all pretty good to be honest, but it doesn’t mean I should sit back.
If you ever see or hear anything you don’t like, please do let me know, it’s really important to us that everyone feels comfortable in the digital space.
I’ve also been talking to Arts Council, working with some of you wonderful lot to:
highlight the lack of support for early career creative professionals and artists,
figure out how we can improve pathways into trusteeship
I’m working with Newcastle Council on the Cultural Compact and chairing the Vision for Culture for Newcastle group; linking up with some of our other regional networks - we have loads and they’re all great!
Doing the groundwork
I’ve also been going through the process to set Tyne and Wear Cultural Freelancers up as a CIC, which is super exciting.
Laura has been working on our ‘foundations’ too, like who are we, why are we, how do we talk, what do we want to write about, how can we be as helpful to our community as possible, what will the next 12 months look like - and all of that work will be published on the site in November for discussion.
What Next?
I was asked by Patricia Stead to take on the co-chair of What Next? Newcastle/Gateshead, which I was really pleased to accept.
If you don’t know much about What Next? You can find out more info here but in brief – it’s a series of regional and sub-regional chapters whose mission is to bring people together to debate and shape the future of arts and culture in the UK.
What Next? is also connected nationally and the chapter heads meet regularly to talk about regional challenges – highlighting patterns and also connecting into national policy e.g. contributing to the What Next? submission to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s Select Committee.
Patricia originally set up the Newcastle/Gateshead Chapter and has been doing amazing things with it but has now relocated to take on an exciting new role in Cheltenham. I will be co-chairing with Alan Butland.
So, the big news is… TWCF Open
I’ve been reading, thinking and observing some of the conversations that have been going on, and trying to figure out how we can be useful right now - with the view to putting in a funding bid in order to be able to support the freelance community.
So, I’ve been developing something called TWCF Open, and here is a little bit more about it.
Freelancers make up over half the creative workforce in the North East, and like many other places across the UK, they so often make the work but rarely make the decisions when it comes to infrastructure and policy.
The impact of COVID 19 has hit the freelance community hard, highlighting the inequalities within the sector. Many organisations have been responsible in their relationship with their freelancers – ensuring contracts are honoured and payments made. However, as the sector rebuilds the workforce is again separated in their approach.
TWCF Open is about beginning to develop a model where freelancers and artists are paid for their time, to work together, to think, to talk and to imagine.
Our vision is that, with a small funding big (under £15,000 for the moment while we pilot this) freelancers, artists and independents will be paid for their time to be able highlight the challenges for the workforce and begin to develop user-generated innovation… i.e. the cohort of freelancers will together come up with solutions, structures and new ways of working for our sector. This can be done in partnership with the wider TWCF community plus members of staff from within funded organisations who work alongside freelancers.
There are some exciting partnerships involved in this pilot project including Newcastle University, Durham University, Creative Fuse and Live Theatre – with more to follow. If this works then we hope the model will be scaleable and we can go for bigger pots of money and also look at organisational investment…so keep your fingers crossed!
Wellbeing
I know things are hard, and I know many of us are struggling.
Our health and well being is important during this time. I want to draw your attention to ‘Freelancers Make Theatre Work’ which is an excellent national resource and not just for theatre practitioners. They have a really well thought through Wellbeing section here which has some good resources and links to services and organisations.
Thanks for being here,
Leila
