Creative Exchange

A project which aims to help develop talent, skills and ideas among the creative community in Bedfordshire.

Artists & Associates

Our Creative Exchange programme is devised to support local creatives by nurturing talent, developing skills and ideas through advice, mentorship and partnership.

Get networking!

Creative Exchange offers a series of informal networking events in Bedford Borough, which provides a platform for local freelance creatives to network with cultural organisations and each other to discuss shared ambitions and forge connections. Ultimately it aims to support the development of a strong cultural sector locally, by providing regular opportunities for creatives at all career stages and across all disciplines to cross-collaborate.

Working with Bedford Prison

We programmed two Creative Exchange sessions exploring opportunities for creatives to work with prisoners in Bedford and to find out more about the benefits and challenges associated with creative work in a prison.

The initial workshop event on 26th May 2026 was at HMP Bedford and open to local creatives keen to learn more about the prison. Staff from HMP Bedford explained what life is like in this town centre prison and offered their perspective on how creativity and art might support rehabilitation objectives. Creatives had a chance to see inside the prison and ask questions about working in this context.

The follow-up ‘response’ session was held on 25th June. We explored ideas for creative projects in collaboration with Bedford prison.

For more details, read our news article here.

Working in partnership with HMP Bedford.