Newent’s creativity and community spririt have stepped into the spotlight — and now we have the chance to turn that energy into a shared place for everyone.

Newent is full of creativity — and over the past year, that story has really come into focus.

Following a report commissioned by Forest of Dean District Council and written by Flying Geese, Newent’s arts, culture and creativity scene has been brought into the limelight, celebrating what already exists and highlighting what could come next.

Building on that momentum, Create Newent carried out a town centre survey, and one message came through strongly: residents want an arts centre in Newent — a welcoming place where people can take part, learn, make, meet, perform and feel proud of their town.

Since then, behind the scenes, Create Newent has been working hard to explore what might be possible: where an arts centre could be located, what it could include, and what it might look like if funding can be secured.

This project is rooted in a simple idea: if Newent is going to have a new arts centre, it should be shaped by the people who live here.

What happens next
That’s why the next stage is all about community consultation and co-design. We’ll be inviting residents, local groups, schools, businesses, artists, and partners to help answer key questions like:
 What change do we want an arts centre to make for Newent?
 Why does Newent need it — and who should it be for?
 What should happen there day to day?
 What would make it truly “Newent” and distinctive?
 How can it be run sustainably, long-term?
We want to hear your views

Very soon, we’ll be launching a programme of public consultation designed to be inclusive, practical and enjoyable — meeting people where they are, and making it easy to take part.

You’ll be able to share your views through a mix of:
 Online and paper surveys
 Creative pop-up activities in community spaces
 Conversations with local groups and under-represented voices
 Workshops with partners, stakeholders and the project steering group
We’ll share details on how to get involved very shortly.

What do we want to achieve?
All of the ideas, feedback and evidence gathered through consultation will be used to create a clear, funder-ready plan.

The consultation will lead to:

 A fully tested concept for a community arts centre in Newent
 A clear vision for what it will do, who it will serve, and how it will work
 A practical model for activity, partnerships, governance and sustainability
 A strong foundation for the next stage of development and funding

Stay involved
This is an exciting moment for Newent. There is real ambition, and we want to create something that’s welcoming, inspiring and genuinely community-owned.

Keep an eye out for consultation dates and ways to take part, we can’t wait to hear your ideas.