01 February 2020, Newbury, Berkshire - Students from Newbury College have collaborated with award-winning theatre-maker Caroline Horton and film-maker Rachel Bunce, in partnership with the Corn Exchange Newbury, on a brand-new project, The Museum of Listening (The Work Edition). One of 40 new projects taking place in and around 40 arts centres in the UK, Here and Now is a national and local celebration of culture within communities. It is supported by Arts Council England and Future Arts Centres and marks the National Lottery’s 25th birthday.
Throughout November, students worked with Caroline and Rachel to gather lived experiences from one another and from members of their household through home-filmed interviews. The purpose was to create a film that explored the theme of work, asking what it means to work and what it might be like to live without it. Through a series of digital workshops that took place, the students developed their interview and technical skills before gathering lived experiences and recording home-filmed testimonials from one another, staff members and their families. Caroline and Rachel then edited and sculpted this material into a final piece that is available online via the Corn Exchange Newbury website until the end of February 2021.
Katy Griffiths, Director, Corn Exchange Newbury commented: “It was fantastic to work with students from Newbury College on The Museum of Listening (The Work Edition) and we are thrilled to have artists such as award-winning theatre-maker Caroline Horton and film-maker Rachel Bunce curating the project."
“We are extremely grateful to Here and Now, Future Arts Centres and Arts Council England for supporting the project and are excited to be one of 40 arts centres in the UK taking part to mark the National Lottery’s 25th birthday. ”
The project forms part of the students’ work experience and involves students from a wide range of vocational programmes at the College including, Foundation Learning, Music Technology, Art and Creative Media.
Steve Greenwood, Employer Engagement, Newbury College said: “We are very excited to see the results and culmination of five months' hard work by the students. In this most difficult time for young people, partnerships like this one with the Corn Exchange Newbury show how businesses and young people can work together, build a sense of community and raise aspirations. It is vitally important that young people have opportunities such as this to further their careers, regardless of their needs, and to feel that the future for them is a bright one."
"This film with its focus on work and careers has a dual purpose - it allows our student voices to be heard and to be part of a wider conversation with businesses that will open future partnerships. We pride ourselves on being a college that focuses on Careers not Courses and this is true to our vision."
"I would also like to thank the professionalism and the dedication of the Corn Exchange and Newbury College staff teams. This has enabled the imagination, creativity and insight of the directors and students to be seen, and I am sure we will see this in the exciting premiere online."
You can view the project on The Corn Exchange Newbury website
To talk about working with Newbury College and the collaborative opportunities for your business or community projects email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Here and Now is supported by:
