Multidisciplinary Arts And Music Projects in Cumbria
Talking objects at Tullie House
As part of the British Museum's Talking Objects programme, we worked in partnership with Whirlpool Theatre Company to run a 4-day residency with young people at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery. With the help of the museum's curator, the young people studied and explored a celtic artifact. They then furthered their learning through the creation of large painted hangings, clay models, carvings, song and theatre.
For the second year running, we took the theatre costumes down to Seascale for their outdoor open day for young people. The activity, 'postcards from Seascale', involved trying on costumes and having your photo taken! A ready-made postcard with the lovely vista of Seascale as a backdrop.
In July we worked in Jericho school with year 5s to design and create two brand new banners for the forthcoming parade. The children also practiced the specially created mining song, originally written by Russell Burbush inspired by the ideas of Whitehaven school children. Both endeavours went down a storm at the Whitehaven Carnival, of which Jericho School's mining procession was a part. They won first prize in the schools category!
As part of a county-wide scheme, New Arts North in partnerhship with Prism Arts (see www.prismarts.org.uk) will be launching a new programme of sessions for mental health and wellbeing. They will be taking place in suitable venues in Allerdale, Copeland, Eden and Carlisle.
A nine-week Creative Partnerships artists residency project delivered by New Arts North. This project took place in Carlisle across 4 primary schools. It aimed to address cultural difference and global identity through treasured objects and keepsakes. Using the children's ideas facilitated through visual art/ animation, contemporary dance and music, a world of narrative, difference and appreciation was created. New Arts North provded the visual art and music elements of the project, and Tina Ewing and Vicki Maxfield from Whirlpool Theatre Company provided the dance and physical theatre facilitation. The schools provided fantastic resources and support.
Working with the schools, community groups and local residents over two weeks, 300 lanterns, and six large sculptures were constructed for the Cleator Moor lantern parade. The theme was Haloween, with plenty of bats, witches, ghosts, spiders and cats being made.
