Heritage Impact Accelerator
The Heritage Impact Accelerator provided two cohorts of local practitioners with a 10-month needs-driven incubator programme, split into three phases. With a £4,000 stipend for each of the eight participants and a particular focus on Corby, Accelerator aimed to build capacity and increase levels of income. This enabled new partnerships to thrive, supporting heritage project delivery to children and young people. Within each phase, Accelerator participants benefited from tailored knowledge exchange and CPD opportunities, which included nationally applicable industry specialists, staff from both universities and co-working sessions between each other.
Phase 1 – Training and Development
A training and co-working programme was delivered in response to a participant skills audit, which realised areas for development. The end of this phase featured Accelerator Demo Week, which enabled participants to pilot ideas and work-in-progress with industry, community and cultural sector/cross-sector professionals.
Phase 2 – Project and Partnership Enhancement
Participants extended project ideas from Phase 1. They connected to new local partners, delivered a pilot heritage project, workshops of further consultation, and received support to consider robust methods of project management, delivery and evaluation.
Phase 3 – Bid Writing & Next Steps Support
Considering the impact of Phase 2 delivery, participants further developed their partnerships and business plans and received support to write funding applications that realised these new business, outreach and partnerships models, as well as ambitions for the future.
We were delighted to introduce our first cohort for the Corby Heritage Accelerator programme. Funded by the Heritage Fund, the Accelerator was a ten-month incubation programme for community, cultural and heritage practitioners to achieve a step change in their heritage work.
Suzanne Oliver, Heritage Projects and Partnerships Officer, said: “The recruitment process was thoroughly enjoyable for us because we got to meet new practitioners from a wide range of disciplines in Corby. Learning about their personal experiences and ideas through the interview process was inspiring and enabled us to gain a sense of how the University can best support them. This cohort brings together an exciting mix of expertise, experiences and interests but all share a passion for Corby and raising the profile of the town’s rich and sometimes hidden heritage. I cannot wait to see the impact of each of them over the next ten months and beyond.”
Over ten months the four participants explored new avenues of their practise through co-working, attended workshops with leading professionals in the Heritage sector, piloted outreach programmes in educational settings and received tailored one-to-one support in developing and submitting bids for their projects.
Chuck Middleton
Chuck Middleton is a stand-up artist, poet and podcaster with a passion for all things Corby. He has been broadcasting in radio and tv for over 30 years in Northamptonshire and has performed at venues, events and festivals nationally.
Chuck presents a weekly community radio show focused on alternative music as well as reporting on non-league football team Corby Town for both Corby Radio and BBC Radio Northampton. This has also led him onto writing for the national weekly newspaper The Non-League Paper.
“People may know me as Chuck the Poet. But I certainly don’t see poetry as ‘disposable’ as I’m as passionate about that as I am about Corby. As a member of the Heritage Accelerator, I want to gather data and create a buzz about the history of Corby and its future for those in the town now and those who are yet to arrive.”
You can find out more about Chuck’s work here:
Lisa Lovett
Lisa Lovett is a graduate of UON’s Primary Education degree and a pottery sculptor and portrait artist. Leaving teaching in 2010, Lisa was able to focus solely on creating art and to teach her arts workshops and develop her Saturday Arts School and Family Areas at Music Festivals.
Lisa believes that the arts are a tool to connect communities and joins Corby Heritage Accelerator to explore the heritage aspects of her community led practice.
“I am thrilled to join the Corby Heritage Accelerator to explore the heritage aspects of community-led practice. Although it’s still early days, I would like to start a ‘Corby Room 13’ to research how arts and heritage impact learning with me as Resident Artist across Corby schools.”
You can find out more about Lisa’s work here:
Carole Miles
Carole Miles is a socially engaged artist who has worked across several disciplines, including digital imagery, print making, site specific temporary installations and textiles. With a wealth of experience of working in schools and community settings, Carole also has a long track record of designing and delivering creative wellbeing projects which are often informed by research, social history, local history, family histories and exploration of place. She is committed to offering creative experiences that leave a real legacy.
“I am fascinated by layers, light, histories; lost and forgotten spaces, urban decay, rural isolation, wide skies, spacious landscapes, growth, change, memory and communication. I believe place, architecture and landscape can speak to people in a poetic and pertinent fashion. History and culture are more than dry texts on dusty shelves, by studying the past we can inspire the young, helping them to dream up vibrant solutions to present day problems or work towards future innovations. The Corby Heritage Accelerator will help me open doors and start creative conversations.”
You can find out more about Carole’s work here:
Phiona Richards
Phiona Richards is a visual storyteller and maker of books and jewellery whose work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally.
She says: “Joining the Heritage Accelerator is something that aligns strongly with what I believe and what I do. I’m involved with projects which include contemporary arts education, wellbeing/mindful workshops, and heritage crafts.
“My passion has propelled me to develop ways of working that empower people to reach their full potential by using art and craft techniques. With the Heritage Accelerator, I hope to take more people in and around Corby on the same journey.”
You can find out more about Phiona’s work here:
Suzanne Oliver, Heritage Projects and Partnerships Officer, said: “It has been fascinating learning about our new practitioners, their backgrounds and interest in Corby’s heritage. Again, they are from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, and all have so much to offer both Corby and wider throughout the county.”
Over the ten months, the four participants explored new avenues of their practise through co-working, attended workshops with leading professionals in the Heritage sector, facilitated consultation with key groups within Corby’s community and piloted outreach ideas. Each received tailored support in developing and submitting bids for their projects.
Atlas Easton
Atlas is a queer illustrator, comic artist, and activist whose work focuses on LGBTQ+ rights and community. They have created illustrations for a variety of local, national, and international groups such as Happy Hood, West Northants Council, Sassify, Gender Reveal Podcast, and size?
They work with Q Space, a completely volunteer run community organisation which aims to support LGBTQ+ people in Northamptonshire in mind, body, and spirit. In this role they can be found running a youth group, training businesses and public services about LGBTQ+ identities, and engaging in events within the community.
“Along with Q Space I am really interested in discovering and preserving local LGBTQ+ history. As part of Corby Heritage Accelerator we want to work to create an archive which is as accessible as possible so that local LGBTQ+ people know that they have always existed in Northamptonshire and they always will.”
Becky Carrier FRSA
Becky is Director of Northampton Film Festival, a creative industry and placemaking social enterprise which runs an annual festival and year-round creative industry events alongside producing community-based films and creative projects, all of which aim to consolidate Northamptonshire’s identity as a county of Rebels and Revolutionaries, Misfits and Mavericks, Creative and Changemakers.
Becky was a founder director of the award-winning community group The Movie Hub in Weston Favell Shopping Centre, which connected young people with their local area through film-related activity while building work and life skills. She was also one of the founder directors of social enterprise film company Screen Northants, and with them produced the BBC Children in Need-backed feature films ‘Macbeth’, ‘Nene’ and ‘Fortune Cookies’ as well as three television dramas and award-winning short films, working regularly with local young people and disadvantaged groups.
“I am very excited to be on the Heritage Accelerator programme, to develop the heritage side of my work. I am hugely passionate about Northamptonshire, its stories, and its place on a world stage past, present and future. I’m also excited to do more work in Corby. While we’ve always worked county-wide, this opportunity will really help me get to understand the community and stories of Corby better, and I look forward to celebrating its unique spirit and also what unites the whole county.”
You can find out more about Becky’s work here:
Courtenay Johnson
Courtenay is a cultural producer developing community-led multi-arts and heritage projects locally as well as developing new theatre productions and live experiences that tour locally, nationally and internationally.
“I’m excited to be joining the Heritage Accelerator programme to really focus on developing more ambitious projects that utilise my multi-arts practice to communicate heritage to a wider range of people. My work prioritises inclusivity and access as well as amplifying underrepresented stories and perspectives; it would be super to do this at a bigger, more ambitious scale to share and celebrate with more people.”
You can find out more about Courtenay’s work here:
Lucy Knight
Lucy is a Dance Artist, Creative Facilitator and Producer working at the intersection of arts and health who is passionate about the transformative power creativity can have on people’s health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
Lucy is also founder of Northamptonshire based company Barefooted who create performances and participatory projects, alongside wonderful diverse communities. Through dance, music, and the wider creative arts, Barefooted weave brilliant joyful moments, share stories and connect communities, with wellbeing at the heart of the work. Barefooted can be found delivering projects for ages in community centres, hospitals, schools, theatres and often outside in nature, to experience and explore human connection to the land.
“My creative practice is deeply informed and inspired by principles of community engagement and co-creation. I want to ensure all voices of communities are heard, as I believe giving space for people to share their stories breaks down barriers, connects communities emotionally, and celebrates our differences as human beings.
I am very excited to be part of Heritage Accelerator through which I hope to provide opportunities for Corby’s communities to connect with their surroundings and develop a deeper sense of place and belonging, enriching the cultural fabric of Corby with a multitude of perspectives”.
You can find out more about Lucy’s work here:
