'Magic' The MET tent pops up in Savick and Larches
‘Magic’ New pop up arts centre the MET brings culture and community right to people’s doorsteps in one Preston neighbourhood, reports Samuel Blight.
This weekend saw the launch of the MET in Larches and Savick, Preston, the UK’s only fully mobile, modular arts centre.
The culture and creativity hub brings an exciting programme of 45 free and affordable events and entertainment to St Bernard’s Community Hub, from July 18 to August 15.
Alongside the entertainment, the programme also features dedicated wellbeing events, veterans’ activities, dementia-friendly sessions, neurodiverse experiences and opportunities to learn new skills.
At the launch not only was there a ribbon to be cut, but a push on community and bringing people together.
Emma Caffrey, is the Community Coordinator and local resident, who is also manager of the hub next door, St Bernards.
She said: “I was approached by Charles last year, he just said we want to bring the MET to you. He said we have got a big tent and we can put it on your car park and I thought I don’t think you can but he did it, it was about a couple of inch either side but we fitted it in. I thought do you know what it’s a brilliant thing for the community.”
Emma went on to say how beneficial it had been for one individual in particular: “Last year we had a lady come to the afternoon tea that we did for the older people and she actually said I’ve not been out of my house since Covid. From then it's given her the confidence to go out to more places so she’s gone on day trips, she comes into the hub as well, she plays bingo with us. She’s really really come out of her shell now.
“That’s one person, if we can do that for another one person or two people this year it would be phenomenal it really would.”
The launch event itself also included a local violinist, Crusaders Morris Dancers, and a number of speeches to name a few.
One of those who delivered a speech was Councillor Anna Hindle, the Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts. She believes events like the MET are “brilliant” due to their community roots:
She said: “They are more accessible to everybody, you don’t have to worry about getting on a bus or being able to find car parking in town and that’s what I think is magic about it and also it is designed by the community. Culture is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
Events throughout the four-week programme this year will range from free drop-in activities and workshops to affordable ticketed performances, ensuring cost is not a barrier to participation.
Some of the activities available include: cultural celebrations, community choirs, live music performances to creative workshops, history talks, family entertainment, circus skills, and sustainability events.
The man helping to steer the ship of the evening’s launch was Charles Quick, a professor at the University of Lancashire. He helped highlight the importance of co-producing a programme with the communities.
“Take each community that doesn’t usually have access to culture but has lots of culture going on. This is an opportunity to amplify that culture and let other people see it and celebrate it.”
Charles hopes it goes on forever, until “every community in Preston has experienced the MET.”
Since launching in 2022, The MET has demonstrated the power of taking culture directly into communities with the aim to tackle barriers to participation while creating opportunities for people of all ages to experience arts, heritage and creativity close to home.