The Skills Exchange Programme has two strands:
1. A series of free open talks and workshops for local emerging and established creative professionals of any age in Crawley, West Sussex and Surrey.
WHAT IS IT?
Each month a free event will take place in Crawley covering different aspects of work in the creative industries. This season’s events include:
Sat 8 Mar: Using Archives in Creative Practice with Clod Ensemble
Sat 26 Apr: Inclusive Facilitation with Access All Areas
Thu 1 May: Introduction to Evaluation with Beckie Smith from Flying Geese
Thu 19 Jun: Using the Numbers to Make Your Project Happen with Sophie Eustace
2.A part-time practical training and Skills Exchange Programme taking place in Crawley from September ‘24 to June ’25 and is for people aged 16 – 30 years who want to get more involved in the creative industries.
See HERE for information about the 2024-25 cohort.
Have a read of Skills Exchange Programme participant Zikora’s blog post, reflecting on her experience of taking part in the programme.
WHAT IS IT?
Participants will get to work with creative professionals in a range of arts spaces, from recording studios to galleries, they’ll develop new skills, contacts and ideas to help them get a job that they love.
This is not a programme for people who want to act, sing or dance. It’s for those who want to make things and shape things, from behind a sound desk or a sewing machine or a computer. It’s also for people who want to produce, curate, direct or choreograph and want to find out how other specialisms work. (This is not an exhaustive list, you could be a florist who wants to move into make-up design or you could be a student who doesn’t know what they want to do yet but think it might be something creative).
The programme will be shaped by the selected participants. You’ll be encouraged to step outside of your specialism and try new things. Explore creative sectors new to you. The programme encourages a multi-disciplinary approach.
The participants will meet musicians from AudioActive, theatre makers Suzy Wilson, Rob Watt and David Rosenberg, visual artist Sarah Maple, and work with professionals from the National Theatre, Creative Pod and many more.
You will learn how to set up a new creative business and become a freelancer, manage and raise funds, market your work, and ensure it’s both accessible and sustainable.
Each recipient will be paid £14 per hour up to £2000 to take part in the project.
The Skills Exchange Programme is part of The Creative Village; a brand new pilot project based in Crawley to test the potential of creative hubs, workforce development and the creative economy in Crawley, West Sussex.
It’s managed by Creative Crawley in partnership with Theatre Centre and AudioActive. It’s funded by Arts Council England and supported by Crawley Borough Council’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Gatwick Airport Ltd. Other partners include Crawley College and Crawley Library.
