Feast Is a Programme to Take the Arts Into the Heart of Villages and Towns Across Cornwall
FEAST
n. a rich and abundant repast; rich enjoyment for the heart or mind; Cornish celebration
Making great art happen across Cornwall
FEAST is a new programme to make great art happen in Cornish villages and towns. The ambition is to touch and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds and generate a whole new wave of creative activity in our communities. There will be new opportunities for more people to enjoy events as audiences, but the focus will be on bringing people together to take part, and on animating local celebrations and cultural life.
FEAST will be a two year journey that harness the many talents and energies of Cornwall’s artists and communities. It will find new ways to stir imaginations and spark inspirational events right across our rural region. At the end of that journey we want creative and cultural activity to be invested in because it is widely seen as part of the fabric of healthy and dynamic communities.
Investment for FEAST comes principally from Arts Council England and it is managed by the Creative Unit, Cornwall County Council.
Arts for Health Cornwall is working in partnership with The Works to deliver a part of the FEAST project that engages older people in dance, called Shall We Dance?
Arts for Health Cornwall and the Works
‘Shall We Dance?’ Feast Project Plan
Aims
- To deliver opportunities for older people to improve their quality of life and health and well being through dance.
- To provide dance opportunities in a range of settings across the county, in order to engage all ages and abilities of older people.
- To open up these opportunities to a range of dance practitioners to increase the pool of appropriately experienced and skilled dance practitioners, in order to create a sustainable resource that will support further opportunities.
- To work with a range of partners to promote and demonstrate the importance of creativity through dance. To demonstrate the benefits of dance in contributing to improved mobility, reducing risks of falls and alleviating rural isolation amongst the elderly.
Project Outline
We will be running a series of dance sessions in 16 different care settings across the county. Each care setting will have 5 x 2 hour sessions per programme.
Each series of sessions will be lead by a dance practitioner, who will work in close partnership with an identified member of staff. This will enable the staff members tolearn some of the basic dance skills and develop theconfidence to continue running dance sessions with their clients following the end of the series.
Half of the dance practitioners will be experienced working in dance with older people; they will provide mentorship to the other dance practitioners who wish to gain experience of working with older people.
The programme will be supported by an induction / training day and 2 x ½ day training / support sessions.
We are looking to recruit 8 dance practitioners who are experienced with working in dance with older people(See Brief 1) and 8 dance practitioners who wish to gain the experience of working with older people(See Brief 2).
Brief 1
For Dance Practitioners who haveexperience working with older people.
Duration: Project will begin in May/ June and will run for approx 16 weeks
All dance practitioners will be required to attend, with the care staff, an induction day prior to running any sessions, with two additional ½ days at the mid point and end of the project. These days will look at sharing skills, exploring different dance forms, health and safety, relevant health issues, peer support and evaluation / reflection. The days will provide an opportunity to share the skills with a range of people from different disciplines e.g. NHS physiotherapy, care staff in homes and day care centres as well as dance practitioners/ choreographers. You will be expected to bring your own personal knowledge and experience to these events
After the induction day, you will run 5 dance sessions over a 10 week period in a chosen care setting. This setting may be a day care centre, a residential/ nursing home, a community centre or a NHS facility. You will work in partnership with an assigned member of staff, sharing knowledge and skills and building confidence. The hope is that this will encourage the staff to continue to bring dance opportunities to their clients.
The project start dates will be staggered, so that the more experienced practitioners run two sessions before the less experienced practitioners start. You will be expected to mentor / buddy one of the less experienced dance practitioners, who will attend your first two sessions in order to gain ‘hands on’ work experience. You will be a ‘buddy / mentor’. You will also visit one of their sessions to provide peer support and feedback.
You will be expected to complete an evaluation of the project.
You may be required to have a CRB check undertaken, if required by the policies of the care setting.Excessive mileage travel allowance is negotiable.
You will have to have public liability insurance to the sum of £2 million.
Total inclusive fee for the project is £650
Brief 2
For dance practitioners with limited or no experience of working specifically with older people
Duration: Project will begin in May / June and will run for approx 16 weeks
All dance practitioners will be required to attend, with the care staff, an induction day prior to running any sessions, with two additional ½ days at the mid point and end of the project. These days will look at sharing skills, exploring different dance forms, health and safety, relevant health issues, peer support and evaluation / reflection. The days will provide an opportunity to share the skills from a range of people from different disciplines e.g. NHS physiotherapy, care staff in homes and day care centres as well as dance practitioners / choreographers. You will be expected to bring your own personal knowledge and experience to these events
After the induction day, you will attend two sessions that are being delivered by a more experienced dance practitioner in order to gain ‘work experience’.
This dance practitioner will then become your mentor/ Buddy. You will then attend one of the ½ day training sessions, after which you will begin delivering 5 dance sessions over a 10 week period in a chosen care setting. This setting may be a day care centre, a residential / nursing home, a community centre or a NHS facility. You will work in partnership with an assigned member of staff, sharing knowledge and skills and building confidence. The hope is that this will encourage the staff to continue bringing dance opportunities to their clients.
Your mentor / buddy will visit one of your sessions to provide peer support.
You will be expected to complete an evaluation of the project.
You may be required to have a CRB check undertaken, if required by the policies of the care setting.Excessive mileage travel allowance is negotiable.
You will have to have public liability insurance to the sum of £2 million.
Total inclusive fee for the project is £500
How to Apply
Selection will be through interview on Thurs 14th and Tues 19th May at The Works, Crusader house, Newham Quay Truro TR1 2DP
In order to apply please send a current CVand a short resume that describes your experience of working in dance, and how you would approach this particular project. Please also identify which of the briefs you are interested in applying for.
Closing date for applications is Friday 8th May 2009
Interview dates Thursday 14th and Tues 19th May 2009
Please send you current CV, choice of brief and resume to:
Jenny Atkinson, Arts for Health Cornwall, Unit 7, JubileeWharf, Commercial Road, Penryn, Cornwall TR108FG
Or e mail your application to
For more information please telephoneJenny Atkinson on 01326 377772