The Story of the High Street
Challenge: Tell the stories of Corsham, including those of businesses, customers, buildings, community groups and individuals, in order to help the Town Council identify how to optimise their support and funding.
Working pattern:
Flexible, remote working with option to work at Corsham Town Hall part of the week, and regular on-site meetings. Part-time over one year is preferred.
Who we’re looking for:
A storyteller with an affinity for place and people, in addition to an interest in working with a local council.
Start date:
Story Associates will join the scheme in early September. They will start by taking part in a Deep Story Training Camp and will then move on to their Host projects and placements.
How:
You might approach this as an exploration of how Story Skills can communicate and enrich local places and/or how Story Skills can highlight the multiple, intersecting experiences and perspectives that places are made up of.
Award:
£37,099, pro rata, point 30 on National Spinal Point, or equivalent value fellowship grant (paid on supplier contract basis).
The scene is set…
You gaze into The Corsham Bookshop window displaying books by local authors – Chris Vick, Kate Atkinson, Finbar Hawkins, and Julia Seal, to name a few. You have a prior appointment but make a mental note to return to browse. You pass The Corsham Gallery, Spindles Bikes, Coppins Jewellery, and several more independent shops capturing your curiosity. Your journey down the High Street brings you to the large blue door of the Town Hall, home of Corsham Town Council.
Corsham Town Council serves a population of over 13,000. It has responsibility for several community assets including parks, play areas and allotments. Service areas have continued to expand in recent years to include environmental projects, creative industries, tourism, and community wellbeing. The Council has just produced a new Strategic Plan which highlights Business and the Economy as one of the four priorities.
The Council has also worked hard to promote and establish Corsham as a creative place to live, work and visit. It runs several long-standing events including Taste of Corsham, the Summer Fete and Christmas Lights Switch On. A newer festival to arrive on the scene is StoryTown, a celebration of storytelling for everyone.
Now, the Town Council’s StoryTown project is being reinvented to support the community engagement element that is at the heart of its new Strategic Plan, with a focus on business and the economy.
A hero is summoned…
Corsham is calling for a community-focused hero to help the Town Council reshape their StoryTown project. They are looking for someone who can use story to renew a sense of vitality and rejuvenation for this home of heritage, bringing to life the wealth of history, culture and economic activity embedded in its streets.
The hero will serve as an advocate, engaging with both the business community and the people (both local and tourists) who use them. The mission: to inform the Town Council how they can support the High Street and Town Centre via its tourism work, planning decisions, public realm, public art, community wellbeing, and more.
The Council challenges their advocate to capture the stories of the town’s local businesses of the past, present, and future. Telling these stories might involve collaborating with local historians and partnering with community wellbeing groups such as the Corsham Disabled People’s Organisation. It will also include coming to Town Council events such as the Christmas Lights Switch On, Eco Fair and Taste of Corsham Food Festival, to gather stories that enhance their knowledge of the town.
An adventure gets underway…
The stories uncovered will open the door for further stories, which our story advocate will pursue as the project, and their work, evolves. Corsham has a busy arts scene and a strong creative mindset. The stories will help to harness this creativity and enable the Town Council to better understand the needs of businesses, targeting their work and funding more effectively.
Our hero will be closely involved in developing the Council’s vision for enriching Corsham High Street and town centre. They will refine their skills in using Story to understand and communicate places as diverse and dynamic. Our Story Associate will also gain knowledge of local government processes, as well as a rich connection to Corsham and its communities.
This adventure will contribute to the StoryArcs mission to explore the value and uses of Story Skills in life, learning and work. The findings brought back to StoryArcs HQ will be crucial in our development and co-creation of a Story Skill Set.
This is one of eleven projects. You can find out more about the Story Associate opportunity and explore all eleven opportunities.
Application Portal is now closed.
If you were unable to submit your application due to technical difficulties, personal reasons or other factors please contact us at story@bathspa.ac.uk.
