Bright Culture was commissioned in 2017 to lead on Activity Planning, Interpretation and Audience Consultation for New Unity’s successful Round Two NLHF application.
The Project seeks to raise awareness of the ever relevant Mary Wollstonecraft and the other 18th century dissenters of Newington Green, their work and ideas, and their continuing significance in the 21st century.
New Unity describes itself as a radically inclusive, non-religious church. This project is an exciting opportunity to explore its heritage and how its work today has grown from its roots in the 18th century. Over the course of nine months, Bright Culture Consultants, and Associate, Taissa Csaky, consulted with partners and audiences, evaluated a series of pilot events and worked with the team at New Unity to develop and write comprehensive Activity and Interpretation Plans for the project.
The project will open up Newington Green Unitarian Chapel to visitors, telling the story of the dissenters and the history of the chapel and local community since then. The activity programme will offer many opportunities to learn about the history of Newington Green and the people who worshipped there, but also to explore the theme of dissent – challenging the status quo – and what this means in the 21st century through volunteering opportunities and a diverse range of events.
A school and young people’s program runs throughout the project with three annual school weeks and an annual competition, inviting young people to explore the theme of dissent through creative media.
New Unity submitted their application to NLHF in March 2018, and we are delighted that they have been successful in their application for funding and were awarded £1.73m to save the Newington Green Meeting House and return it to its original purpose as a place for community, people and ideas.
