B50 For Creatives Network
Monday April 15th, 2024
Hello again and welcome to the B50 for Creatives Network group. Since our last update, we have been really busy honing in on our creative works and making use of all the local Art & Craft Fairs/Events, that have been available. 2023 Some of our group exhibited at the annual Stratford Art Society Summer Exhibition that is held during August. This year the dates are 14th – 25th August 2024 at King Edward School, Chapel Lane, Stratford CV37 6BE. For further information about the Art Society = Visual Art | Stratford upon Avon Arts Society (stratforduponavonartsociety.co.uk)
We have also connected with another Creatives group in Stratford; Arts Rising Collective and meet with them to discuss ideas and share what is going on in and around our locality. ARC meet 7pm monthly at The One Elm Stratford on the first Wednesday of the month. Check them out at Artists | Arts Rising Collective | Stratford-upon-avon, they also have a FB page.
News this year, we have got together and for the first time we have booked 6 market stalls at our very own Bidford Village Saturday Markets. Our first one was April, and although a tad windy (to say the least) the turnout was good and we had many representatives from our group there. Some of whom had booked spots last year and are continuing to do so this year. B50 are becoming THE Centre of Excellence for Creative Works! Please do come along and say hello at our next market, Saturday May 4th. (June 1st, July 6th, August 3rd etc)
Our next BIG event will be at The St Laurence Arts & Crafts Festival, hosted by the church itself at the end of May, the Bank Holiday weekend, Sunday 26th & Monday 27th May. (see poster for more info.) We are proud to announce that there will be 20 creative stall holders there as well as a raffle to keep your interest and refreshments, run by our wonderful Village Cafe, Ingrid & her team. Thank you so much Ingrid ☺ A small adult entry fee of £2, but all the money goes to the church fund, a much needed cause towards the building upkeep. Hope we see you lovely people there.
Finally, there is an opportunity to browse arts & creative works, at Alcester’s Maker’s Space, Longbarn Village. They host a Maker’s Market Weekend at the end of every month, Free Parking, so do check out their website for further information too. The Makers' Space – The Makers Space UK
Thank you B50 for supporting our group. Do you have a B50 postcode? Want to find out more about our group? Contact Tereza or Viv B504CN@gmail.com for further info. Or visit our FB page, search @B50 Creatives: (15) Facebook and drop us a message. Best wishes.
Monday 7th August 2023
Hello again B50’s. We had a very good gathering, this time at The Bull’s Head and welcomed 4 new people with creative interests which we hope will come again to future meets. Lots of chatting and sharing of ideas, as well as welcomed updates on how each of us are doing with our crafts. These meets are so useful for our members, especially those of us that are shy of sharing our creations and need a little support or a boost. Sometimes we don't realise just how talented we are.
We welcomed the Warwickshire Open Studios and some of us had our arts displayed at the resurrected Long Barn Village, Alcester, re-named as “Maker’s Space” on the Droitwich Road. A very welcoming team there who have supported our group and other local creatives. Do check it out.
Some of our group are also members of The Stratford Arts Society, who are running their Annual Summer Exhibition at King Edward VI School, Chapel Lane, CV37 6BE from 16th to 27th August. Please do go along, it is free entry, (programs £2) and just take a look at the local talent and if you’re feeling wild, you may purchase a unique piece of 2D or 3D artwork! https://www.stratforduponavonartsociety.co.uk/
The next planned event that the group are supporting, is the Artisan Craft Fair which will be at The Crawford Memorial Hall on Saturday October 28th, 10-3:30pm so do book this date in your diaries and come along, support local talent and pick up something unique for Christmas!
Do you have a B50 postcode? Want to find out more about our group?
Contact Teri or Viv B504CN@gmail.com for further info. Or visit our FB page, search @B50 Creatives
Thursday, 20th April
This gathering saw us meeting at our local pub, The Frog to discuss the up and coming St Laurence’s Art & Craft Festival which was being held over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. Fourteen local artists in total exhibited their crafts at the Art & Craft Festival, many of which will also be taking part in the Warwickshire Open Studio event Warwickshire Open Studios | Warwickshire Open Studios which is during 17th June – 2nd July 2023.
Our next gathering is Monday 5th June to have a discussion on how the A&C Festival went, what worked well, what needs improving and planning our next one, so watch this space.
Do you have a B50 postcode? Want to find out more about our group?
Contact Teri or Viv at B504CN@gmail.com for further info. Or visit our FB page: B50 Creatives
Thursday, January 26th
The B50 4CN has now had 4 meetings since its conception, meeting alternate months, and is growing from strength to strength.
There is much enthusiasm at our group meetings and the last one saw us bringing our latest creations to “show and share”. We love talking about our arts & crafts! We discuss ideas on how to show our work in galleries, exhibitions and etc., and which venues can work best for us. Our group is a great mix of individual creative works and everyone has the opportunity to share their ideas and what works for them.
The latest share is the next open event, being Warwickshire Open Studios which is during 17th June – 2nd July 2023
There are also entrants to the RAA Royal Academy of Arts - Summer Exhibition the deadline for entries being 14 February 2023, based in London and open to the public, encouraging artists from all walks of life to enter their creative works. The theme this year is “Only Connect” which can be interpreted in any way and gets the creative juices flowing.
Our next meeting will be in March, date and venue to be decided.
Do you have a B50 postcode? Want to find out more about our group? Contact Teri or Viv B504CN@gmail.com for further info.
New: B50 for Creatives Network (B50 4CN)
*BIDFORD; BICKMARSH; BROOM; BARTON; MARLCLIFF
For anyone who lives in the B50 postcode area with a passion for their art/craft and would like to meet local fellow-creatives. First meet-up 21 July 2022!
This is a new initiative - we are just going to see where it leads. We are hoping to share ideas and interests with a view to exploring opportunities to promote / sell our works and maybe even organising events such as exhibitions. It is not a group, club or society with a paying membership. The idea of the network is to connect local creatives IRL to their mutual benefit.
If there is sufficient interest, we will look to arrange meet-ups periodically (four to six times a year).
If you have any queries then please contact: B504CN@gmail.com
We are pleased to share with you the first B50 4CN gathering held in the Library on Thursday 21st July, was a great success. We have over 50 people who have registered an interest and 12 were able to come along Thursday afternoon and share their creative skills, meeting new and interesting people.
Our next gathering will be held on Thursday November 17th at 7pm at Bidford Community Library.
If you are creative in some way and live in the B50 postcode area and are interested in checking this out, then please get in touch by email B504CN@gmail.com or just pop along to our next one in November.