#WeMove
Impact statements from artists
Can you say a little about your experience of working with Impelo. (from process to creation i.e. contracting, the support, ambition of the project as a whole.)
I have been honoured and thankful to play a small part in the creation of work that Impelo have undertaken over the past few years. I have been impressed and pleased with the support that they have given me over the times that I was contracted by them. Their programme of work is wide reaching, brave and ambitious. It succeeds in being locally relevant and globally outlooking. It responds to the needs of communities (of artists and participants) and has Powys at its heart.
My experience of working with Impelo in the role of costume designer on 'Prosiect Epynt' was brilliant. This was an ambitious project working with community and school groups in challenging and engaging ways. The team were supportive and encouraging throughout and empowered me to produce the best work I could. We have found working with Impelo to be inspiring. Their projects are creative, ambitious, always inclusive and well organised.
I had an amazing time working on the Epynt project with Impelo. It was a beautiful project that integrated professionals and a community cast. The process was was fantastic, it engaged people of all ages and due to the open and inclusive nature of the creative sessions it really gave all participants ownership of what the show became. Which made it super special. Bethan was a brilliant project leader and really educated and inspired us all (especially the children) to look forward and create their own version of what they would like to see in their future. I think it was an ambitious project for the time scale that was absolutley successful. All contractual and fee related sides of theproject were very straight forward and efficiant also.
I worked as a dancer on Impelo's Epynt project in 2023. This was a ambitious and well thought out intergenerational dance project which led participants through a creative way of learning about the history and impact of the Epynt clearance that happened during ww2. The lead artists brought to the project their unique approach and welcoming and inclusive personalities and ethics. I found Impelo a very caring and inspiring company to work with and hope to get the opportunities to work with them again.
I could feel the healthy culture of the organisation and how well the company worked together with themselves and with the community they have built such a strong connection with. I first met other freelancers from Impelo at a networking day for climate focused outdoor work hosted by Articulture. From the trickle of an idea in conversation there, our collective flowed on and flourished with Impelo's support: great communication, support with all aspects of fundraising, administration, logistics and artistic production - from payroll to risk assessments, marketing and workshop delivery, critical feedback to evaluation, Impelo have been a model for effective collaboration, endless generosity and care.
Is there anything different about how Impelo works with you as a freelancer in comparison to other dance/arts organisations?
From start to finish, my experience of working with Impelo has been a positive one. The staff in the office were welcoming, knowledgeable and supportive. My fellow practitioners on the projects were talented, energetic and passionate about the work. The students and participants on the project were obviously benefiting greatly from the work that was created with and for them. There are, in my experience, no other companies that are doing work of this quality in this area and I am devastated to hear of the loss of funding to this company.
One of the (many) highlights of working with Impelo was simply the location. As a freelancer living in Abergavenny, much of my work requires me to commute in to Cardiff to access projects. It was wonderful and refreshing to contribute towards a quality project based in rural areas and outside of a city. It is really important for creative work to be made in rural areas and this is exactly what Impelo do in Powys so it was a real privilege to be involved in this way.
The breadth of Impelo ‘s work is unparalleled. They are always reaching out to so many. I don’t know another organisation that caters to so many groups of people. From adults with dementia to young parents with babes in arms and everything in between.
all communication and interactions with Impelo were super friendly and welcoming, it was really wonderful to be welcomed so warmly into working with all the team here. They were also very supportive/ understanding of my needs and flexible which is really important as a freelancer where we have lots of commitments to juggle. I found them very inclusive and extra friendly.
Impelo work from the heart, putting trust and creativity at the core of their person focused arts organisation. It is powerful to encounter an artistically critical community committed to quality that also feels like family. Further on that, as a migrant person of a marginalised gender i never expect to feel "at home" in these spaces; doing so at Impelo has shifted my expectations about what is possible to expect from rural dance organisations.
Is there anything else you would like to say about Impelo's and other Powys arts organisations loss of Arts Council revenue funding and reduced investment
These cuts to arts organisations in Powys will be devastating for the communities and residents of Powys. Without these companies, what is there to keep arts professionals within the local area? And what provision for movement and dance will there be for residents and practitioners in Powys? I live in Mid Wales, and as an arts practitioner, I am very concerned about what this decision means for the creative ecology of Wales and for the future of rurally based arts careers here.
The loss of funding to Powys will have long lasting effects on freelancers in the area and the wider arts community across Wales. The reduced investment in more rural areas will force creatives and freelancers to move into areas, for eg. cardiff, that already have a high concentration of creative activity to look for work. Rural communities and audiences deserve quality arts too and creatives need to be supported in these areas to be able to carry out this important work!
Impelo have been a constant in our lives since moving to Powys with young children in 2008. Our youngest son started classes there when he was ten and have inspired him to go on to Dance School in London. Impelo have also worked with other local arts organisations over the years such as Mid Powys Youth Theatre which impacted our eldest son’s life and he has gone on to study a Masters degree at Cambridge. In addition to attending some of their adult classes, My husband and I regularly work with Impelo as photographers, videographers and even composing music and designing it to be accessible for d-deaf children. I have been involved with their amazing intergenerational Epynt project and we have taken photos for a wide range of their community classes. Their contribution to our quality of life here in Powys is invaluable. I am devastated at hearing of ACW cuts to their funding. Powys will be all the poorer if they cannot continue to provide our community with their warmth and creativity. I am so sad for all the people who will not have the chance to experience such enrichment as our family have done over the years. People in Powys need the Arts as much as anyone in Wales. Why are we being punished by ACW with these cuts?
I think its a huge shame there wasn’t revenue fundunding for Impelo. They do a fantastic job and the area deserves their hard work. I think its also a huge shame Dance Blast in Monmouthshire did not get revenue funding also, and I worry what this means for the future of dance in these two neighbouring counties.