Opening doors for young people

The charitable arm of Rural Media exists to create and promote film, media and digital art that strengthens communities, supports new talent and influences social change. With this remit the organisation became one of the five New Creatives Network Centres – all creative media production organisations from different regions in England – who are acting as a regional development hub that finds, nurtures and showcases emerging talent. Each centre is working with other partners across the country to support diversity and social mobility in the arts and broadcasting.

This initiative is part of a two-year national programme to discover and showcase the talent of young people aged 16 to 30 and support them to create high-quality, bold and original moving image, audio and interactive artworks. Funding for the programme is from both BBC Arts and Arts Council England, and in the Midlands the scheme is engaging a minimum of 100 artists, plus 300 more in supportive creative roles. It will reach at least 2,000 young people through creative skills workshops, working with both urban and rural communities.

Talent development

Artists are being trained in production, marketing and distribution of their work and are a key player in the creation of their artistic output.

Georgina Elsom, based in rural Lincolnshire near the small village of Kirton, was commissioned for her Audio work ‘We Walk’. The piece covers walks with friends, transporting the listener to the outdoors, with the hikes bought to life by music and natural sounds. Synths echo birds and a beat is created by the footsteps of Georgina and her walking companions. Speaking about her New Creatives experience, Georgina said:

“I initially applied as the call out piqued my curiosity. Usually you apply for a funded project in the field you already have experience in and have set outcomes. This project was explorative and allowed for young people and artists to venture into new fields, a rare opportunity to take risks and make something you feel passionate about. As I had previously not created an audio piece but had ample experience in storytelling and performance, I saw this as an opportunity to challenge myself.

“Schemes like New Creatives are of paramount importance to young people who don’t have access or a platform for creating the work they would like to. Without having to adhere to strict constraints and to make something that is timely and of now, giving rise to voices that deserve to be heard. This is an opportunity to let initial ideas grow as the project develops or equally an opportunity to have a fully developed plan at the start of the project realised. The most valuable part of these schemes are being supported by fantastic and well equipped organisations, offering expertise and resources to make an idea a reality.

The main influence for my project was the narrative I wanted to deliver, I have always walked for my own mental health, local walks are as good as any long walks and I wanted to share the joy of them with others in a way that was unique and appealed to a wide audience. I’d always admired the use of field recordings in music, soundscapes and other walking programmes and so this became an intrinsic part of telling a non-linear story that could transport the listener somewhere outdoors.”

Rewarding moments

Many writers and filmmakers have talent, but a scheme like New Creatives allows them to grow their craft, have their work broadcast to new and large audiences and capitalise on the career opportunities this platform provides. Seeing talented individuals with strong ideas have their work engaged with by BBC audiences is one of the most rewarding aspects of the project.
James Cresswell, a rural-Staffordshire based writer and musician, was a perfect example of someone with great talent who lacked the confidence to explore it and needed a pathway into the industry. He created the  audio work, ‘No Place Like Home’.

Based in a small town in the West Midlands, somewhat detached from the creative scene in Birmingham, and definitely detached from the larger centres of London and Manchester, his experience with New Creatives was particularly important.

He comments: “I've enjoyed making music and occasionally writing as more or less of a hobbyist since I was a teenager, but have always been fairly insular and private about it. New Creatives, as well as a great learning experience in producing an audio piece for the BBC, was also a chance to become a bit more extroverted with my creativity and to develop my creative confidence a bit.

“So I think New Creatives, and schemes like it, present valuable opportunities for people from more rural areas – whose work will display different perspectives, different reference points, and different creative approaches – to get more exposure for their work, and to give them a helping hand when it comes to the difficult task of trying to ‘break through’ into making more of a career out of their art.”

A learning experience for all

The project is ongoing, and for the remainder of the project, Rural Media is concentrating on attracting hard-to-reach talent. Many of these people aren’t necessarily still in education, so we’re working hard to reach out not just to creative writers, but also to poets and spoken word artists – people with a voice to be heard.

The project has been really eye-opening for us here at Rural Media. Many applications focus on issues or topics not only unique to young people in today’s society, but are also Midlands or rural specific. From dating to disability, abuse and abortion, the young artists approach these topics sensitively and creatively. We are very much looking forward to seeing more.

Eleanor Adams is Social Media & Marketing Manager for Rural Media’s New Creatives scheme.
https://www.ruralmedia.co.uk/NewCreatives