I decided to focus on Storyhouse for this blog post because, if I’m honest, I was skeptical about it. It’s shiny cool building, it’s snazzy web design, and the buzzwords throughout the site made me nervous about how accessible and inclusive it could actually be. To be clear, those things alone don’t mean something is not accessible or inclusive, but I think some folks who have watched gentrification happen around them (as I have) start to see some of those things as warning signs and become wary.
That being said, Storyhouse is a multi-purpose group in Chester, it’s building home to a library, theater, cinema, restaurant, and open air venue. It is open for much of the day, starting at 8am until 11pm Monday through Saturday. I was really pleased to see that Storyhouse aims to keep their space free to the public. Their mission and values emphasize community interaction, change, and creativity. I tried a quick Google search to see if I could find information about what the community in Chester thought about the space. From what I read, folks in the area love it! Storyhouse has a variety of programming and functionality, which seems to me that the group hopes that even though someone might visit for one reason they might discover another reason to come back. The multi-purpose design of the building has brought revitalization to this community.
I do really like the idea of a space functioning as a community hub. I like the emphasis on story-telling as a means of connection and challenge. And I was glad my initial feelings turned out to be misled. Even though my first reactions and assumptions were based in my real experiences, this exploration reminded me to remain open-minded and to try to use my experiences to see potential for change rather than as how they always have been.
About Storyhouse. (n.d.). Storyhouse.
@diamondpatrick I am so glad you explored Storyhouse to investigate how it works! I am hoping more of these blended facilities take root in various communities – in the US too!