Sat. Apr 20th, 2024

About Us

The Petri Dish

Art, Educational and Cultural Community Centre

Who we are, what we do and why?

When we started in 2018 we knew already that one day…

…we will create a place where

we can nurture body, mind and spirit
You are able to recharge yourself with new experience and knowledge, with meaningful conversations, and excellent food
the main drive is love and respect, curiosity, openness, inclusiveness, willing for change
people listen with attention
face to face & analogue is the new era

ART

As conscious entities, art is wired into us as a basic need. Art is engaging from a very early age of the children. Everything is artistic around us. Architecture, furnitures, advertisements, clothing, music, literature, any design. We immersed into art from day one of our life. We feel bored, sad and completely useless without art. I challenge You to find one thing is not related to art in some form.

How do we know art is essential? When the functionality doesn’t require art what so ever but it is still there:

When You call HMRC they put You on hold for an hour or two but You get some music for entertainment make the waiting time bearable.

Design of industrial machinery have some artistic element

We humans looking for aesthetics in everything. If can’t find it then we create or add aesthetics to that thing.

At The Petri Dish we provide the space and nurturing environment for any form of art to thrive.

EDUCATION

School curriculum and class room with writing desk?

Nope! None of that.

Starts with the curiosity, from day one of our life (again). We learn at every (wrong or good) step of our life, from each other about anything and everything.

At The Petri Dish we encourage everyone to open up and learn from or teach others. A friendly discussion, an enlightening speech, an organized training session, an interesting panel meeting.

We can learn anything what we find interesting or joyful and it’s makes us enthusiastic to dive deeper.

At The Petri Dish we can learn more about art, science, food, lifestyle and most importantly ourselves.

CULTURE
The sum total of the material and spiritual values created by mankind, an area of sophistication or its manifestation among people in an epoch. In contrast to civilization, which means technological development, spiritual goods and literacy. Interconnectedness between social groups of various interests and background.

COMMUNITY

Inviting the entire local community for direct interaction to be part as a volunteer or guest/user of our services (i.e. Foodbank, The Lighthouse Night Centre, Repair Cafe) enjoy club activities, exhibitions

The Petri Dish positions itself to grow local culture. It serves as a catalyst for collaboratively, ethically and innovatively. We reinvent the idea of a community centre to become something more; an arts, education and cultural centre to inspire local people, businesses and interests; addressing the needs of today, TOGETHER.

That’s why we are here…

“Art and Culture on the High street”

“Everybody deserves the best quality equally”

Why does The Petri Dish exist?

For equality, diversity, openness, inclusivity, quality.. To be supportive, welcoming, caring, respectful, conscious, sustainable, analogue, guardian of heritage and basic human values

– to serve reliable high quality culture for everyone interested, in Buckinghamshire and beyond (all age-group) The main principle is “Quality over Quantity”.
– to provide opportunity for hidden gems to shine, via stage experience for young musicians, encourage artists of any artform whose lacking confidence, offer exhibition for those who can not afford elsewhere
– to nurture the mind through interesting talks, compelling poetry, thoughtful discussions, enlightening education
– to nourish the body with the highest possible quality, most inclusive and sustainable food we can offer in our cafe
– to improve health and well being of the population
– to engender new social interactions between people in an analogue way through numerous different program
– to strengthen the community with bridging between different cultural and social groups (education) through joyful experiences our community will be open to new ideas and different people
– encouraging, supporting the youth to find and cultivate their talent
– to support and educate mental and physical health through workshops and group meetings
– to represent the voiceless
– to teach how to live planet conscious way – showroom from recycled, refurbished used furnitures, materials (be sustainable)
– to teach how to be human friendly, accepting, approachable.
– to cooperate with other organisations to achieve the common aims
and so much more we plan to offer – through cultural and educational events enhancing our quality of life, support mental health

The Petri Dish is the place where you can feel when you leave You are better than You have arrived, where You are able to charge up with energy, with new experience, with new knowledge, with meaningful conversations, where something good added.

The place where the main powers are love and respect.

The Petri Dish like a time trap vanishes everything from the outer world, You live in the very present and after a while just surprised what happened to Your wristwatch. We heard it many times and it`s heartwarming, because this is our sign we are on track! 🙂

Cultivate an innovative and safe environment for art, educational, cultural events to flourish, empowering the public, schools, and disadvantaged groups (in Buckinghamshire) to be positive agents of change. Through promoting collaboration between different people and groups from “all walks of life” and diverse cultures we: promote understanding, empathy and celebrate our differences to be part of a shared sense of belonging in the local community.

The Petri Dish offer high quality entertainment on various field of Culture for more age groups. Our aim is store the cultural heritage for the next generations via their own positive experiences. Our bounden duty to introduce for the youngest generation those cultural values where they feel not understandable or digestible. The Petri Dish works on that way how they find the connection and get nice memories and they will be able to understand and love some branch of the art that get closer to the extinction.

Use the The Petri Dish: Art, Educational and Cultural Community Centre as a hub for training and other community engagement opportunities, in particular through (but not limited to) arts and culture, (musical, performing arts, literature etc.) improving mental health and well being and supporting of locally disadvantaged groups.

Provide an enabling environment for the youth, marginalised groups, to come together to collaborate and improve their social skills and mental wellbeing and to provide ancillary training based on team-building of individuals and group development.

Cultivate Buckinghamshire creative and cultural arts, in such a way as to inspire the community, and engage arts and cultural opportunities for the benefit of the local community and environment.

In addition to anything else which The Petri Dish: Art, Educational and Cultural Community Centre reasonably considers is the benefit of the community.

Provide culture on the High street – in many meanings

Nurture mind and body equally

I entered here and I couldn`t believe I was still in Aylesbury.

I thought it was only in Oxford and Cambridge that such places existed.

The Petri Dish is a safe place for a nightout even alone. Great atmosphere, lovely people, a huge family together.

I loved that having a cup of tea became an occasion….

Fantastic night…….. The Petri Dish Family is working really hard to host evenings of quality entertainment. Please support local music venues or we risk losing them.
The band were excellent performers & really approachable during the intervals & after the show ended……..I even got up for a boogie !!!

Are animals welcomed in The Petri Dish?

We want to keep low every allergens in the building, that`s why only guide dogs allowed inside,

BUT

we welcome dogs (and of course cats, reptiles, bees, spiders and most of the creatures mentioned in the large collection of “Brehm’s Life of Animals” etc.) on or around our deck at our rear entrance.

All those guests who are in the building with their guide dogs GENTLE REMINDER:

Only the ground floor available for them in the property.

Please make sure your dog stay on the floor – do not let them up to the furniture.

Please do not give them drink or food in the building.

At the rear entrance we always offer fresh water in a bowl.