We’ve been working with Suffolk Libraries, artist Michelle Brace and residents in Brandon and Newmarket on a community project collecting the stories connected with objects that have special meaning in our lives; a special memory, a precious gift, an heirloom, something familiar.
Michelle chatted to residents, photographed their significant objects and recorded their stories. Displays have been created with local community groups to share the project with the wider community in the libraries. The photos and stories are also being shared on Instagram building a library of objects and stories for people to view and listen to online. You can also listen to these stories via SoundCloud here.
With thanks to the groups that have taken part in the project so far:
This project has been designed in collaboration with community members and Suffolk Libraries’ Let’s Get Creative project. Let’s Get Creative is a new web resource for everyone to use to find free and affordable activity across Suffolk. For more information please click here.
In October 2021, local theatre group Alternate Orbit Theatre Co. took to the stage to launch Click Therapy CIC’s second book, Surviving Lockdown.
This year, Alternate Orbit Theatre Co. (Jodie Hicks, Christopher Crowther & Glen O’Gorman) returned for two further performances at March Library and Wisbech Library.
Click Therapy CIC’s book, Surviving Lockdown, explores everyday life during the pandemic through photography and creative writing. Written by Fenland residents, supported by writer Bel Greenwood, the book contains moving, sometimes funny stories that naturally lend themselves to monologues and performance.
Following the performances, participants were invited to share their own thoughts and experiences in an after-show conversation about the effects of the pandemic.
Registering your phone number will allow the app to connect to the GPS location on your phone.
Once you’ve registered, you’ll find there is a whole worldwide library of walks to explore. Type Walking Companion: Brandon Country Park in the search bar.
Download the walk so that you can listen more easily offline (signal in Brandon Country Park can be patchy at times!)
Once the walk is on your phone you can make your way to Brandon Country Park (see the map below if you haven’t been before) with a sketchpad and pen/pencil, and get those creative juices flowing!
Step 3 – Enjoy!
Once at Brandon Country Park, look out for the trails map and ECHOES logo by the beginning of the Red Route near the Copper Beech Tea Room.
Open the Echoes App on your phone, go to Walking Companion: Brandon Country Park, plug in your headphones and as if by magic, standing next to the cafe you’ll hear Genevieve’s voice speaking directly to you.
This particular walk is designed to follow Brandon Country Park’s Red Route around the park, and will take you approximately 60-90mins depending on how involved you want to get with the creative activities.
While the audio segments and trail markers are numbered, you can do them in any order you like, and all at once or one or two each time you visit… whatever works for you!
PLEASE NOTE: The tree canopy at the park is thick in places (as it should be) and this can sometimes interfere with the GPS on your phone. You may find that the automatic version of the walk is not always functioning. So the simple solution is to downloaded the walk at home – purely as a backup. You can click on the activity when you arrive at the corresponding Walking Companion marker on the Red Route.
Brandon Country Park signage.
Don’t forget…
We really hope you’ll enjoy this new audio trail in Brandon Country Park, whether solo or with family or friends. If you enjoy the audio trail and take part in the creative side, please share your sketches, written musings or photos to the Brandon Country Park Facebook or Instagram pages, or tag CPP MarketPlace or West Suffolk Council on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram – we’d love to see them!
This first Walking Companion is a collaboration between environmental artist Genevieve Rudd and media producer David Johnson of DMJ Imagery, exploring a new user-friendly phone app called ECHOES.
With a very user-friendly app called ECHOES we think we’ve found a way for you to take a walk with an artist…
Working with artist Genevieve Rudd and media producer David Johnson (DMJ Imagery), we’ve been exploring the idea of developing a smartphone activity over the past two years.
Environmental artist, Genevieve Rudd, reached out to us in 2020 as part of our Inkling and Connect commissions. Her idea was to enable people to maintain a connection with nature and the outdoors with modern technology.
Environmental artist, Genevieve Rudd sits on a tree stump, surrounded by the lush greens of Brandon Country Park woodland.
#LetsTakeAWalk (2020), involved Gen leading a group workshop via Whatsapp between the Walk’n’Craft group, based in Mildenhall, and the Can’t Sing Choir, based in March. Gen sent prompts and creative activities which encouraged everyone to take time to look more closely, listen to and feel their surroundings and think about the landscape they were in. This enabled participants the opportunity to meet virtually and connect. You can read more about #LetsTakeAWalk here.
Three photos; one of a leafy green treetop, one of a shallow pond with green foliage around and one of the rings on a cut down tree log.
Taking key aspects of the #LetsTakeAWalk project, Gen and David developed the idea into an audio experience – using the Echoes app, which allows you to use GPS locations to prompt audio files, creating an immersive soundwalk.
With the Echoes app on your phone you can walk through Brandon Country Park with Genevieve chatting gently in your ear; inviting you to take a fresh look at the nature around you and experiment with drawing, writing and photography.
We’re pleased to have developed our first interactive Walking Companion with West Suffolk Council, who are keen to promote Brandon Country Park as a place of creativity, as well as recreation.
A photo of Gen and David taking audio clips in Brandon Country Park.
Genevieve has loved the development stage and became very attached to Brandon Country Park.
“Walking in Brandon is green, every shade, from punchy lime to pine. Brandon is also earthy. The mausoleum is deep gray and purple ivy leaf toadflax. Flint silver shards…”
This project has been very much a collaborative effort, and members of Brandon Creative Forum and Mildenhall Ladies Walking Group getting involved in testing the app and the artistic idea.
A collection of photos of members of Brandon Creative Forum trailing the guided walk with Creative Agent, Colin at Brandon Country Park.
So, ready to take a walk?
It’s very simple to take part and takes just a few minutes to get set up. Get started at home with good reliable wi-fi, and then set out to Brandon Country Park. Have fun!
Don’t forget to tag Brandon Country Park, West Suffolk Council or CPP MarketPlace on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You can also send them to us via direct message or email us at admin@marketplacearts.org.uk.
Friday 21st January 2022 was a big day for the creative writing team.
We launched the first FenScapers audio collection, to listen to on your phone or device. Enjoy either in the comfort of your home or while you take a walk in the countryside. Simply click the play button or read the transcript of the podcast here.
The launch of the podcast coincided with the FenScapers’ first live performance of their writing at the Fascinating Fens‘Fen Folks Friday’ monthly online social event.
Fen Folks Fridays are free, friendly monthly meet-ups via Zoom, featuring speakers and topics for those who enjoy meeting others who share their love of the Fens. Watch the full Fen Folk Friday video here:
We had an incredible night presenting poems, prose and even a 2-person performance which was received enthusiastically by over 25 Fascinating Fen followers.
“We weren’t really sure what to expect, but we really enjoyed it. Please thank everyone. It was great to have the FenScapers and the Fascinating Fenners/Fen Folkers together”
They are exploring ways of sharing their writing and The FenScapers podcast is their first digital audio platform in order to share with the wider community.
Created during the lockdowns the podcast was recorded their writings on phones and laptops and then Creative Agent Colin, edited and mixed them with sound effects and original music.
Barbara, one of the writers, is very happy with the final edit:
“Listening to the different voices and the music that we helped to choose – the podcast reflects what a lovely mixed bunch we are“
FenScapers lost in the glorious sunshine and wildflowers of Madeleine’s Patch during a 2021 summer easedown.
The music was commissioned by the writers from Norfolk musician, Chris Ellis. The group chose the final themes and Chris developed musical strands to be mixed and blended with the writing.
Fascinating Fens Friday was a huge success and now FenScapers are preparing to create a new live performance for local communities. To find out more contact Colin : colin@marketplacearts.org.uk
Fenland District Council approached MarketPlace to help their efforts to bring life back the High Street in March, following the pandemic.
With the aim of supporting shopkeepers and residents alike we created some fun street entertainment activity onto the High Streets of Wisbech and March.
We were delighted to be combining some professional street entertainers from London and Birmingham with our local talent to create a flurry of energy (and a few odd looks!) on the High Street.
Wow in Wisbech
How could we support the local shops to promote their businesses as the post-pandemic world opened up again? In discussions with the team at Fenland District Council it was clear that the shops needed to feel part of something and that Wisbech needed reminding that it is very fortunate to have what many towns do not – a lively array of independent shops ranging from fishing tackle and locksmiths to vinyl records and jewellery.
The shops agreed to participate, each deciding what offers they could promote. Then we brought some street entertainment to let people know there was a Wow! in Wisbech to be found.
The Bendy Balloon sisters visited the town creating smiles and laughter and telling people how marvellous they felt the town was in having their colourful shops. On their second visit to the town they were joined by a stilts walker and a folk trio from Norwich who filled Market Place with lively tunes and supported The Art Station that had arrived in town.
The Art Station is the creation of Wisbech based artist and musician Dan Donovan and was also part of the Back to the High Street project.
March Christmas Market – The Build Up
A major event in the town had not happened for 2 years. Fenland District Council wanted to support the town on a relaunch with a view to stimulating footfall for the local shops.
On Saturday 20th November, MarketPlace spent the day at March Market spreading cheer with Santa’s ‘ELF and Safety’ Team. Festive tunes were provided by Sally Rose and local artist, Marian Savill invited members of the public to add creative wishes the (now) well known denim Christmas Tree that we commissioned in 2019.
Here’s a little round up video of the day.
The Tree then spent 6 weeks in March Library where Librarians supported the activity, encouraging more people to add their wishes for the local community. Simple but effective.
We’ve loved working with Click Therapy in co-creating their second book SURVIVING LOCKDOWN. The colourful book is a powerful combination of photography and heartfelt writing about life during the lockdowns of 2020/21.
The book contains moving, sometimes funny stories and naturally lend themselves to monologues and performance.
Wisbech community members were working with Click Therapy, taking photographs that reflected their personal lives and situations during the pandemic. Talking with Jenna and Steve about the difficulties of meeting during lockdowns, we suggested trying some creative writing – a new development for them.
The writing began in a short series of lunchtime online workshops with writer Bel Greenwood acting as facilitator. Community writers shared their personal contributions, and with Belona’s support formed creative documentary pieces.
Creative Activities with toddlers
SURVIVING LOCKDOWN is an honest snapshot of people’s lives during one of the most difficult periods of recent history. How they coped. Thier fears, worries and their successes.
Founder of CLICK Therapy, Steve Hubbard said: “The creative writing aspect was new to us all, a photograph can speak a 1000 words, but a blank sheet is filled with the silent voices within you”.
Creative Agent Colin began to feel that the writing would be served well by some theatrical attention. It was lucky then that he was talking to three young people in Fenland who were beginning to explore the idea of setting up a theatre company.
AlternateOrbit Theatre
Community performers Jodie Hicks, Christopher Crowther & Glen O’Gorman met each other during their teenage years with 20Twenty Productions. They were interested in establishing a theatre company in Fenland . Colin felt their energy and age would offer some interesting adaptation to the Surviving Lockdown content.
In just 3 short rehearsals the team brought a staged rehearsed reading at The Oasis Centre in Wisbech on Friday 22nd October. It was received with great enthusiasm and thanks to a Community Connector’s links to the local Libraries the show was presented at Wisbech Library and March Library.
Many will connect with the themes of loss, isolation, mental health and community support. There is emotional content but it is suitable for a family audience (12+ yrs).
Image reads: “The Lockdown has made me aware of how selfish people can become. Selfish people were buying everything up and not thinking of the elderly and vulnerable…”
Take a look at some highlights of the show or watch the full performance at the end of the page:
Highlights from the performance at the Oasis Centre in Wisbech
Bel Greenwood – Facilitator
Belona is a former journalist and an experienced co-writer with community groups. She has been helping many groups find and develop their voice through writing and is also the lead facilitator of the Fenscapers who produce the Leaping the Landscape blog.
We have all been through so many different emotions and experiences over the last year. Isn’t it time to hope that we can move on? Here’s hoping…
Grab a cuppa and watch the full performance of SURVIVING LOCKDOWN here:
Across Summer 2021, MarketPlace teamed up with Casson and Friends to make Tiny Dance – short dance films inspired by conversations with communities in Fenland and Forest Heath. Collaborative Choreography you might say.
The dancers visited 4 market towns around Fenland and West Suffolk (Forest Heath) and chatted to residents about what they loved about where they live. They also encouraged people to collaborate on some moves – watching the dancers and helping to shape choreography.
Casson and Friends are a record-breaking dance theatre company that aims to always be accessible, interactive and joyful. The company believes in ‘people powered performance’ – dance that is co-created with the help of the public.
Tiny Dances are short dance films inspired by the shared conversations, stories and anecdotes, plus choreography ideas. Choreographer Tim and his team of dancers use the information shared to create a bespoke dance reflecting our unique rural landscape.
View the finished videos below and let us knowwhat you think.
Casson & Friends brought their dance moves to Wisbech Play Day at The Spinney Adventure Playground on Wednesday 4th August and March Market on Saturday 7th August, inspiring choreography moves with creative people in their creative places. Take a look at the final #TinyDance below and view the full album of photos here (credit Malacky Luckie).
Casson & Friends dancers performing their finished #TinyDance in Fenland for the final film. Filming day photography: Jodie Hicks.
Casson & Friends dancers spent a week focusing on Newmarket Memorial Gardens Earth Arts Festival (19th August) and Brandon Festival (21st August). Talking with local people helped them create a unique West Suffolk dance.
Escape from Fort Lagoon is an immersive ‘theatre game’ created by Wake the Beast (Adam McGuigan) and Submersion Productions (Jude Jagger). We have been an active partner in their Research & Development work since 2019. We’ve been lucky to have a group of local community members who have formed a ‘Creative Collective’ that has provided a springboard for feedback on ideas and the concept of the theatre production.
Escape from Fort Lagoon is set in the future where water is a precious commodity and is controlled by an oppressive government who restrict access to the water to the elite (a theme that surely resonates with many right now in the rollout of the pandemic).
Once the Covid19 conditions allowed, Adam and Jude invited the Collective to do some location scouting in their home towns and further afield. Towns with a nearby body of water being the main practical consideration for this piece.
The Collective members came up with different locations and devised their own maps, highlighting interesting features of their area. With local knowledge they fed ideas into many of the creative elements that will end up in the final show.
These included news reports, set design, crowd interactions and environmental issues that are highlighted within the theatre piece.
The Fort Lagoon team visited the region to gain an understanding of our area and the challenges that exist in putting on a large scale theatre event. During the few days spent in Chatteris, March, Brandon and Mildenhall, the team got to test out the mobile phone app that will act as a device for audience members to navigate the game.
They also went for a spot of wild swimming and tested the new choral parts with the Cant Sing Choir in March. Having that time to test out elements of the show was extremely valuable and having the time to explore the spaces meant that the piece can be influenced by the landscape and the people in those areas.
The team got a lot of inspiration from the décor at Johnsons of Old Hurst Tropical House near Chatteris, (marred only slightly by Jude dropping her phone into the crocodile enclosure). Residents of Mildenhall were calling out supportive comments as the gang tested swimming in their local river and Brandon’s Market Square was buzzing with activity. Many people chatting in the square wanted to know more about the project and how they could get involved.
Submersion Productions now plan to secure funding to present the piece in summer 2023 in the area and all our fingers are crossed and watch this space!
