After completing a PGCE and teaching full-time, Glynne trained as an actor at DSL (Drama Studio London). He now combines these two elements by running Seachange Creative Development, a company specialising in offering interactive personal and organisational development opportunities to people of all ages and abilities.
Can you tell us a bit more about the Arts Centre for Acton project?
Next Spring (2014), Acton Library will move into the newly refurbished Town Hall, leaving the Old Library vacant. Rather than allow such a beautiful and important old building to be turned into flats or a retail unit, the Arts Centre for Acton project is about continuing the legacy of public access and education bequeathed by John Passmore Edwards in 1898.
Why did you personally embark on this project?
Acton has very little arts provision – no purpose-built theatre, cinema, concert hall or dedicated gig venue, so Actonians have to make do with what spaces they can find or go elsewhere. There’ll be a fantastic new pool and gym complex as part of the Town Hall redevelopment (as well as the new library) and the Crossrail will be stopping at Acton Main Line, so it’s exactly the right time to create an arts centre. The success of the W3 Gallery on the High Street has been a great catalyst.
Three reasons why an Arts Centre would add value to the local area?
Lots of opportunity to experience – and create – great theatre, film, music and other art forms, underpinned by workshops and educational experiences that involve every part of the local community.
By bringing more people in to Acton from other parts of London (and further afield), the Arts Centre could help to kick-start the regeneration of the High Street by attracting other new, vibrant businesses and increasing opportunities for local employment.
The arts are a bit of a tricky subject in our ‘Age of Austerity’, given that their effect can be hard to quantify. The truth is, artistic expression of all types is incredibly important for the health and wellbeing of society – they entertain us, challenge our perceptions, take us away from ourselves and enable us reflect on how we ‘behave’ and why – without people feeling that they’re being dictated to.
What challenges have you faced?
In the short time we’ve been running the project, there’s been a huge groundswell of support both locally and from further afield, so that’s been really exciting. The biggest challenge we’re going to face is raising the necessary funds to secure the building, convert it and drive the first year’s operation. We’re also likely to be up against developers who either want to turn the building into flats, retail space or both.
How can local residents get involved?
Anyone who cares about the arts, whether from Acton, Chiswick, Ealing or further afield – please do support the project to turn the Old Library in Acton High Street into an Arts Centre by:
‘Liking’ the Facebook page;
Completing the super-short 30-second survey
We also want to hear from people with expertise in fundraising, planning and construction – they may well be able to assist us in producing the best possible proposal. Thank you.
What is your vision for this project five years from now?
In 2018, you’ll be able to ‘follow the yellow brick road’ through a dynamic, vibrant Acton High Street to a building where you can see great theatre, catch an independent or mainstream movie in rep, see a fantastic gig or concert, eat well and either learn a new skill or hone an existing one. It’ll be a well-loved ‘Exchange’ – a place for locals and visitors from further afield to meet and greet, develop ideas and explore what it means to be human, as well as being held up as a beacon for an arts-based business model that can work with little – if any – public subsidy.
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