Harvest Moon
Between July and September 2006 the community of Kirk Hallam in Ilkeston, Derbyshire held its first festival of art, rhythm, food and light called ‘Harvest Moon'.
Kirk Hallam Community Alliance in partnership with Groundwork Derby & Derbyshire’s Community Food Officer applied for funding and joint managed the project.
The following information is a case study relating primarily to the festival’s first year however the festival committee are currently planning the third festival due to be held in September 2008. The aims and the objectives have remained the same.
Aims and Objectives
- Inspire and integrate into the community high quality arts initiatives
- Develop Kirk Hallam Community Alliance’s capacity to deliver projects which create an improved sense of community and community participation
- Involve young people in a community wide event
- Enhance food growing opportunities and experiences
Partners
Ground work Derbyshire and Kirk Hallam Community Alliance
Methodology
2006: Four local artists were commissioned to design and deliver workshops in the community with inspiration taken from the allotments and local nature reserve.
Lead lantern artist Sarah Palmer and support artist Soesen Edan led eleven lantern making workshops throughout August and September. Percussionist Adam Gallagher held rhythm circle workshops with young people and Kit Anderson ceramic artist/ photographer worked with three local schools to produce digital imagery which was subsequently incorporated into a large ceramic food bowl and three platters.
Throughout the spring and summer months Groundwork’s Food Officer continued to involve local schools and volunteers in food growing activities. The produce grown as well as donations from other plot holders provided the main ingredients for an extensive celebratory menu.
The activities were celebrated with an attendance of over 150 people at a feast event at the allotments followed by a lantern and drumming procession around the nature reserve.
Promotion
The festival programme was communicated through school assemblies, posters and leaflets (designed by a local artist) network emails and word of mouth through the community. Groundwork supported the Alliance in planning a series of press releases throughout the festival months. Leaflets and posters were distributed within the community by the local Scout group.
In order to challenge community engagement barriers and to maximise promotion of the main festival event, the committee felt it would be more successful to organise highly visible events literally on people’s doorsteps. ‘Greens’ around the estate (which also connect with the main roads which run through the estate) were used to hold three launch events throughout August. These events included a star tent, gazebos and the percussion workshops to attract people.
Resources
- Grants for Arts – Arts Council England (Funding) £5,000
- Erewash Borough Council ‘Pride in Erewash’ / Arts development (Funding &In kind) £4,000
- Kirk Hallam Community Alliance £500 and £1500 In kind
- Groundwork Derby & Derbyshire Food Officer £3,000 In Kind
- Groundwork East Midlands Creative Regeneration Programme £625
Total capital income (funding) received = £8,200
Total income including volunteer and partner gift in kind = £ 10,155
Evaluation
Post evaluation of all workshops was gathered as part of the administration process. Lead Artists and event co-ordinators were contractually responsible for collecting participant information and documenting verbal feedback through their contact with the community. The Arts Co-ordinator Ann-Marie Culhane was responsible for collating all feedback including artist pre and post evaluation.
The main Harvest Moon event evaluation of 2006 used a volunteer scarecrow character who travelled around the festival requesting written feedback on colourful tags which was then attached to his back. This proved very popular with children and families.
NB: In year two of the festival 2007, evaluation was gathered in a physical wishing well sited in the centre of the festival; children’s feedback was also captured by encouraging them to make comments at the end of their personal event activity record sheet.
Lessons Learned
Feedback and evaluation from participants was extremely positive with the main area for improvement: to make it even bigger and more spectacular next year! The final feast event had a real celebratory atmosphere which far exceeded the expectations of not only the festival committee but from some of those that participated. With an audience of approximately 160, it was fantastic to see everyone enjoying the home grown food, sharing thoughts, listening to the percussion and experiencing a unique lantern parade in Kirk Hallam.
Kirk Hallam Community Alliance has since held Harvest Moon 2007 in which nearly 300 people attended. The event was held at the local nature reserve and included story telling, a feast which fed all 300 people and various arts and craft activities. The Alliance committee have received artist engagement training to enable committee members to recruit interest and source funding opportunities for arts development.
Local schools are keen to engage in future festival plans; suggestions have been made to create a festival website and blog which could possibly be planned as a practical curriculum action. Funding and sustainability of the running of the festival will be the main topics for discussion at forthcoming meetings at the end of 2008. It is considered by all participants a worthwhile community project and one which is hoped to become a landmark event in the Kirk Hallam community calendar.
Future Developments
There are still several sustainability issues to be addressed in respect of the assignment of event management tasks which for the past two years have mainly been undertaken by Groundwork’s Food Officer. Responsibilities for press and publicity, event planning, transportation of equipment, volunteer involvements etc. all continue to be vital agenda issues. Specific job roles have been created and circulated through partners and key agencies.
Contact Details
Contact Name: Nicola Hinton
Job Title: Community Food Officer Erewash
Phone: 01773 525 232 / extn 539 435
Email: Nicola.hinton@groundwork.org.uk
Website: www.gdd.org.uk
Organisation: Groundwork Derby and Derbyshire
Address: Groundwork Derby and Derbyshire The Bridge centre 43 Cromford Road Langley Mill Derbyshire NG16 4EF