Tag Archives: Greenwich

Eltham Arts Winter Festival hailed a great success

Eltham Arts Winter Festival logoThe Eltham Arts Winter Festival, which ran from 31 October to 22 November, created a first-ever platform for local creative talent – existing, emerging and new, to showcase the rich artistic and cultural life of this part of the Royal Greenwich borough.

The 23-day arts fest offered more than 120 events from art exhibitions, music competitions, crafting, literary and historical tours, beer festivals and theatre. The diversity of venues reflected the community with events taking place in community halls, local pubs and retailers as well as established arts and historical venues. The offerings also included a first-time Art Trail including over 18 different venues around the SE9 area. The varied programme also featured a tour of the Avery Hill Mansion House as well as various healthy walks with Greenwich Get Walking.

Eltham Arts Committee
The Eltham Arts Committee out in force at the festival’s opening event on 31 October

The Festival was organised by Eltham Arts, a voluntary community organisation, who responded to a suggestion by its network of individual artists and artistic groups. Taking up the call several months ago, the Eltham Arts Committee started busily putting together the eclectic programme of events and the Art Trail. An array of artistic talent was unearthed of existing arts practitioners, of emerging artists but the call also sparked creativity in those needing a bit of encouragement and confidence.

The celebratory opening event on 31 October in Eltham’s Passey Place, set the tone with its playful poetry, mellow music and children’s crafty fun, the latter in conjunction with nearby Eltham GPO pub. The costumed cast of Wizard of Oz, a regal town crier and some friendly visiting local police added to the fun.

Clive Efford at closing event
Local MP Clive Efford at the Festival’s closing event

At the closing event on 22 November at the White Hart on Eltham High Street, local MP Clive Efford agreed on the important role of the Festival and said: “Too often we don’t recognise the talent which exists in our community and events like the Eltham Arts Winter Festival have an important role in this. Not only has it led to a wider appreciation of existing artistic venues such as the Bob Hope Theatre but it has highlighted the contribution of local pubs, a longstanding fine tradition in British life.”

Meanwhile as the umbrella of the Festival closes for this year, the artistic and cultural life of Eltham continues with plenty of ongoing artistic happenings.

Eltham Arts has so far organised many creative events in the local area including a short story, poetry and postcard competitions, live music events, talks, tweetups, conferences and quizzes.

Follow @ElthamArts on Twitter and www.facebook.com/ElthamArt on Facebook to find out about Eltham Arts’ future activities.

Eltham Arts postcard competition a success

Eltham, , , , , , ,

More the 300 Eltham locals displayed their creative talents for Eltham Arts’ latest competition – ‘A postcard from Eltham’, and winners were announced at a celebratory event on 23 April.

Local community group Eltham Arts was delighted with the number and standard of entries for its latest ‘A Postcard from Eltham’ competition, which challenged locals to design a postcard showing the town as an attractive and creative place to live, work or visit.

Two rigorous rounds of judging were carried out and on 23 April, the competition culminated in an awards ceremony at the Eltham Centre Library, where prizes were awarded in various categories:

WINNERS

Adult winners

First prize

Emily Tyrrell – If you go down to the woods…

First prize

Himani Weir – Where shall we go today?

Second prize

David Kelly – Eltham Hostelries

Second prize

Peter Roper – Eltham Views

Second prize

Sylvia Currey – Tudor Barn Reflexions

Third prize

Pauline Cahill – The Eltham Crossword

12 – 18 age group winners

First prize

Gemma Pellegrinetti – All Aboard the Eltham Bus

Second prize

Natalia Drake-Perello – Memories from Eltham

Third prize

Prize Siobhan Samuel

7-11 age group winners

First prize

Cameron Wren – The Eltham Centre

First prize

Annie Gadd – My Castle

Second prize

Oliver Jackson – Greetings from Eltham

Third prize

Ayesha Faquiri – Eltham

Under 7 age group winners

First prize

Seth Jayawardhena – Severndroog Castle

Second prize

Jay Kumar – Arts in my school

Third prize

Lola Weir – A Windy Day at Severndroog

Commenting on the competition, Gaynor Wingham, chair of Eltham Arts, said: “We were delighted with the response from adults and children to the challenge to design a Postcard from Eltham. The entries were really diverse celebrating Eltham today but showing a love of our fantastic Eltham heritage. With well over 300 entries the judges had quite a task and this is reflected in how many awards were given. Eltham now has some great postcards. We would like to thank everyone who has been involved in making this competition and community event such a success.”

The postcards will very soon be exhibited and on sale locally to showcase the local talent and creativity.

Eltham Arts has so far run a series of initiatives to celebrate the creativity in Eltham, including short story contest ‘Tales of Eltham’ and ‘Eltham in Verse’, which challenged locals to write poetry. Visit www.elthamarts.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for details on these initiatives and more.

A postcard from Eltham

Eltham Arts
Enter Eltham Arts’ latest competition!

The next creative challenge from Eltham Arts is a competition to design a postcard that shows Eltham as an attractive and creative place to live, work or visit.

You don’t have to be an expert artist to enter. Be a part of creative Eltham – it’s your community!

Prizes and awards for all age groups and special prizes. This competition is organised by Eltham Arts.

For more information contact elthamarts@aol.co.uk or call 020 8859 4678. You can also follow us on twitter @elthamarts.

Competition rules
1. Entry is free and all ages can enter. Up to 3 entries are allowed per person. You must write on the back of each entry in pencil, your name, age [if under 18], email address/ telephone number and the title for your postcard.
2. If you are under 18 your parent/guardian must give permission by signing the back of each entry and giving their name and contact details.
3. Entries must be placed in an envelope. Envelopes must be clearly marked A POSTCARD FROM ELTHAM. Multiple entries from schools can be placed in one envelope. Entries can be posted or delivered by hand to either of the following addresses. • Eltham Arts c/o 17 Greenholm Road, Eltham, London SE9 1UQ • Eltham Library, The Eltham Centre, 2 Archery Road, Eltham SE9 1HA
4. The closing date for entry is Sunday 1st March 2015. After this date no further entries will be accepted. Your entry will not be returned.
5. There will be prizes and awards in two categories, under 18 and over 18, and some special prizes. Winning entries may be turned into postcards and used to promote and celebrate Eltham.
6. Each entry must be on A5 size stiff paper or thin card. Your design must be original, not infringe any copyright and must contain or have the words ‘a Postcard from Eltham’ on it. This can be small but must be readable. You can also give your work a title if you choose
7. You may use any medium. For example, water colour, charcoal, pen and ink or acrylic or mixed media such as collage. Your design can be abstract or realistic and can use letters as part of the design.
8. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges. The judges will be looking for original design and an imaginative use of colour and form as well as technical skill in the use of the medium you have chosen. Above all the judges will be looking for entries that show Eltham as a great place where people will want to visit or live.
9. The judge’s decision in all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
10. There will be a celebratory event on World Book Night 23rd April 2015 when the winners will be announced.
11. There will be an exhibition and maybe a sale of the original artwork. Selected designs will be printed as postcards and sold. All profits will be donated to local groups and charities.
12. In entering the competition you agree to the use of your entry in any publicity material or publication in relation to or designated by Eltham Arts. The copyright remains with the artist
13. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions and has read and accepts all the rules for the contest.

 

 

Our story for Remembrance Day

This short story was one of our award winners in our Tales of Eltham competition. The author said it was inspired by the Eltham War Memorial, St John’s Church , Eltham High Street. It is a moving story.

REMEMBER
by Ann Tolladay

When he and his brothers finished at Roper Street school, he felt such pride when he was taken on as an under gardener at Eltham Palace. Bill was working in the post office in Passey Place and Eddy worked in the bank at the cross roads.

On a Friday they would meet up for a pint or two at the Greyhound pub. One night it was so crowded they went round the corner to The Rising Sun and there she was, fate had put the love of his life in front of him, all blond hair and blue eyes. They got talking and to his surprise she agreed to met him the next afternoon.

The Tarn could not have looked better, sun lush greens and flowers. Their feelings for each other blossomed too, they married at St. Johns Church and a year later the twins were born. They lived very contently in a two up two down in Sun Yard. Money was short, but his wife and children gave him a life full of love.

Now he lay here in the mud soaking wet cold and yes angry. The anger welled up in him, the destruction and carnage they were causing must be stopped. It was for the love of what he had left behind, for little families like his that he was prepared to do this terrible thing. The whistle sounded then the movement of men going over the top like a great unstoppable wave. At that moment he knew that what ever his fate, in one part of London what he had planted would continue to grow and even in a hundred years time people would remember and be proud of the sacrifice they were making .

Our Tales of Eltham book is launched!

With a hundred people attending the book launch at Eltham library on Saturday it was standing room only ! What great support for our community short story book Tales of Eltham, with over 90 short stories on subjects as diverse as love, loss, pantomime horses, ghosts and funerals for goldfish . Such a range of stories based on the theme of ‘An Eltham Experience’ has created a lovely book written by children and adults who live in the area or know Eltham well. With many authors being prepared to read their stories at the launch we were moved by some stories and laughed at others. What a great creative community we have in Eltham!

If you would like a copy of the book Tales of Eltham , copies are available at Eltham Library or email elthamarts@aol.co.uk

Tales of Eltham front cover

Five Big Ideas !

The Creative Eltham conference on 18th October was a great success. Fantastic networking and enthusiasm for developing the arts in Eltham.The five workshops were asked to come up with ideas on their ‘themes’ and then to select a BIG IDEA. These are the Five Big Ideas. People went away with lots of ideas that they were going to implement themselves. We will write a longer report of the conference , as we do not want to lose sight of the discussion and other good ideas . However, now we need everyone (Royal Greenwich Council, local arts groups, individual artists, events organisers, businesses ,venues and the community) to show their commitment , look at the Five Big Ideas and think about the future. Together we now need to see how we can take them forward.

PUBLICITY AND MARKETING
Publicity in Passey Place that promotes the arts and events in Eltham, which is able to be used by any local organisation. This should ideally be managed by the council and could be a digital board. Also an opportunity for a piece of local art to be displayed, similar to the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.

BUSINESS AND REGENERATION
A four-week Eltham Arts Festival, perhaps as part of the Greenwich and Docklands Festival. An attractively-produced programme for the month, funded by adverts for local businesses, and incorporating as many events and venues as possible over Eltham. This would encourage performances and exhibitions in public and open spaces. This would also encourage businesses to be part of the Festival both by having events in their premises (e.g. open mics in pubs) and by bringing their produce (e.g. pie and mash/curry) onto the street alongside arts displays and performances.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Making the arts more ‘portable’, like the university theatre project and also marketing arts as a health benefit to both health professionals and potential users. Maybe a GP surgery (or new community hospital) could pilot promoting local arts groups and activities and forge closer links with a local group. Arts on prescription?

FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT
Building a structure around Eltham Arts. The big question being whether Eltham Arts wants to remain a community group which continues to respond to local artistic development and opportunities or, if it wants to be a bigger player which can attract larger funding pots.

ARTS FOR ALL
A ‘pop-up’ tour of Eltham, with art displays and performing arts along the way e.g. drama in Passey Place; music in the parks; art in cafes and restaurants or a photo exhibition. Artists could be invited to add to a display, which could then be auctioned. Pop-up shop where artists can sell their products.

Comments about our Creative Eltham conference

We have been getting lots of great emails about the conference!

‘I had a great day and thought it was very successful. Well done on brilliant
organisation.’ Dr Heather Lilley (Greenwich University)

‘I want to thank you and your team for such an amazing afternoon last Saturday. It was a real eye opener for me. Thank you ever so much. Keep up with the good work. ‘
Sandra Marques (Photographer)

‘Lynn and I really enjoyed the conference on Saturday. We met some lovely people and came away with some great ideas, so thank you for putting it on.’
Rita Billinghurst (Progress Estate Residents Assoc)

‘Well done yesterday – so well attended, well organised and sparking so much interest.’
Reeva Charles (writer)

‘Thank you for a very interesting meeting yesterday. It was good to network with so many people in the arts. ‘
Brenda Hamblin (Eltham Ceramics)

‘Yesterday the Eltham Arts conference was very successful and I was happy to be part of it.’
Svetlana Quigley (artist and teacher)

‘Just had to write to say how hard you must have worked to put all of the afternoon presentation together. Well done.’
Elizabeth Gwyver (Royal Eltham Writers Circle)

;Thanks for inviting me to the meeting this afternoon. l met lots of interesting people, and heard some good ideas. ‘
Jean Bright (Brightglass – glass designer)

And Twitter!

Kirsty Davide @KirstyDavide • Oct 18
Thanks 2 Gaynor & John 4 a Gr8 networking event @ElthamArts Really enjoyed it & looking 4ward 2 getting more involved

Barry White @EldoradoBarry • Oct 18
Great meeting with Eltham Arts today. Very encouraging.

andrew downie @andrewdownie1 • Oct 18
A productive afternoon at the @ElthamArts conference. Looking forward to collaborating and contributing to Eltham as a creative hub.

amy ash @amy_ash_ • Oct 18
@ElthamArts thanks for the exciting day! Nice to see so much interest in the arts. #cultivatingcreativity #letsmakeascene @GeraldMooreGall

Kirsty Davide ‏@KirstyDavide
What a wonderful afternoon spent with @ElthamArts #Brainstorming with local people to get #Eltham more #Creative its a @corganisers life4me

Mark Elliott @Markselliott68 • Oct 18
Attending @ElthamArts conference today. Great initiative to develop the arts here

Amy Duffin @duffinamy • Oct 18
At @ElthamArts’ Conference this afternoon, where the MC and all three keynote speakers are women #girlpower

Creative connections

Eltham Arts Conference workshops
Conference attendees discussing creativity in Eltham

More than 70 locals met on 18 October for ‘Creative Eltham – Developing the Arts’ – a conference designed to showcase the creativity and passion for the arts in Eltham.

Organised by Eltham Arts, the conference was held at The Friendship Centre in Glenure Road, and featured an afternoon of arts-related discussion and activity. The event began with three keynote speakers, the first of which was Miranda Williams, cabinet member for Culture and Creative Industries, Royal Greenwich Council. Williams said that Eltham has a “thriving arts community, which the council is keen to support”.

She detailed arts activity supported and undertaken by the council in Eltham so far this year, which included the summer music festival at Passey Place, organised in association with Eltham Arts. Williams agreed that activity such as this “helps to animate our town centres and provides opportunities for artists and audiences to come together and promote community events.” Williams concluded by encouraging local arts organisations to apply for the council’s Community Arts Fund. “The fund encourages partnerships between established organisations and the community, and I encourage you to apply,” she said. She also recommended listing arts events and organisations on the council’s directory.

Apply for Greenwich Council’s Arts Fund.

Dr Heather Lilley, senior lecturer drama, University of Greenwich, then took the stage to discuss reminiscence theatre – a technique that involves producing pieces of theatre from memories. In 2012, the university acquired an archive of reminiscence theatre productions created between 1983 and 2005, and have been using them with their students ever since. The material is used to create theatre from memories with the elderly in mind, which inspires audiences to link back to a time when their lives were perhaps fuller and involved new experiences. This type of theatre also encourages interaction between young and old people.

As a result of the work undertaken, the university has toured nine care homes in Greenwich and Woolwich, and hopes to extend this initiative. “It’s purely a positive experience for both groups,” said Lilley. “The performers and audience chat afterwards, and have a meaningful conversation prompted by particular subjects in performance, not just stories, real memories, real lives. There is a real responsibility to students to express the memories as authentically and as truthfully as possible.” Lilley encouraged attendees to visit the (free to access) archive and use the material. “There’s no reason why reminiscence theatre cannot be brought to Eltham,” she said.

The final speaker of the afternoon was Amy Ash, learning and participation curator at the Gerald Moore Gallery. Ash explained that although the gallery operates in collaboration with the school, it’s also a service to the community. She detailed several projects that have been undertaken by the gallery this year, which included a weekly arts outreach programme facilitated by Eltham College’s sixth form students, where local primary schools were visited. “We’ve already seen a difference in engagement here,” said Ash. The gallery also facilitated a series of talks which culminated in an exhibition, and are working with local organiastions (including Eltham Arts) to create other new opportunities for the community.

After some networking, attendees broke into groups to discuss several areas affecting the arts: health and wellbeing; business and regeneration; funding and development; publicity and marketing and arts for all. The discussions were then summaried and fed back to the whole group, and will form a blueprint for Eltham Arts’ activity going forward.

View photos from the Eltham Arts Conference.

The next Eltham Arts event will be the launch of our Tales of Eltham book after the successful short story competition earlier this year. The launch will take place on 1 November 2014 from 2.30pm at Eltham Library. For more details, contact us.