Celebrating Essex 2020 | Katie Deverell

Commemorative hub plate designed by local artist and Ignite member Elaine Tribley.

With over 500 events, competitions, exhibitions and recordings, it has been a brilliant year of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) right across Essex. As Essex 2020 -Year of Science & Creativity draws to a close, plans are actively underway to build on this legacy in 2021.

Chelmsford’s Essex2020 contribution was co-ordinated through our Chelmsford Hub, a multi-sector, creative and resilient group who delivered a host of events and activities throughout the year, despite the challenges of the pandemic. You can see some of what went on in this short film hub members made for our end of year reflection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWtD6TNxyiM

Through Ignite Chelmsford City Council directly funded 14 Essex2020 projects:

• Echoes from Essex — electric voice theatre

• Tree-Mend-Us — The Ideas Hub 

• The Drowned World — Wet Sounds / Essex Book Festival

• Chelmsford Carnival — Chelmsford Festival

• ‘On-Air’ Marconi Exhibition — Chelmsford Museum   

• Marconi Archive — Essex Record Office

• Power Behind the Microphone — Chelmsford City Theatres 

• Local Cultural Education Partnership

• Marconi Centenary Lectures — Chelmsford Civic Society / Chelmsford Science & Engineering Society 

• The Future is in your Past — Elaine Tribley

• ‘Current’ Waterways Artist Commission — Essex Cultural Diversity Project / Sian Fan

• Connect multi-media film and event — Black Chapel Collective 

• Light Parade  STEAM workshops — Ideas Hub Chelmsford

• Wilding Chelmsford — Resonance

A further £8k was awarded to 5 Chelmsford-based projects including Little Stars GCSE circus science Access all Little Stars Circus Science GCSE resources now | Essex 2020, Chelmsford City MENCAP STEAM club (2) City of Chelmsford Mencap | Facebook  and Virtual Tours for Chelmsford Heritage Open Days Chelmsford Civic Society – YouTube

You can read more about all these projects at www.essex2020.com where you can also find resources, watch videos, find art based activities and listen to podcasts, many of which feature Chelmsford based activity.

Access to funding was just a small part of the hub. Together we built up a really friendly and creative community, supporting each other to develop ideas, put on events and find ways to make things happen! Members found real benefit in the positive and action focused role of the group, describing it as “Being part of creating a vibrant City”.

Perhaps the biggest strength of the hub has been joining together through a shared sense of purpose. and there is unanimous support for it to continue beyond Essex2020.

83% of respondents felt it was good the hub was happening locally.82% agreed it had helped them feel more connected.

The council is committed to finding ways to continue to support the work of the hub, and the momentum and relationships that have developed. We will be reporting back on this soon.

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Katie is a creative consultant who ran the Ignite Collaborative Hub during Covid 2020, and continues to be an ardent supporter and collaborator of Ignite Chelmsford.