Some personal reflections from Helen Green, Head of Bridge North East

Sitting down and reflecting on the last three years to write a personal blog, there is such al lot that I could write and probably should write about – the partnerships and the work that has been developed, the risks that have been taken and the learning that has been gathered. But pleanty of words have been dedicated to this.

Instead I want to concentrate on the Bridge North East Team – this amazing bunch of people whom I have had the absolute pleasure of working with over the course of three years,  whom have taught me so much.

Very few of us work in complete isolation and all too often we forget that sitting on the desk next to us or across the office are peers and colleagues who have an amazing amount of knowledge, wisdom, experience and talent that is different to our own and that we can learn so much from. We see these people day in and day out, and its when you realise that you aren’t going to be working with these people any more that you appreciate what an absolute gift you have been given.

It’s not just about different skills though, its about what can be achieved when all this different skill and knowledge is pulled together, working towards the same outcome or a shared goal. For the last three years I have held the position of ‘Head’ of Bridge North East and speaking really honestly it is a job title that I have struggled with; its not the responsibility that has made me feel uncomfortable it is the fact that the work of the Bridge North East has been delivered as a team. A team who have supported and carried one another, challenged each others thinking, supported long term strategy planning, shared concerns and shared successes.

At a recent away day the team put a sticky wall up and plotted out the work of Bridge North East over three years – it was chokka block full – full of ups and downs, highs and lows. This exercise is called ‘The Wall of Wonder’. We stepped back, all of us and it genuinely was wonderful. Across the team, there was a palpable sense of really great achievement.

So what will I take with me from my time with the Bridge North East team – ask for help, take a risk, share your thoughts, share your concerns, be kind to one another, share the vision and always always have a kettle, a never ending supply of tea and coffee and lottery kitty, just on the off chance.

Never stop investing in your team, they are the greatest asset.

Eileen Atkins blog

Some personal reflections of her time in the Bridge North East team.

I have always loved history for as long as I can remember and I can trace that back directly to visiting great museums and heritage sites as a kid. They fired my imagination, made me want to explore and find out new things. For me, museums are houses for people’s stories and the greatest story is the development of our cultures and civilisations. I am extremely lucky to be able to work in a sector that I feel very passionate about.

At the end of 2012, I grabbed the opportunity to take on a secondment from Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) to become the Museums Manager for Bridge North East. Initially the post was part time so I continued as Learning Officer at Discovery Museum but I quickly got hooked on the work at Bridge North East. Primarily because I got to work with lots of inspiring museum educators across the Region but also because the team and the wider work of Bridge was amazing. My secondment kept getting extended and finally in April 2014 I was able to turn it into a full time secondment. I can honestly say it has been the best year of my career.

I have learnt so much from the wealth of experience and talent in the Bridge North East team and through the diversity of the work. It has opened my eyes to how other arts and culture organisations work with schools and how schools want to engage with them. Museums really stand their ground amongst these and in some areas are leading the way but there is so much to learn from cross sector partnership working.

I have met many committed, enthusiastic museum educators. They are working in a period of uncertainty in terms of funding and governance but fundamentally their shared goal to provide great learning opportunities for young people makes them strong. I have met teachers who are very eager to work more with museums and are passionate about how museums can enhance their teaching and broaden their pupils’ experiences. One of the best parts of my work is where I can bring people together and help give them the space and time to have those conversations, think creatively about their schools programmes and help them to access knowledge and new ideas to support their work.

I know I am returning to TWAM armed with new knowledge and experience that is far more varied than I previously had. I am a convert to Arts Award because I have seen how young people can benefit from it in practice and I know it can shape new approaches and ways of working. I have a better understanding of the range of great arts and culture in the Region and the power of working collaboratively. I have seen through the seed fund projects that a little bit of funding mixed with encouragement and opportunity can go a very long way. I have also seen how large strategic approaches like the work with Sunderland can lead to a real fundamental change in how organisations plan and develop collectively.

Being part of the Bridge North East team has shaped and will continue to shape my career and, in that way, I can carry on contributing to the amazing legacy the programme leaves for the North East.

Have you ever played snakes and ladders?

Jeanne Hale – A personal reflection of her work with the Bridge team, both from within the team and as part of the Advisory Group. 

Have you ever played snakes and ladders? If you have, you will know that it takes a while to get from square one to the top of the board and that it can be a very frustrating game to play. The exhilaration of climbing ladders to find that a snake will take you back to where you started and leaves you feeling very frustrated.

I sit here at the top of a ladder having worked as Head of Bridge North East to cover Helens maternity leave) in the last year of the programme.  As this programme comes to an end, and the region awaits the new Culture Bridge NE at TWAM, we have been asked to write a reflection on our time at Bridge North East for our archived website.  I am not quite sure where to start so thought that I would start at the very beginning of the game.

There once was a world without Bridge organisations.  It was the time of poverty after plenty with the demise of Creative Partnerships and a shift in the curriculum focus in schools so that the arts subjects no longer had the currency they previously held.

Three years ago ACE, in their wisdom, decided that they needed to find a solution to this and Bridges were created to do exactly what it says on the tin; be the bridge between the education and the cultural sector. What would the Bridge organisations, ten across the country, do? That was the question everyone asked. They were asked to connect young people with ‘great arts and culture’ so off they went to discover what this was and how it could be done. ACE didn’t really know how this would work and the last three years have been a journey of intrepid exploration up ladders and down snakes both for ACE and the organisations involved.

My involvement with BNE began three years ago when I was invited to be part of the Regional Advisory group. This was a representative group of practitioners from across the region but we outnumbered the Bridge team by about 3:1…whilst the meetings were a great opportunity to network and to find out more about the programme I think it soon became clear that the team needed to re think this group and its role. A smaller group, leaner and meaner, or leaner and keener perhaps, was created from applications received.

This smaller advisory group chaired by Mark Robinson bought me much closer to the work of BNE. It was apparent from the meetings that ACE were still not clear on the direction and whilst across the country each Bridge organisation was beginning to create a body of work that responded to local need, ACE was trying to drive the national agenda. It was also apparent that the expectation of organisations across the region could never be met on the budget that was allocated to the North East. So there began a lot of climbing ladders and sliding down snakes whilst trying to tactically and strategically plan and manage the programme.

The Bridge team have navigated this complex game board, effectively steering a course that has produced some inspirational and innovative work with and for children and young people. This work has been delivered by partners across the region from both the cultural and education sector

Taken in that context, despite the snakes that emerged and the challenges encountered, this team have achieved a tremendous amount. The ladders they climbed built relationships and partnerships across the region, they have developed strong networks of practitioners that now dot the landscape of the North East and will drive a lot of this work forward.

The impact and legacy of Bridge North East will be felt across the region and gives the new Culture Bridge NE at TWAM a head start …perhaps still on the snakes and ladders board… but not at square one.

Wor Lass 3 – August blog about WW1 Centenary Activities

News from the frontline – First World War news correspondent

This is the third blog tracking the First World War activities for schools and children around the North East. It is aimed at teachers and museums, heritage, archives and libraries educators developing programmes and activities to engage young people in the Commemoration.

There will be lots of new exhibitions opening, activity days and awareness raising events over the next year. If you know of anything coming up please send it across to Eileen at Bridge North East, your local War correspondent on the frontline of museum and heritage engagement in the region. Email eileen.atkins@sagegateshead.com, telephone 0191 4435315.

This Month: Action stations as regional Centenary activity increases over the Summer

As the weather heats up so does activity around the War Centenary. The 4^th August marks the 100^th anniversary of Britain officially joining the War and will be a day of regional and national commemoration activity.

Lights Out, 4^th August

Lots of North East organisations are getting involved with the national Lights Out initiative. Everyone in the UK is invited to take part in #LightsOut by turning off their lights from 10pm to 11pm on 4 August, leaving on a single light or candle for a shared moment of reflection. People can take part in whatever way they choose, marking the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War either at home or by attending one of the many events being organised around the country. Go to the website to see all the events from the region, including a candlelight supper at Durham School, a commemoration event at Durham Cathedral, and Lights Out Middlesbrough: www.1418now.org.uk/lights-out/

First World War at Beamish – 4^th, 5^th and 6^th August

Beamish are marking the anniversary with a range of activities for visitors. These will include soldier stories in the Pit Cottages, a display by the Wessington U3A War Memorial Project, family activities including poppy making and singing in the chapel. On the 6^th, there will be a parade through the museum by the community of Felling.

Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums: new ‘Wor Life’ team formed as exhibition programmes begin

TWAM now have a Wor Life project team set up to lead on their cross-venue exhibitions and events programme. The ‘Home for Heroes: South Tyneside in the First World War’ exhibition at South Shields Museum opened on 11^th July and the ‘Paintings of World War One’ exhibition at the Laing Gallery will be on display until October. Segedunum museum in Wallsend also has an exhibition called ‘Ships, Coal and Zeppelins – North Tyneside in the First World War’ currently on display.

Looking forward to seeing further exhibitions opening at Discovery and the Hatton Gallery in the Autumn. Follow this link for a blog about TWAM’s WW1 programmes: http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/latest/corporate/wor-life-1914-18-tyne-amp-wear-in-the-first-world-war.html

News from Northumberland

A new Northumberland co-ordination group has been formed which will ensure a joined up approach to WW1 Centenary commemoration in Northumberland. The group, hosted by Northumberland County Council, will meet every two months for the duration of the Centenary period. For more information contact James.Fell@northumberland.gov.uk

Tommy Sculpture is staying in Seaham

Residents of Seaham have raised over £60,000 to keep a sculpture that was on loan. Officially the sculpture by Ray Lonsdale is called 1101 but it is known locally as Tommy and its great news that this well loved piece of art will be staying put.

The next Wor Lass blog will focus on schools workshops for the new academic year. If you have anything you want highlighted in the blogs please get in touch.

Written by Eileen Atkins, Museums Manager Bridge North East

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Wor Lass 2 – First World War Centenary Activities: Focus on web resources

News from the frontline – First World War news correspondent

This is the second of a monthly blog tracking the First World War activities for schools and children around the North East. It is aimed at teachers and museums, heritage, archives and libraries educators developing programmes and activities to engage young people in the Commemoration.

There will be lots of new exhibitions opening, activity days and awareness raising events over the next year. If you know of anything coming up please send it across to Eileen at Bridge North East, your local War correspondent on the frontline of museum and heritage engagement in the region. Email eileen.atkins@sagegateshead.com, telephone 0191 4435315.

This Month: Focus on First World War Websites

There are so many great digital resources being developed and already existing regionally and nationally. Here are some of my favourites:

Lives of the First World War: www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org

This is a new part of the extensive Imperial War Museums resources, 1914.org is also great and the main Imperial War Museum website has downloadable teacher resources for the Centenary. ‘Lives of the First World War’ is a crowd sourcing style website where people can upload information about individuals who fought during the War. As more people upload information, it will become a comprehensive and quite personalised resource. It is also a great way for schools to share any research pupils are doing on their family and local community history too.

National Memory Local Stories: www.npg.org.uk/whatson/national-memory-local-stories

This is a new site from the National Portrait Gallery with short films about people’s local stories connected to portraits, including some about the First World War

First World War 100: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/first-world-war

This is a central place to view the immense collection from The National Archives of First World War diary entries, records and accounts and it is really accessible. They are also inviting people to tag documents with information they know about individuals and events to increase the public knowledge about them.

Tynemouth World War One Commemoration Project: www.tynemouthworldwarone.org

This is a very local project with national significance. Tynemouth suffered hugely with loss of life due to service during the War. This project has comprehensively and lovingly mapped and recorded all the servicemen who fought, their personal stories, recollections and ephemera relating to their lives both during the War and before and after. The website includes information on all of the men (and some women) who served and also some information about the Homefront efforts too and people involved in that.

North East War Memorials Project: www.newmp.org.uk

This is a great resource for anyone researching the names of servicemen listed on War Memorials in the North East. The group have dedicated years to tracking down all the Memorials in the North East and researching all the individuals listed on them to get as much information as possible.

Please get in touch with some of your favourite First World War related web resources!

 The next Wor Lass blog will focus on some of the forthcoming exhibitions and the lead up to the anniversary in August. If you have anything you want highlighted in the blogs please get in touch.

Written by Eileen Atkins, Museums Manager Bridge North East

Leila’s Blog: Time Poor – May 2014

Time poor… As a new mother and senior manager in a very busy team I am feeling really time poor at the moment. What with bedtimes, parental guilt and frantic weekend “fun”, alongside long days in the office and the responding to emails of an evening…I don’t feel like I have the time to do ANYTHING! I haven’t been to the theatre for ages (the last thing I went to see was White Rabbit, Red Rabbit at Live Theatre) and seeing a gig seems like it might be impossible! I have been to Baltic recently, and went to a comedy night at The Stand (a family member was performing). But cultural activity seems like a luxury that I just don’t have time for…or money. This just doesn’t sit right with me! Culture should not be a luxury…and what kind of role model am I being to my little girl? No doubt over the summer months she will be the recipient of many an outdoor gig (SummerTyne is very family friendly after all…and who doesn’t like sitting outside the Schooner listening to bands?), but I was constantly surrounded by theatre and music as a child, and it has stayed with me. I remember being in awe of shows at the Gulbenkian Theatre and honestly thinking that Peter Pan could fly when seeing the Christmas show at the Tyne Theatre; I travelled the region with Tyne and Wear TIE (specifically my Mum) watching shows about everything from the felling of the rainforest to apartheid. Watching my Mum perform on stage was a near weekly experience for me, and I am still as in awe of her performing today as I was back then. I realise that with the significant shift of the curriculum to when I was at school, and the lack of readily available cultural provision for young people, it is up to me to make sure my daughter has access to high quality cultural experiences. I want her to experience culture in the way that I did. I really want her to be a regular theatre goer and to get excited about seeing live bands. I sing to her every day and have since the day she was born; tambourines and bells are a significant part of her toy box; she is read to daily; and there is always music on in the house. But I have realised that being time poor and cash poor is no longer an excuse for me, and the fact that cultural activities are expensive and we are a  1 income family needs to not put me off taking her to the theatre and to gigs; I need to be much savvier in sniffing out deals and free stuff. I also need to go myself; she needs to see me get excited and passionate about great art, and the not so great art too. But we are a cultural family. I have worked in the arts for over 12 years, and been involved in the arts scene since I was really small. Time and money are still barriers for me. If that is the case then how can we, the cultural sector, expect families who don’t have that history with the arts take a risk on activities that cost significant amounts of money and use up our already dwindling family and free time? Are we doing enough to support families to take a risk with us and our programmes? By supporting adults to be passionate and excited by the arts has surely got to have a knock on effect to the young people they are connected with. Perhaps when organisations need to paper shows they could think of teachers as a willing audience – not all shows are suitable for young people to attend, but by having teachers more engaged with the arts then in turn more young people might become engaged? Also as arts organisations we have a responsibility to work not only with the more affluent families in our constituencies, but with those who are further down the scale. We also need to understand what would support those families to overcome the risk, both to their purse and their time. I have 2 day times a week to spend with my daughter, which needs to include all the fun stuff as well as all the boring things that life entails. These are also my only days off work, so anything I do needs to help me relax. I am not an exception to the rule; this is how many families operate these days.  Organisations perhaps need to be a little more aware of this when planning programmes for a family audience. And don’t get me started on weekday activities which are set up to welcome Fathers…but that is for another day!