artsnk newsletter autumn, winter

NewsletterAutumn / Winter 2015

Inside Out: ACTion Community Theatre

Youth Dance Company residencies

Improved access at The Nettles

When in Sleaford

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North Kesteven Wellbeing Days

Aerial Fitness Classes

Ridges & Furrows Update

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ACTion Community Theatre is the lively, welcoming amateur theatre company-in-residence at The Terry O’Toole Theatre in North Hykeham. Founded in 2010, with the aim of staging high quality theatre for the community by the community, ACTion usually stages 3 productions a year, with open auditions held for each one. 2015 is ACTion’s fifth anniversary year and it has been a very busy one for the company!

In January, ACTion took to the stage with ‘The Three Musketeers; La Pantomime!’ their popular community pantomime, which played to nearly a thousand local people. For its spring family theatre production, the group was delighted to premiere a new adaptation of the classic children’s story

‘The Wolves of Willoughby Chase’ by award-winning author, Joan Aiken.

ACTion was also delighted to receive a NODA [National Operatic & Dramatic Association] nomination for ‘Best Panto’ for its 2014 production ‘Dracula the Panto!’ and honoured to be named North Kesteven District Councils’ ‘Community Champions for Arts & Culture’.

The group are currently busy rehearsing for their festive production of Charles Dicken’s classic festive ghost story ‘A Christmas Carol’, which they will be performing at Terry O’Toole Theatre from 17th December.

We spoke to Al Duncombe, Theatre Development Officer at The Terry O’Toole Theatre, who helps run the company and has written and directed many of their productions, and asked her why she feels it is important to have a community theatre group on residence at Terry O’Toole Theatre:

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artsNK Newsletter Autumn / Winter 2015

Top left: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, 2015; Bottom left: Dracula the Pantomime, 2014; Below: The Wind in the Willows, 2014.

“ACTion members are passionate about creating high quality, live theatre and sharing this with local people! The creative arts are a lovely way of bringing people together and reaching out to those who might otherwise be quite isolated due to the demands of contemporary life; it’s great to share time and create something special with other members of our community.

Membership of ACTion is open to everyone and we warmly welcome new members to come along and enjoy getting involved with the fun of staging a theatre performance, not just performing onstage, but also taking on roles behind-the-scenes: perhaps making props, designing costumes or building and painting our sets. Many of our members had no previous experience before joining us and it’s great to see their confidence develop as they learn new skills; it’s a sociable pastime, too! As well as putting-on productions, we arrange social outings, to which our family and friends are also invited. For anyone thinking about joining the group I would say don’t be afraid, come along and meet us and have a go!”

What can audiences expect from A Christmas Carol?

“We are delighted to be staging Charles Dickens’ classic festive ghost story this Christmas. In rehearsal the company have enjoyed bringing Dickens’ lively cast of characters to life, exploring the rich language of the original story and the music of the Victorian period. In addition to well- known carols, we perform several traditional Christmas songs from the Victorian period. Best of all, ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a story with a heart: crusty, penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge learns to live life to the full and to reach out to his friends and family.”

Tickets for a Christmas Carol can be purchased from the Terry O’Toole Box Office on 01522 883311, or online at www.terryotooletheatre.org.uk Early booking is recommended.

ACTion normally meet on Tuesdays and Sunday afternoons. New members are always welcome, - for more information visit www.actioncommunitytheatre.com or contact Al Duncombe [Theatre Development Officer] at the theatre office 01522 870251 / email: [email protected]

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Top: Chris Ellis as ‘Mme Gigi’ and Helen Burberry as ‘D’Artagnan’ in The Three Musketeers: La Pantomime; Below: The full cast of The Three Musketeers, 2015

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Youth Dance Company residencies


Top left: kNacKer’d working with Tom Dale Dance Company; Bottom left: redXco working with Bird Gang Dance Company; Below: Jumpstart performing on stage.

Our Youth Dance Companies had the exciting opportunity in October half term to work with professional dance artists and companies in the new dance studios at NK Centre.

redXco advanced Hip Hop Company enjoyed a residency with London based Bird Gang Dance Company. The group were lucky enough to work with the company last year and were pleased to hear that they had noticed an improvement in them since this time. As well as delivering workshops in House, Locking and Popping, Bird Gang worked with redXco on creating a 7 minute dance piece for them to enter into True Motion 2016, a county wide platform for youth dance in Lincolnshire which redXco were lucky enough to win last year.

Jumpstart, artsNK’s all male Break Dance Company learnt new B-Boying skills and techniques from the award winning AJ from Soul Mavericks. All the boys in the group were inspired by the residency and AJ left the group with lots of material and concepts to take forward in their future sessions.

“I really enjoyed the residency. I thought AJ was a great mentor for the three days he was here. He helped me when I struggled with the moves he was teaching us and showed us some new moves. I also love the piece choreographed with us and I had fun through the three days even though it was hard work.’

Reece (Jumpstart group member)

kNacKer’d Contemporary Dance group worked with Tom Dale Company from Nottingham. Tom Dale company focus on the synergy between electronic music, digital arts and dance and they recently performed as part of Frequency Festival in Lincoln. kNacKer’d enjoyed learning new choreography and technique from Tom Dale Company during their residency.

Entry to all the Youth Dance Companies is by audition only please visit the take part section of www.artsnk.org for further information and for details of young people’s dance classes.

A new pathway and interpretation board at Sleaford natural space The Nettles was officially opened at a special event in early November. The project initiated by the Nettles Volunteer Group was funded by WREN, a not for profit business which awards grants to community, environment and heritage projects across the UK from funds donated by FCC Environment to the landfill Communities Fund, Lincolnshire County Council’s Wildlife Grant and artsNK.

The event also marked the unveiling of the new interpretation board, illustrating some of the artworks and wildlife that can be found at The Nettles. The illustrations for the board were created by emerging artist and Fine Art graduate of University of Lincoln, Hannah Edwards who worked closely with members of the Nettles Volunteer Group and ourselves to create the beautifully illustrated interpretation board.

Situated alongside the river Slea near to Sleaford Leisure Centre, the Nettles

is a public nature space, maintained and enhanced by The Nettles Volunteer Group. With our support the group have introduced many plant species, created habitats for wildlife, and seating, mosaics, stone carvings and sculptures have been installed.

“The Nettles is a much loved public space and the renewal and widening of the old limestone path along with the new interpretation board will ensure improved access to the site, enabling more people to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of this distinctive place”.

Marion Sander artsNK

Also underway at the site is a new mosaic seating area designed by members of Sleaford based group MosArt, which will be completed in spring 2016 – look out for images in our next newsletter.

If you would like to discover more about The Nettles or are interested in volunteering visit the facebook page: facebook.com/NettlesVolunteerGroup

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Improved access at The Nettles


Top left: The new path at The Nettles; Top right: unveiling the new interpretation board; Bottom left: Artist Hannah Edwards officially opens the path; Below: Hannah Edwards with Nettles volunteers and members of the artsNK team.

In October artist David Mackie unveiled his final designs for the When in Sleaford town trail.

We have been working with David Mackie to develop a series of artworks situated in pavement and walls around Sleaford for this project. Over the summer David carried out research for the project, working with school pupils, local groups and residents to explore the local history

of the town and generate ideas for his designs. David has taken drawings, prints, and other imagery produced in a series of creative workshops and used these as the basis for his series of designs which explore themes of archaeology, history, geography, architecture, and natural history, as well as taking inspiration from existing artworks in the town.

‘I have very much enjoyed working with school pupils and individuals from Sleaford and the surrounding area and delving into the fascinating history of the town. I hope the input they have had into the finished designs will prove the value of their involvement and give them joy and pride in their local environment. We had some really talented budding artists working on this project – hopefully people will be able to see more of their work in an exhibition of the project. I’m looking forward to making the actual artworks now and seeing the plaques in situ next summer.’

David Mackie

The cast bronze markers will act as way-markers, mapping out pathways through and around the town and informing residents and visitors about existing public artworks. The aim is to encourage people to pause and think about the locations where they are sited, whether it be a view, an artwork or a place to visit. The trail is planned to be installed in Sleaford by summer 2016. Look out for an update on the project in our next newsletter or check www.artsnk.org for news.

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When in Sleaford


Above: Artworks produced by pupils from William Alvey School during workshops with David Mackie; Right: A selection of the final designs for the When in Sleaford markers.

artsNK was involved with a series of five Wellbeing Days which took place in villages across North Kesteven in summer/autumn 2015.

We worked with a number of other NK groups including The National Centre for Craft and Design, Vitality, NK Outreach and NK Social Strollers, as well as NK Wellbeing Service, to provide these free events which gave local people the chance to find out about arts, health and community services available in North Kesteven as well as try out activities for themselves.

People of all ages came along to the events which took place in Billinghay, Welbourn, Skellingthorpe, Waddington and Helpringham. Our dance team were at each of the events inviting people to have a go on their Aerial Hoop

and our visual arts team worked with NCCD to provide different art activities at each venue. Vitality (movement to music for over 60s) got people moving with some of their lively exercise routines and children enjoyed having a go on NK Outreach’s climbing wall and obstacle course. The partners involved are now busy planning similar events for 2016.

All events were funded through Partnership NK.

Our Aerial Fitness Classes relaunched in November in the brand new bespoke studio at NK Centre. The sessions teach ‘dance

in the air’ using silks and hoops and we are also offering a new stretch and flex class giving people the chance to try out a yoga and pilates style work out using suspended hammocks.

As well as providing a great workout which improves physical fitness, strength and flexibility the classes are great fun and a very different challenge from your average workout or fitness class!

The new sessions have already proved very popular with some great feedback from participants. We are also very excited to be offering a workshop

with Lincolnshire Aerial Champion Orissa Kelly in January.

For more information about all our dance classes and youth dance companies visit the Take Part section of www.artsnk.org

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North Kesteven Wellbeing Days 2015

Aerial Fitness Classes


© Natalie Lauren Photography

Ridges & Furrows

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Ridges & Furrows


If you would like to get in touch please contact:Nick Jones, Visual Arts Manager: 01529 411 190Elaine Knight, Performing Arts Manager: 01529 411 195

For general enquiries email: [email protected] or tel: 01529 410 595

Contact Us

General Enquiries

Ridges & Furrows, a major art project for the NK Arts Partnership (which includes artsNK, Terry O’Toole Theatre, NCCD, Design Factory and Design Nation) is moving forward into the next

phase, which will see the development in 2016 of a new walking route joining up the National Centre for Craft and Design with Whisby Natural World Centre via the Terry O’Toole Theatre and villages along the Lincoln Ridge, including Welbourn and Waddington. Following successful artist residencies in these two villages in summer 2015, we have been meeting with residents and partners to plan a programme of cultural events and arts experiences for next year that will celebrate local heritage and this special landscape.

An exhibition presenting some of the work created during this summer’s artist residencies will go on display in The Natural World Centre Café Gallery in January – March 2016.

To keep up to date with the project visit and like the facebook page: facebook.com/ridgesandfurrows

Image: Archive photo of Welbourn’s farming history, one of a selection collected by artist Lyndall Phelps during her residency in the village.

artsnk newsletter autumn, winter

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