...understand the range and nature of arts in the community

What is community arts?

Arts in the community is the act of contributing an improvement to the lives of people in public social groups, such as the local community or in more controlled groups such as a prison, schools or groups of people in need/with disabilities.

''Community Arts is a way of describing creative activities that bring people together in their communities and that give people the opportunity to gain new skills and new opportunities. Community Arts works to nurture the potential that exists in all communities to be creative and to find a voice to express their concerns through and using the Arts.'' - Valley and Vale community arts

Examples of community arts projects around the world:

1. San Francisco, CA

• Creativity Explored, founded in 1995 by a group called Urban ArtWork who employ's, trains and mentors people with developmental disabilities in a non-profit visual arts centre where they can create, exhibit and sell art.

This is a clear example of the intentions of arts in the community, to inform, educate and overall involve groups or all of a community.

Other examples of arts in the community include:

• Street performance
• Busking
• Markets
• Fairs
• Flash mobs
• Charity events
• Art exhibitions
• Street Theatre performance (such as children's theatre)
• Choirs
• Gigs/Concerts/Festivals
• Open Air Theatres

Example of a Open air theatre production and a street performance

All these and many more are run to make an impact on the community, whether that is to create awareness, opportunities, entertain audiences or to raise money for charities.

They aim to focus on want potential clients would want/be a part of when it comes to community projects, examples of their potential demographic groups would be:

• Younger audiences such as Children (3-12) - Children's Theatre, younger activity based workshops such as performing arts, sport based activities
• Teenagers (13-17) -  Workshops from performing arts to health and social, sport based activities, fairs
• Young Adults (18-21) - Flash mobs, choirs, fairs, gigs, festivals, concerts
• Adults (22-59) - Workshops, social meetings
• OAP (60+) - Choirs, church meetings
• People with mental or psychical disabilities
• General public (when promoting awareness)
• Marginalised groups
• Ethnic Minority
• People in difficult situations (Prison, hospitalised, institutions, students, homeless people)

Arts in the community is different depending on the country, as each are going to be bringing different aspects of their culture or unique issues they face into account. An example of this is art and entertainment through awareness of an issue such as starving children or places where water is scarce, informing the public and then persuading them to donate. The location makes dependant the type of people you'll attract around certain community art projects. More people are going to be interested in art exhibitions to raise money for children with disabilities in a wealthy country than in a poorer country, whereas sand and ice sculpturing to raise money for a charity might be more popular in areas where the issues the charity is address are actually taking place as people feel a closer connection with the event, people involved and the intentions of the event/charity.

In the UK arts in the community is a popular project to promote charities, getting the community engaged. One way community arts projects help the community too is local independent/dependant shops such as cafés, bringing people in from all over the area to one location would definitely have a positive impact on the business there. An example of this is the Brighton Fringe Festival, drawing in people from all over the country to Brighton to showcase aspiring and popular artists/actors as well as promoting them. This is a massive event which will have an overwhelming positive effect on the business nearby.

A few UK based community art businesses:

• Art4Space: Is a Community Arts Organisation in the UK run by BBC Arts. They aim to enhance communities and assist local businesses, with their focus on visual arts. Working with housing operations they aim to create workshops to offer a wider range of once difficult opportunities available.
• Valley and Vale community arts aim to build confidence, enable self expression and to celebrate diversity, promoting respect for communities who welcome/create change. They offer workshops such as dance, drama, music and design. Giving chances to people who are marginalised through positive action of treating individuals equally.
• E-quip Community arts project focuses on using engaging activities such as performing arts from all ages to draw people together and provide opportunities that would have once been restricted from them, such as the chance to work and learn in a performing workshops

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Different community arts projects have different roles, some are for audience/public participation such as workshops, other are for entertainment such as busking or flash mobs and others are to make the community aware of an issue or a happening surrounding a subject which they could get involved in by contributing help, money or food.