UNION CHAPEL PROJECT
Union Chapel is renovating its Grade II* listed Sunday School Hall into an arts and heritage centre that will offer free creative engagement programmes co-created with local communities. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this initiative aims to combine culture, community, social justice, and heritage. Volunteers are sought to assist in various roles, including photography, filmmaking, and arts and crafts, with opportunities for skill development and networking. Union Chapel has a rich history of community support and hosts numerous events annually, with profits contributing to charitable work, including a café run by hospitality trainees with lived experience of homelessness.
UNION CHAPEL’S SUNDAY SCHOOL STORIES PROJECT
We’re currently renovating our Grade II* listed Sunday School Hall into as a state-of-the-art arts and heritage centre, hosting free creative engagement programmes, co-created with local communities, inspired Union Chapel’s unique heritage and archive. Supported by a range of funders including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this new space will further position Union Chapel as a unique organisation, bringing culture, community, social justice and heritage together in union.
Cross-arts activities are already underway! Volunteer with us to help shape and deliver this exciting programme. What you’ll get in return:
• A chance to work with an experienced and enthusiastic team on an exciting new programme of activities with training and support to enable you to carry out your role.
• A chance to develop new skills.
• Opportunities to meet new people.
• References for future employment and volunteer roles, on request.
CAPTURING OUR ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR CRAFT
We’re inviting filmmakers, photographers, illustrators, and other creative minds to capture the inspiring and hands-on activities and workshops in a community collaboration bringing arts & heritage together.
Here’s what our current Creative Volunteers had to say about taking part:
“Thank you so much for the opportunity. It was really great to meet everyone involved. I look forward to hearing more about the progress of the project! I got to achieve some great drawing but also getting involved in the workshop was GREAT” – Florrie Ann Thomas
“I was delighted to photograph the recent skills workshops. A really valuable programme… everyone was very accommodating and the day ran seamlessly… I left with a deep appreciation of the wide ranging scope of the organisation which has been supporting the community and disadvantaged since 1799. If you ever have chance to attend one of their many events, I’d highly recommend a closer look.” – David Peach
JOIN US: Pick your special set of skills from the volunteer roles and find information of how to submit your interest below…
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PHOTOGRAPHERS – FILM MAKERS – CONTENT CREATORS ▶
In order to keep records from our experience, we are looking for enthusiastic photographers and people with audiovisual interests/expertise. It doesn’t matter which format, your creative skills on digital/image content creation will be vital to support our workshop in keeping our memories alive.
Break down of potential skills:
• Photography.
• Filming.
• Editing.
• Graphic design.
• Sound recording.
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ARTS & CRAFTS
In order to keep records from our experience, we are looking for enthusiastic people to collaborate with their drawing and painting skills. We’d love to share your artistic creations inspired in the present moment while our team and participants hone or learn skills whilst growing communities.
Break down of potential skills:
• Drawing.
• Painting.
• Illustration.
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UPCOMING ACTIVITIES where we need Creative Volunteers to collaborate with:
– July 2025: Hidden Treasures arts & crafts sessions in mosaic, collage, improv singing, zines, and more
– Coming soon: Tour guide training
– Coming soon: Heritage food events sharing global cuisine and personal stories
– Coming soon: Your Story Festival of Social Change (2026)
Submit your interest to join a future activity with the role you’re interested in volunteering for, a brief description of your skills in action, and the activities you’d like to attend / your availability in the coming year and 2026 via email.
Feel free to attached a CV, short video or portfolio/links if you have them available. Minimum attendance to volunteer is 1 day but we welcome you to apply to attend multiple days and activities ongoing.
We’ll be in touch with shortlisted applicants via email or phone to schedule an informal chat prior to workshop attendance.
Further Union Chapel context:
Union Chapel is home to a unique multi award-winning arts venue, with a reputation for international cultural events engaging diverse audiences. For over 30 years, events have been our lifeblood, annually engaging 123,000+ visitors through 175 events.
Union Chapel is more than a venue. A Grade I listed Gothic architectural jewel and key heritage space with a rich history and archive, it is home to secular projects tackling homelessness and social justice, including empowering local communities with support, creative activities, and training and employability programmes. It is also the home to a working, progressive and inclusive church. Profits from events directly support our vital charitable work with local communities and we are a model of good practice for community engagement – epitomised by our Margins Café, run by hospitality trainees with lived experience of homelessness, serving meals both for the community drop-in service, and for audience members prior to events.
Source ⇲
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