SKDC awards winner shortlisted for national civic culture award

A major winner in South Kesteven District Council’s Community Awards has been shortlisted for a prestigious national civic culture award.

In November creative producer and artist Sam Roddan took the Community Cultural Action award for her role with Art Pop-Up, a Stamford-based not for profit arts organisation, which also landed the Community Group of the Year award for its contemporary arts innovations.

Now the organisation is on an illustrious shortlist for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s UK Award for Civic Arts Organizations, with Sam interviewed by the judging panel on 1 February.

The winner of the award will receive £100,000, with two runner-up prizes of £25,000.

SKDC supported Art Pop-Up’s Gulbenkian application with an endorsement from Ken Lyon, Assistant Chief Executive. He said: “We were delighted to support Sam and her team. Art Pop Up is absolutely part of the fabric of our district, which is why they were such worthy winners in our inaugural SK Community Awards.

“Art Pop Up has had a remarkable impact on its communities, adopting a very successful partnership model which delivers an incredible positive impact, particularly in addressing the mental health issues so prevalent during the pandemic.”

Sam Roddan, described in one of her council award nominations as “the driving force behind many of Stamford’s creative artist projects, said: “There are so many who have contributed to our accomplishments and we could not be where we are, making a difference to our community, without them.

“So whilst this has our name on it, our award nomination is really about our community and the way in which people help out. We’re really proud to be part of it and while we are definitely outsiders for the award, I’ll do my best to tell our story to the judging panel.”

The Gulbenkian shortlist cites an example of Art-Pop-Up’s contributions, the Secret Doorstep Festival, which took performers out into the streets to reach some of the most vulnerable people in the local area and created a new model for delivering COVID-secure outdoor performances.

The Gulbenkian Foundation has put its 2022 focus on how arts organisations have deepened, expanded, reimagined what it means to play a civic role as communities continue to grapple with the impacts of COVID-19.

Louisa Hooper, Interim Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch) said: “The ten organisations on the shortlist do so wholeheartedly in and with the communities they serve, showcasing the transformational potential of this relationship for all concerned.’