Start Thurrock is about listening to your creative ideas and interests, and what you need and want. Letting our communities have a say. We don’t present you with cultural events we ‘think you might like’ – we include you so that you have an impact on all decisions. We’re here to give more people the opportunity to be creative, and for you to decide what creative activities you want to see, experience or take part in.
Together, we can create extraordinary experiences that spark imaginations and unleash creativity in Thurrock. Our approach will be rooted, respectful and responsive, grounded in the reality of local life.
We aim to connect and inspire our people, and we want our joy and energy to reach every town, every family and every person. Our hope is that we provide more opportunities for the residents of Thurrock, so that we’re happier, healthier and more creative.
The story of our brand is testament to our roots, aspirations and values as an organisation. We feel it perfectly sums us up, from the past that’s shaped our region to the very people who will create our vibrant and creative future.
Launched in 2012 and funded by Arts Council England, ‘Creative People and Places’ focuses on parts of the country where involvement in creativity and culture is significantly below the national average. It’s grown from 6 to 38 projects since its infancy and empowers people to decide what kind of creative activity they want to experience in their area.
As ambassadors of creativity, our team wants to make sure that culture is not only accessible to all but an integral part of community life. Here’s where we put faces to names.
We’re made up of a consortium and as custodians of our funding, each of our members is here to make sure we’re delivering what we say we will.
As our lead organisation, Tilbury on the Thames Trust (TTT) works closely with the Port of Tilbury, co-designing the future of Tilbury Cruise Terminal to blend community and commercial use. They believe inclusion of a CPP within their Corporate Social Responsibility programme is truly unique for their sector and hope valuable lessons can be learned and shared which is what makes them such a fitting partner.
Thurrock Community and Voluntary Services (CVS) offers a wide range of services for the voluntary sector, from one-to-one support through to training and networking opportunities, for local organisations of all shapes and sizes at any stage of their development. Their aim is to encourage a strong, empowered and voluntary and community sector that works to improve the lives of Thurrock citizens, making them a perfect partner.
Royal Ballet & Opera (RBO) represents our arts sector in the consortium. With expertise in establishing cultural engagement programmes within Thurrock, they’re ideally placed to help us work within the local community to effect change, embed culture and give people the best opportunity to explore the arts.
This innovative company centres on disabled people having power over their own choices. TLS is founded on the concept of community solutions and uses disabled people as its experts by experience. As one of our partners, their experience will be invaluable in helping us engage with Thurrock’s disabled community.
As the local authority for our borough, we will connect with the council’s place-making programme which includes major regeneration initiatives. We’ll link arms with cultural gems such as our libraries, museums and theatres to nurture community well-being. This exciting partnership will help us create a collective vision for arts, culture and heritage.
