My Residency at the Creative Fenland Community Hub in March Town
- karenavilezguembes
- May 17
- 3 min read
At the beginning of the year – between February and April - I ran a community project called “Fen Boxes”, supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, this project was based in the heart of March Town, in Fenland. Fen Boxes was hosted at 39 Broad St, March, in what was an empty shop… It had been emptied for over a year, adding a sad view to the town.
Fen Boxes was a successful project, it involved over 70 members of the community and more than 180 visitors to its final exhibition. But this project also made me realise the importance of a physical space for people to gather, socialise, create together and to create bonds with their community by engaging together in artistic activities. For many, the space provided an opportunity to learn ways to express themselves and to break the barriers that communities face when it comes to engaging with arts.
From the beginning of the project, I was supported by different people and organisations, one of them Creative Fenland.
When I shared what I had learned during my time in 39 Broad St - the need of a community space -Creative Fenland reached out to me and offered to provide the funds to extend the lease, with the goal of allowing people to keep using it for a bit longer.
The space was renamed Creative Fenland Community Hub and I begin my journey as a resident artist.
This need for a physical space is current. There is no space like the Community Hub in March. Yet, spaces like this one are crucial to rise the sense of community and belonging for the residents of my town.
During my experience with Fen Boxes I witnessed friendships been made, people meeting after years without seeing each other, families getting together to paint and create, local artists offering their art & talents to the community, for some people Fen Boxes was a source of pride and joy, a new way of celebrating their heritage and expressing their love for their town, a box a time.
My work with cyanotype and alternative photography is tightly linked with community work and the bonds I can aid create between people and arts. My creative work is developed with the help of people who have been coming weekly to the Community Hub, either to join one of my workshops or to bring ideas for new uses for the space.
Groups of creative minds coming on a Tuesday to create fabulous embroidered pieces, a group of talented people taking on a Music Challenge led by a local professional musician: Tom Bryans, a creative writing session led by the wonderful Alan Seiglow or a Chinese ink demonstration by a passionate resident who kindly offered to share her knowledge, to local artists coming to show their work and at the same time make time to share their experiences with young people & residents: Lisa Banks and Peter Leeson.
My residency at the Community Hub has provided me with invaluable connection to the people of March. Every day spent here has empowered me and inspired me to look for more ways to work with the people.
I am a passionate artist who is constantly looking for ways to allow other to enjoy the benefits of art in everyday life.
I suffered from depression in the past, I was on medication which didn’t provide me with any relief. It is art, my work with cyanotype, the brushes, the paper, paint, music and love for nature what made me overcome the challenges depression had laid for me.
I want to make this possible to others who for any reason are finding life difficult, not offering a cure but time, space and opportunities to express through art.
Creative Fenland’s support to artists that, like me, have these goals as part of their artistic journey has also touched many people in my community.
I hope that this space stays open, if not this one then another one, somewhere that serves the purpose.
People need it, March town and Fenland deserve it.
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