Meadow Arts is thrilled to be part of Our Place, a three-year programme designed to strengthen community bonds and enhance health and well-being across Herefordshire.

Led by the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership, Our Place addresses challenges like rural isolation and loneliness by opening new pathways for creative engagement. Through visual arts, digital media, and live performances, the programme will create accessible cultural experiences across Leominster, South Wye and the Golden Valley – reflecting the diversity of Herefordshire’s communities.

Our Place is supported by public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England and match funding from Herefordshire Council under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and public health.

A short film, made for the Our Place launch event at historic Grange Court, showcased the impact of the participating organisations and highlighted the programme’s goals to bring arts and culture to everyone in Herefordshire.

Our Place in the Golden Valley

Meadow Arts will use their 25 years of experience of bringing contemporary art to unexpected places, to connect with people living across the Golden Valley in southwest Herefordshire. We will create collaborative, site-specific artworks with community groups. From exhibitions in community hubs to workshops led by artists and creative practitioners, we want to ensure that everyone has access to art in ways that resonate deeply with the local area.

Since our founding, Meadow Arts has believed in taking art out of gallery spaces and into the landscape, responding to the people and places that inspire it. With Our Place Golden Valley, we’re not only creating art about the community but with the community. This programme is about listening, connecting, and ultimately, empowering people to see art and creativity as something that belongs to them and their lives.

Clare Purcell, Executive Director

Year 1: Community Portraits with Cordelia Cembrowicz

Kicking off Our Place Golden Valley, artist Cordelia Cembrowicz has been capturing photographic portraits of local residents, including farmers, deer stalkers, GPs, and many more. Each with a unique story to tell, these portraits celebrate the Golden Valley’s people and the sense of place they embody. They’ll form the basis of a public artwork and a foundation for future community-led workshops, where residents will collaborate to create artworks that reflect their connections with each other and the landscape.

Building Creative Health in the Golden Valley

Working closely with local partners like Kingstone GP Surgery, Taurus Healthcare’s Social Prescribing team, and Talk Community Hubs, Our Place Golden Valley aims to promote both mental and physical well-being through creative expression. Community-led workshops will take place in spring 2025, where residents will map out their relationships to the place, sharing stories that define life in the Golden Valley.

Each year, new artists will be commissioned to co-create work with the community. Artworks will be displayed across the Golden Valley and shared with wider audiences, offering a fresh perspective on life in rural Herefordshire. We’ll explore the full potential of art to inspire connection, joy, and well-being.

For more information on Our Place and the other projects in Leominster and South Wye, please visit www.the-shire.co.uk/our-place.