Lightbear Lane: ‘Proud to Be’
Theme: People + Place-shaping

Lightbear Lane are a small, Exeter-based non-profit organisation who shine a light on the importance of the arts, culture, performance and music in community, nature and heritage spaces. Through facilitation, consultancy and artistic practice,  joint directors Dr Judith Morgane and Sarah Spencer utilise and re-purpose different spaces to support wellbeing in communities and help them take creative ownership of their spaces.

Lightbear Lane’s ‘Proud to Be’ will shine a light on Mincinglake and Whipton, celebrating the ward’s thriving community and highlighting the stories of its residents. The project will begin with a community mapping exercise asking, ‘what does pride of place look like for you’, and offer workshops and engagement activities, as well as skills-development sessions, all building to the co-creation of a film involving local residents at every stage of production.

The backdrop to this project is the rich tapestry of Exeter's diverse communities. While some areas flourish with a strong sense of identity and support networks, others grapple with a lack of community cohesion. Lightbear Lane aims to bridge this gap by making heritage and arts more accessible, ultimately contributing to place-shaping and instilling a sense of pride within communities.

Sarah Spencer, whose background is in art, art history and community engagement, has spent the last year immersed in the Mincinglake and Whipton ward as a Community Builder, and discovered a vibrant community with untold stories. However, negative perceptions (from outside and within) about the ward threaten to overshadow the strong sense of community among the residents. ‘Proud to Be’ emerges as a response to this challenge, employing an Asset-Based Community Development model to harness and amplify the strengths of the community. The co-created film will weave together narratives of inspiration, recollections, and hopes for the future, showcasing the ‘change-makers’ and neighbourhood heroes that make up the community.

Key to Lightbear Lane being awarded this commission is the project team’s existing relationships in the area, and their articulation in the application about the importance of meaningful community involvement. Residents of different ages and backgrounds are invited to actively participate in creating the film – from storyboarding to post-production. The initiative not only aims to capture the essence of the community but also provides skills-training opportunities, ensuring an inclusive and empowering experience for all involved.

As the project unfolds, Lightbear Lane envisions showcasing the film at the Beacon Heath Community Centre, fostering a sense of unity and celebration within the community. Discussions are also underway with other locations and venues for a potential inner-city screening, maximizing the project's reach and impact.

Collaborations with community partners, such as Beacon Heath Squilometre group and Wellbeing Exeter, amplify the project's reach and ensure representation from diverse perspectives. Practitioners from across the arts will be involved in the skills-development aspect of the project, providing opportunities for local creatives and building sector connections (another key aspect of the Commission criteria). And the involvement of University of Exeter academic input (a key aspect of Creative Arc’s ambitions), as well as Judith’s Honorary Research Fellowship looking at engaged learning and knowledge exchange, will contribute to the ongoing evaluation and legacy of the project. The goal is to create a framework of best practice and how-to guides for other communities to replicate.

As one of the first commissions for Creative Arc, ‘Proud to Be’ speaks to the ambitions and values of the programme, which are to facilitate community-led initiatives in shaping place, building skills and participation opportunities, and contributing to ‘pride in place’. By leveraging the creative arts, this project seeks not only to celebrate the unique identity of Mincinglake and Whipton but also to provide a blueprint for other communities aspiring to achieve place-shaping through creative means. Lightbear Lane's commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and collaboration ensures that ‘Proud to Be’ will leave a lasting impact on the community, transcending the boundaries of a mere film project.

Judith and Sarah have brought to life Exeter’s oldest building, St Nicholas Priory, by using this incredible heritage space as the community asset it is, hosting local artists, curating relevant exhibitions, living history events, theatre and music, as well as creative workshops in partnership with other local heritage organisations.