We like to explore the unknown.
We think carefully about where and how to begin an adventure, then we set off hand-in-hand with new friends.
We like to explore the unknown…
Terrestrial commissions and produces ambitious arts projects in the south west of England. These projects might result in a performance, a film, or a community feast, but they always begin with a journey into the unknown.
We think that artists are great explorers. They are brilliant at leading people towards unfamiliar terrain – sniffing out important questions, sharing skills, gently crafting stories, getting the party started.
We believe that creative exploration should be open to everyone; we support artists to collaborate with people who might not normally go on – or feel like they’re invited on – these kinds of adventures.
…We think carefully about where and how to begin an adventure…
Our first projects were rooted in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset’s largest coastal town. With a lively and fast-growing population, loads of brilliant community activity, and an inspiring natural landscape, we believe Weston was the perfect place to launch Terrestrial’s work.
We spent two years researching our approach to working in Weston; we volunteered with local groups, gathered artists for a series of residencies, developed a relationship with North Somerset Council, and fostered close partnerships with local charities, clubs and independent businesses.
Over the course of 2018-2019, we produced four major projects in the town - each co-created by artists and community groups. We also helped to establish Weston Artspace, a new community artist studio at the heart of the High Street. In November 2019 we shared these projects with the wider public through a festival of arts experiences in Weston.
Throughout 2020-21 we supported projects that took place across England, focusing on ways for artists to collaborate with communities on their doorsteps during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Terrestrial’s current home is Frome in Somerset, where we are working to build new partnerships. Want to say hi? Please get in touch.
…Then we set off hand-in-hand with new friends.
Every project we produce brings together innovative artists with people who have limited experience of, or access to, the arts. Whenever we can, we do this through partnerships with on-the-ground local groups: from gardening clubs to housing associations. So we might, for example, support a theatre company and a primary school to work on a show over the course of a year, or bring together a small charity and a group of artists to make a film with isolated older people.
We also collaborate with strategic partners, such as local authorities, to consider the role that culture plays in people’s lives. We see the impact that the arts can have on health and wellbeing, jobs and skills, local pride and community cohesion, and the vibrancy of areas. We enjoy sharing stories of socially engaged arts projects and developing strategies to support the growth of creative communities. But, while this consultancy work is an important aspect of what we do, we never stray too far from the adventure – gathering people to dance, paint, write, sing, photograph, cook, share and explore together.
Thank you
Terrestrial’s work is supported using public funds from Arts Council England, and has previously been funded by Jerwood Arts and North Somerset Council.
Top image: Spy Day (Nigel Barrett & Louise Mari with ELAN Schools), photo by Paul Blakemore. Bottom image: Research Residency, photo by Megan Clark Bagnall.