The person who remembers.
A long-serving worker, neighbour, carer, grower, shopkeeper, volunteer or resident who has watched a place change.
Common Ground / early-interest referral
Don’t just post it.
Pass it to one person.
Think of one adult in Fenland District who has a distinctive memory, point of view, working life, piece of local knowledge or simply a way of seeing the place that other people might miss. Early interest is open now; formal participant recruitment is planned for 9 November to 11 December 2026.
Places16 free places
Eligibility18+ / Fenland District
SupportTravel, food and kit covered
NowEarly interest open
Who comes to mind?
Not only the people who already call themselves creative.
Common Ground is interested in lived knowledge. The strongest referral may be somebody who would never respond to a conventional arts call-out but has something real to say about where they live.
The person who notices.
Someone with a distinctive view of access, belonging, migration, work, family, landscape, language or everyday Fenland life.
The person people ask.
Someone who knows a local story, skill, route, tradition, object, community or corner of Fenland that deserves more space.
Sixteen people will get the funded core programme. Around that core, optional creative opportunities and practical support are being developed. Public pages only name those offers when they are confirmed and appropriate to publish, and they never determine who belongs in the room.
Ready-made invitations
Personal beats broadcast.
Choose the version that feels natural, add your own voice if you want, and send it directly to the person you have in mind.
WhatsApp / text
Copy + adaptI thought of you when I saw Common Ground. It is a free digital storytelling programme for 16 adults aged 18+ with Fenland roots or a real connection to Fenland: four creative workshops, one-to-one help, kit if you need it, reasonable travel costs covered and food on the in-person days. You do not need a portfolio or to call yourself creative. Early interest is open now; formal participant recruitment is planned for 9 November to 11 December 2026. The first step is just your name and email: https://commongroundfenland.org/take-part?src=community-referral#raise-your-hand
Short email
Copy + adaptSubject: I thought Common Ground might suit you I saw Common Ground and thought of you. It is a free supported digital storytelling programme for 16 adults aged 18+ with Fenland roots or a real connection to Fenland. You get four creative workshops, one-to-one creative support, equipment if you need it, reasonable travel costs covered and food on in-person days. You finish with a real piece of work, and you decide whether it is ever shared. Early interest is open now. Formal participant recruitment is planned for 9 November to 11 December 2026. No polished idea, portfolio or advanced digital skills needed. If you are curious, the first step is intentionally light: https://commongroundfenland.org/take-part?src=community-referral#raise-your-hand No pressure at all. I just did not want you to miss it.
Community notice / newsletter
Copy + adaptCOMMON GROUND — 16 FREE PLACES For adults aged 18+ living in Fenland District. Four creative workshops, one-to-one creative support, equipment provided if needed, reasonable travel costs covered and food on in-person days. A memory, working life, place you know, point of view or something you have noticed can be enough to begin. No portfolio or advanced digital skills needed. Early interest is open now. Formal participant recruitment is planned for 9 November to 11 December 2026. The first step is just your name and email: https://commongroundfenland.org/take-part?src=community-referral#raise-your-hand
30-second invitation
Copy + adaptI saw something called Common Ground and thought of you. It is for adults in Fenland District who might have a story, memory or way of seeing the place that deserves space. You do not need to be an artist. There are 16 free places, travel is covered and there is food on the workshop days. Early interest is open now, and the first step is only your name and email. Want me to send you the link?
Print / noticeboard card
Someone in Fenland has a story worth making space for.
Common Ground is a free Digital Storytelling Lab for 16 adults aged 18+ living in Fenland District. Early interest is open now. Formal participant recruitment is planned for 9 November to 11 December 2026. No portfolio, advanced digital skills or finished idea required.
Help someone startSupport them.
Support them.
Don’t take over.
The early-interest step is deliberately small. A person can begin with their own name and email and receive the next steps privately. The fuller formal application sits later in the recruitment process.
- You can sit beside someone, read the page with them or help explain what the programme is.
- They should remain in control of their own email account, details and answers.
- Do not send sensitive personal information about somebody to Common Ground without their knowledge and consent.
- If they are unsure whether their address is inside Fenland District, they can still raise their hand and clarify eligibility before full submission.
A referral is not a nomination or a guarantee of a place.
Selection remains separate and fair. Referrers do not gain influence over who is selected.
