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Success Stories

During Arc’s 25 years we have programmed  some incredible projects, impacting the lives of thousands of people creatively, culturally and supported many career arts freelancers.

Partnership Projects Stockport
Stockport Together Again Cards for sale in card rack

Stockport Together Again (2021)

As pandemic restrictions finally started lifting, Stockport MBC commissioned Arc to invite the people of the town to share their experiences and celebrate their creativity in a momentous exhibition at Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery, plus Stockport’s very first ‘Arts and Health Week’ and a series of arts and health Micro Commissions.

Over 2000 people attended the landmark exhibition. See these videos for just a snippet of how the exhibition impacted arts and health in Stockport.

Cllr Jude Wells, Cabinet Member Adult Care and Health, SMBC 2021
“I found it both life affirming and thought provoking and a fitting celebration of our people and communities”
“The exhibition showed just how creative and inclusive Stockport is as a town and made me proud to live here.”
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We Are Dreamers (2018 - 2019)

An inclusive art project and installation of artwork by hundreds of Stockport residents, We Ar Dreamers commissioned by Stockport MBC to commemorate 100 years since the end of World War I.

To see the evaluation report, see here.

Peter Ashworth, Head of Culture and Leisure, Stockport MBC
“We Are Dreamers captured the imagination of many different individuals and organisation throughout Stockport Borough, reached far into all our communities and attracted lots of new people to our Art Gallery. We’ve worked with Arc on many successful projects across Stockport’s communities, but this one surpassed our expectations with its creativity and community reach.”

A Love Letter to Oldham (2018 – 2022)

A partnership project with Gallery Oldham, A Love Letter to Oldham was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund to celebrate the myriad of reasons that make Oldham special to residents and visitors. 667 people took part, writing more than 400 love letters.

A Love Letter to Macc (2016 – 2021)

The original Love Letter project, A Love Letter to Macc was devised as part of the 2016 Macclesfield Barnaby Festival, in which residents and visitors were asked to write a love letter to the heart of the town. This project now has a long-lasting legacy in the town, as can be seen in this film.

Dr Abigail Gilmore, Manchester University/Barnaby Festival
“The Love Letter to Macc project is inspiring in its simplicity - and its all-round effectiveness. The project demonstrates how to deliver a process which engaged a wide range of people in thoughtful, creative and expressive activities with a lightness of touch and good humour, without condescending.”
Keeping Us Together

Keeping Us Together (2020 – 2022)

Many of our service users were devastated when Arc had to close due to the first Covid lockdown, but within two weeks we launched ‘Keeping Us Together’, our online creative programme designed to keep people connected, both creatively and socially.

And, although most restrictions have now been lifted, the mailing list continues to connect people to this day. 

“Arc smashed it with keeping people creative in these rather strange times.”

The Curiosity Project (2017 – 2018)

In collaboration with The University of Manchester, participants explored the concept of curiosity through the creation of artworks inspired by myths, beliefs, arts and history from the medieval period.

The Other in Mother (2018 - 2019)

A powerful visual art project and touring exhibition that explored and presented the psychological transition women experience during motherhood, led by artist Sarah Harrison-Greaves.