Hi! We’re Severn Arts and over the last year we have used Arch 27 for a variety of different projects. The bright open space is extremely versatile and has allowed us to facilitate concerts, music workshops and even the making of carnival floats!
Archestra
Arch 27 was integral to the delivery (and naming!) of our Archestra sessions. The Archestra is an experimental orchestra experience that allows young musicians to try out new sounds and ideas.
The orchestra played with rhythms, scales and dynamics to create a unique piece. Holding this experience at the Arch gave the young musicians a new space, outside of school to experiment and make a lot of noise!
Learn to Play – Trying Instruments
We were thrilled to take part in the UK charity Music for All’s ‘Learn to Play’ Event, the largest free music-making weekend of the year and use Arch 27 as the venue. On Saturday 12 October, young people were able to try wide range of instruments, all available for free, including the cello, clarinet, cornet, trombone, ukulele, music tech, and violin.
The event was particularly focused on overcoming barriers in access to music education, which has become a growing concern in recent years, especially for young people. The Arch provided the perfect space for this event.
Pitch Up
Arch 27 is the regular venue for our yearly two-week creative arts programme, Pitch Up. Pitch Up is designed to give students at Heart of Worcestershire College real-world experience of the artistic commissioning process. Aimed at supporting young creatives as they transition from education to professional practice, the programme provides hands-on opportunities to develop and showcase their creative ideas and pitching skills.
Eleven students took part in the 2025 programme, working collaboratively in small groups to create original artworks exploring the question “Why Creativity?” Each group presented their proposal to a panel of judges, receiving valuable feedback and being awarded a materials budget based on the strength of their pitch.
The programme ended with a public exhibition at Arch 27. The exhibition showcased the final works created by the students, ranging from large scale paintings, photography and video production to mixed-media projects and interactive installations. For many, it was their first time exhibiting in a professional setting!
Young Producers at the Severn Arts Summer Festival
From March to June 2025, Severn Arts ran a new project focused on incorporating youth voice into the organisation. The scheme gave a group of young people aged 13-17 the chance to design and host an event at Arch 27 as part of the Severn Arts Summer Festival.
The Young Producer’s final event ‘Creating a Sustainable Tomorrow’ showcased their ideas for creating a sustainable future. They aimed to foster joy and sustainability in the arts, and the event combined a craft station, an up-cycling fashion workshop, live music and an art exhibition.
Arch 27 was brilliant for this multi-faceted event, the young people even made use of the outside space, setting up a mini stage and audience for music performances.
Worcester Carnival 2025
Arch 27 provided the perfect space to put together floats for the Worcestershire Carnival. Three artists worked with schools to design pedal-powered floats for the 2025 Worcester Carnival on the theme Myths and Legends and came together in the arch to make these designs a reality. The floats were paraded through Worcester in a fabulous display.
