#CreativeNetwork In March 2020, Creative Lives (formerly known as Voluntary Arts) launched #CreativeNetwork - a series of online get-togethers open to anyone involved in arts, culture and creativity in order to connect and collaborate in unusual times. Facilitating these conversations has enabled people from across the UK and Ireland to talk with others, develop ideas and projects, and find sustainable ways forward in changing circumstances. After more than 100 inspiring sessions since 17 March, we have started to develop successful themed sessions that take place monthly. We'll be continuing these for the foreseeable future and invite anyone interested in these topics to join a session. We will still also be hosting more open 'peer support' sessions, allowing people to raise other topics they'd like to discuss, but we don't intend to run a session every weekday anymore. Each week will still have plenty of discussions open to anyone to join - see what's coming up below. Most sessions take place via Zoom between 9:30am and 10:30am, but other times will be marked clearly below. Join any session by clicking the 'Join' link below. Wednesday 23 June 9.30am - 10.30am #CreativeNetwork - Dance Theme: Encouraging men and boys to dance Guest: Tamsin Fitzgerald, 2FacedDance Register Thursday 24 June 9.30am - 10.30am #CreativeNetwork - London Theme: Becoming an incorporated charity Guests: Pandemonium Drummers Register Thursday 1 July 9.30am - 10.30am #CreativeNetwork - Local Arts Wales Theme: The arts in Wales as an ecosystem Guest: Professor John Holden Register If you have any additional accessibility requirements for Zoom meetings, please contact us at [email protected] in advance and we will do our best to make sessions inclusive for everyone. Regular sessions #CreativeNetwork - Children & Young People #CreativeNetwork - Crafts #CreativeNetwork - Coventry #CreativeNetwork - Dance #CreativeNetwork - Local Arts Wales #CreativeNetwork - London #CreativeNetwork - South West #CreativeNetwork - Theatre #CreativeNetwork - West Midlands The sessions above are particular areas of focus that we have embarked on recently, either because of local capacity or specific skills and interests. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every location or art form, but we hope there is something that interests everyone. We will continue to host open sessions for wider discussions so do check the weekly schedule above for details. Here's some of our #CreativeNetwork participants' feedback: I absolutely love these meetings: they always spark something in me. I find it a complete pleasure to interact with people whose paths I wouldn't normally cross so I always find I get out more than I put in! So thank you for getting me involved - it is joyous. It’s genuinely refreshing and welcome to have someone with such an accessible approach. I felt that the Zoom session was really comfortable and that we were in the right place. That’s not often the case. Really great, thought-provoking discussion this morning. Wonderful to be there and hear all the views. #CreativeNetwork Clips See clips of previous guests on the #CreativeNetwork on our YouTube playlist, including Darren Henley (Arts Council England), Baroness Deborah Bull (Kings College London), Hilary Carty (Clore Leadership), Nick Capaldi (Arts Council Wales), Gary Cameron (Creative Scotland) and Baroness Beeban Kidron (5Rights). If you're new to working independently or working from home, try our new Briefing on Remote Working: a guide to working from home. We explain the common tools used in plain English, including video conferencing, cloud storage and live collaboration on documents, plus there are tips on how to manage your work and your workspace to ensure you have an uncluttered mind before and after work.