I had tears in my eyes at the end of the film. It made me appreciate the beautiful places in the city. I haven't stopped telling people how brilliant it is.
 
The time I spent on SPACES was incredibly formative for me not only creatively, but also personally. It was an amazing experience and one that gave me so much for the future and I’m very happy I had a chance to be part of a group of amazing people who deeply care about the art they do.
 
Being part of the SPACES project has added an extra dimension to my writing. It has made me think more about combining my poetry with music and about integrating spoken word into my practice. I found it really moving to be part of and it definitely enriched my own work.
 
I can only describe it as a 4D experience. The final result was much bigger than the sum of its parts and felt like a spiritual experience at times.
 
SPACES has made me re-evaluate the way I make music and collaborate with other musicians. My own practice has been mostly as a solitary music maker, and SPACES has really opened my eyes and ears to the possibilities of creating music in temporary crowd-sourced groups.
 
Spaces has definitely made an impact on my approach to my work as a musician. The opportunity to compose/arrange, perform and record pieces, seeing them through to completion (ideas becoming reality!) has given me the motivation to do more of this. As a result, I have re-organised my working week so that I can set aside time to write. I am intending to purchase new equipment/music software etc. to facilitate this. Spaces has opened up an audience for my work: the positive feedback I have received is a real boost to my confidence and an incentive to carry on exploring opportunities for creating new music.
 
I was profoundly moved by the project. The combination of George’s compositions, the atmospheric locations and the range of styles and collaborations involved captured the very essence of Gloucester both its historic legacy and the present ‘feel’ of the city.
 
George is a special talent and somebody people want to work with. As one of his collaborators said at the launch night “when George asks you to work on something with him, you just say yes!”
 
The unfolding of an idea become a powerful source for human connection and community music making.
 
I don’t have an artistic professional practice, I was more of an audience member, but it has affected me deeply. I like taking photos and write a blog and watching George work collaboratively while pursuing his vision has given me a fresh perspective on what it means to be creative.
 
The history becomes wrapped in a musical experience. I love the way the music mixes with the buildings, filling their space with life, sound and mystery.
 
What could have potentially risked being disjointed or chaotic was actually well-integrated and coherent.
 
I loved following the updates as each session happened and watching the ‘behind the scenes’ footage
 
The collaboration with talented local musicians, writers, film makers and singers who have a real connection with the city. It shines through in every piece in a way that it wouldn’t from someone who has no emotional connection to the city.
 
The combination of choral, classical and contemporary themes has produced something unique and potentially timeless.
 
It was a collaborative project that enabled other artists to participate at their own level or grow in their practice. All the while being gently steered by a kind and confident leader. Some people had been hesitate about taking part as they are not used to performing or lacked confidence in their talent. George has always been an enabler in that sense and such a source of genuine encouragement - many people stepped out of their comfort zone, enticed by the beautiful vibes this project gave out. I include myself in that as I sang in the scratch choir on one of the songs.
 
It deserved a much higher profile within the History Festival programme and also needs now to be utilised as a key asset in the visitor experience of Gloucester. It should be ‘grasped’ by the ‘Visit Gloucester’ team (including Marketing Gloucester) and used as a marketing tool for Gloucester, particularly towards overseas visitors. I can’t imagine anyone watching the video that accompanies the project and not wanting to come to Gloucester.
 
It’s extraordinary what George achieved in such a short space of time with so many people, all paid as professional musicians or volunteering their time to a project they were passionate about.
 
George’s creative process inspired me to think about creating music by different collaborations. It got me out of the mindset of one set group of musicians.
 
I’ve learned that Gloucester has some highly creative people. I’ve learned quite a bit about the challenges of such a project and the processes involved in creating something unique. I also learned about some of the lesser known but still beautiful buildings in Gloucester.
 
I’ve lived in Gloucester for nearly 20 years and knew nothing of the history and characters Georges music tells the story of. The story of Aetheflaed is amazing and should be in the history books shared in schools and characters like Jemmy Wood inspiring a Dickens character should be talked about more. I feel like my eyes have been opened and I walk around our City noticing more of the buildings around me and pausing to read the memorial plaques along my route.
 
The Spaces project is so accessible and I love that my 6 year old is learning about the City he lives in while we listen to music.