It’s been a busy start of the year for Rosetta as we kickstart some new projects, broaden our team and bring our in-person art classes back…
We’ve welcomed our participants back to the building…
After COVID restrictions then a building refurbishment, we’ve been delighted to invite our participants back to the building to learn all sorts of visual arts practices. During the Easter break we held a week of creative sessions for the young people of Newham (pictured above). Participants tried their hand at nature-themed art making as part of our I Design my Future programme in partnership with Renova and supported by the Young Londoners Fund.
Our adult art students returned to the studios as the Spring term of our art classes started! We’re running classes in painting, drawing, photography and pottery. If you’d like to enrol for the September term, please email admin@rosettaarts.org to be added to the waiting list.
We received Arts Council Capital Funding…
Rosetta received the brilliant news that we have been awarded £307,000 from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme!
Rosetta Arts is among 66 cultural organisations across the country to benefit from a share of over £22.7 million from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme, this support will be going towards the build and operation for our new space focusing on creativity and wellbeing.
Upon receiving the Capital Investment Funding, Sanaz Amidi, CEO of Rosetta Arts said:
“We’re delighted to be receiving Capital Investment funding from Arts Council England. This is a very significant and exciting step towards the realisation of our new space on Green Street in Newham. It’s such an exciting time for Rosetta, we’re so pleased to expand further into our community and continue delivering arts opportunities for the people of Newham. To receive such substantial support from ACE makes our expansion all the more tangible.”
We’ve also been running workshops that have incorporated discussions about the naming of the space, in early May we ran a woman’s workshop on mental health and the body:
More workshops are being scheduled currently, so keep an eye on our socials for updates or email trisha@rosettaarts.org to register your interest.
We launched the Cultural Producers programme with Creative Newham…
The Cultural Producers Programme is inviting individuals aged 18 – 30 onto a training programme that offers the chance to gain hands-on knowledge and skills in producing cultural events. Through classroom sessions, presentations, theoretical underpinning, professional mentorships and a paid 45-day placement within an arts organisation, the Cultural Producers Programme will equip each participant with the tools, knowledge and experience to enter the creative arts sector and enrich the culture of Newham and elsewhere. For more info on the programme and for our expression of interest form, visit our website: https://wp.me/pafDb2-1ot
Additionally, we’re also on the lookout for organisations we can partner up with for this initiative to host a Cultural Producer for a flexible 45-day placement within your team. This placement will provide hands-on experience of working within a locally driven creative organisation. We will provide a £500 stipend for each host organisation. If you’d like to be involved please go to our website for more info and fill out an expression of interest form: https://wp.me/pafDb2-1ou
Our CEO was invited to attend Parliament…
Sanaz Amidi, CEO of Newham’s Rosetta Arts, was invited by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport to present at Parliament’s Select Committee investigation: “Reimagining where we live: cultural placemaking and the levelling up agenda” to talk about her experiences as the CEO of a hyper-local arts charity.
As one of three witnesses to present for the second hearing of this enquiry, Sanaz discussed the current challenges for a grass-roots organisation like Rosetta Arts post-Covid and situated in the UK’s capital. Sanaz emphasised the value of arts organisations like Rosetta beyond their monetary return and stressed that this often stems from our misunderstanding of arts impact within society. You can watch the oral evidence session in full here. Or read the oral evidence session transcript here. Later this month, Sanaz will be speaking at the Cultural Learning Alliance Advisory Panel later this month meeting on the topic: What do we mean by Levelling Up through cultural learning?
We’ve welcomed new members to the Rosetta Team…
In April we said a sad but fond farewell to our Programme and Marketing Manager Zoe Hardie who’s worked with Rosetta for a number of years and in a number of roles. Zoe has left to continue her training in psychotherapy and past and present colleagues gathered in the Humble Gallery to say farewell:
In her place we welcome Lottie McCarthy who we also work with through our Artist Accelerator programme. Lottie has been developing her practice at Open School East and will join us as a programme manager. We’ve also recently welcomed Phi Tran, who is interning with us through the Kickstarter scheme. Phi slotted into the team quickly and has been a great source of support in all areas of our work from marketing, to project co-ordination & art course admin.
To help us launch the Cultural Producers programme, we’re also welcoming on board Vicki Young, who will be taking on the day to day tasks of co-ordinating our Cultural Producers and supporting the Creative Newham Alliance with upcoming projects.
We have also welcomed a new trustee to the board, Ismail Mahmood, Ismail is a Newham based Indian classical vocalist who has trained and worked on his art form for over a decade. Professionally, he is a Digital Marketing manager for one of the top charities in the UK. We’re very pleased to welcome so many new faces to Rosetta!
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