the second Creative Training Camp is here!
Youth Take Over at Illuminate Buxton
Catch the Best new Bands in Buxton, this Saturday 24 Feb
The line-up’s been announced of 6 incredible bands, performing ahead of Illuminate Buxton, a massive lightshow coming to Spring Gardens this Saturday, 24 February 2024.
The bands all feature young musicians aged between 10 to early 20s, who will be performing a mixture of covers and their own music. They’ll be taking to the stage from 2.30pm, at the bottom of the slopes. Each will play their own set, before coming together, for one night only, to form a new collaboration called The Echoes.
The young people involved have spent five months attending workshops on how to produce their own music. They’ve been working with High Peak Community Arts, and alongside professional musicians such as Ríoghnach Connolly, BBC Folk Singer of the Year, producer Gareth Carberry and singer-songwriter Rhiannon Stephenson from indie-pop band LONG ISLAND. The initiative has been led by the Buxton Our Street Youth Panel, a group of young people who meet regularly to discuss what opportunities they’d like to see in the town and then work to make them happen. It is funded by Historic England, with their partners the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England and is supported by High Peak Borough Council as part of Buxton’s High Street Heritage Action Zone project.
The bands performing are: Isaac Neilson, followed by Hillside Playback, The Echoes, Tall Tales, The Developers and finishing with Cheap Shades at 5.40pm. Then at 6.30pm Illuminate Buxton kicks off at the other end of Spring Gardens.
Toby, a member of The Echoes says ‘everyone involved has created songs with all their own instruments, their own ideas and everyone has their own unique role in the project’. When asked what to expect, he explained ‘there’s some big band, blues, hip hop, R&B-ish music, a variety of different sounds and feelings. But the tracks all fit around a similar theme of overcoming obstacles and understanding yourself. Those were the kind of things we all had in common, and when we started writing about them, we felt they actually holds good life lessons for people of various ages.’ Another member, Hannah, who’s 14, explained why she got involved ‘I thought it sounded really interesting to work with people of a similar age to me to create music. It’s been really nice getting to know all these people that live around me.’ She says it’s been a positive experience ‘I’ve gained more confidence around people my age and I like creating music with other people because I know that they’ll support me and I can support them in that way.’ Toby agrees, saying ‘There’s a lot of creative freedom… because it’s just people around our age with similar interests and it’s really easy to just work with everyone and create something.’
Illuminate Buxton promises to be a night to remember, with original works made in Derbyshire – from the young bands who’ll be performing, to the stunning light show later in the evening. Toby urges everyone to get down to the town centre from 2.30pm, saying ‘it’s free live music, it’s original, and there’s various new young rising bands involved” and Hannah adds ‘it’s just an experience for local people to come together to see how much talent our town has, and the different ways people can get involved in things.’
Hidden Depths revealed!
On 21st August 2024 we performed to two sell-out audiences and got some amazing feedback. We also raised over £800 on the Film Cuts Club crowdfunder!
A massive congratulations on a fantastic show to all the 33 young people and 5 young volunteers who performed or supported backstage in #HiddenDepths (and the 7 who were filmed or recorded in summer school, but on holiday for the performance day) – And to the lead artists and support team who made it all happen!
The pictures and video show what a great time was had by all – and we got some brilliant audience feedback for the Jellyfish Jiggles; the Groovy Crabs; the fight between good and evil and professional performances by our brilliant High Peak young people!
Here’s what it looked like:
HiddenDepths20230821_3587
2023 Creative Camp
Our Easter Creative Camp is open now for bookings.
As we are funded by the Holiday Activity & Food fund, we are prioritising bookings from young people in receipt of Free School Meals or with additional needs, so please do book on, but if you don’t meet these criteria we will email you to say you are on a waiting list.
Your booking will be confirmed no later than the first day of the Easter holidays – 3rd April.
Click here to book via Coordinate Sport. This is a new booking system – if you have any difficulty please email sophie@highpeakarts.org to book direct.
The 4 days of creative activities launch our 2023 season of out-of-school activity for children and young people aged 8+, this year the theme is Under the Ocean. Ideas produced at Easter will be part of the Summer School in August.
The plan for Easter is:
Day 1 – Tuesday 11th April
High Peak Under the Sea with Gordon MacLellan.
Help us build an immersive underwater world in RR (Real Reality).
Day 2 – Wednesday 12th April
Song writing & Music with Gareth & Lucy
Day 3 – Thursday 13th April
Stories & Characters with Lucy & Benn
Day 4 – Friday 14th April
Recording & filming with Mark & Benn
Time & Location
Sessions are 10.30am – 3pm at Buxton Community School 6th Form block, College Road, SK17 9AE
Food
You can book our healthy packed lunch, or bring your own – part of the booking process.
Film Cuts Club
Saturdays, from 11.30-3.30, from now through til July!
Things to do Feb Half Term onwards
Here are some tips to have a little creative fun over half term and later.
If you are doing an Arts Award at Bronze, Silver or Gold go to an event or performance and it will go towards your award – I’ve labelled these ARTS AWARD. Try to get into a quiet space where you can hear and see properly. Maybe use headphones. Popcorn? Maybe not.
I’ve also divided everything into age group interests.
Young families (early years)
Z-Arts in Manchester have a busy half term programme of children’s theatre & activities:
https://www.z-arts.org/see-whats-on/?category=childrens-shows&dm_i=4V00,GKDT,10ISZL,1YIHE,1#whats-on
Unicorn Theatre, London for online show (‘digital theatre’):
https://www.unicorntheatre.com/whatson
Children / young teens (or young at heart)
When ANYTIME (50 mins long)
Cost FREE
Who London Symphony Orchestra
Title Space! But not as we know it
Description ARTS AWARD
Billed as age 7 – 12 (but I think it sounds good, and I’m 45)
Find out what happens when an orchestra has to keep its distance!
Rachel Leach explores the separation of sounds, how music travels around an orchestra and what you can hear between the notes.
Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=814XZU32bRo&list=RD814XZU32bRo&start_radio=1&t=0
When ANYTIME
Cost FREE
Who Home Mcr / Oldham Coliseum
Title Poetry Health Service
Description ARTS AWARD
It’s a web app, asks you questions and then prescribes you a poem to hear and keep and you can write a haiku in response. Lovely.
Link
When Friday 19th February 12.30pm (45 mins)
Cost FREE
Who London Symphony Orchestra
Title Friday Lunchtime Concert
Description ARTS AWARD
Orchestral music – live-streamed
Link
https://lso.co.uk/whats-on/icalrepeat.detail/2021/02/19/1901/-/free-friday-lunchtime-concert.html
When Thursday 18th Feb, 10.30am
Cost FREE (booking required)
Who Buxton Opera House
Title Intro to puppet making and puppetry
Description
Introduction to puppetry and puppet making, a hands-on session starting by looking at a variety of basic paper puppetry techniques and styles. It’s a practical workshop, so you will need to prep some basic materials beforehand.
Link
https://buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/event/sam-wilde-workshop
When From 12th – 21st Feb – Various events, mostly evenings
Cost FREE
Who Northumberland National Park
Title Dark Sky Festival
Description
Various events including Astrophotography for beginners, Stories of the Skies, Escape Velocity (about using a mobile phone to photograph the night sky)
Link
https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on/
When ANYTIME
Cost FREE
Who Chester Zoo
Title Virtual Zoo Days
Description
Meet the animals!
Link
https://www.chesterzoo.org/virtual-zoo-2/
When ANYTIME, various
Cost FREE
Who Zooniverse
Title Citizen Science projects
Description
The Zooniverse enables everyone to take part in real cutting edge research in many fields across the sciences, humanities, and more. The Zooniverse creates opportunities for you to unlock answers and contribute to real discoveries.
Link
When ANYTIME
Cost FREE
Who Explore Buxton
Title Capturing a Moment
Description
Do your own stories and drawings to contribute to a outdoor projection show. Deadline 28th February.
Link
When ANYTIME until 21st February
Cost £2.50 or pay what you feel
Who Cambridge Junction
Title The Snow Queen
Description ARTS AWARD
Drama performance – brand new family adventure straight into your living room!
Join Gerda on her quest to save her best friend Kaj from the Snow Queen in the frozen north.
From the makers of Snow White and Beauty & the Beast, a special online adventure featuring music, storytelling, action and animation.
Featuring a broken mirror, wild woods, a Mongolian yurt, helpful crows and a reindeer or two!
Get involved and play along with the film using the accompanying downloadable activity pack.
Suitable for ages: 5+
Link
https://www.junction.co.uk/the-snow-queen
When ANYTIME
Cost FREE, suggested donation £2
Who Little Angel Theatre, London
Title The Girl and The Raven
Description ARTS AWARD
Age 6+. A short adaptation of the Icelandic folk legend of The Girl and The Raven. The story is based on events surrounding a huge landslide in Vatnsdalur, Iceland in 1545, laying waste to the farm of Skíðastaðir. Thirteen people died, but tradition says that one girl survived in an extraordinary manner…
Link
https://littleangeltheatre.com/online-shows-and-activities/watch/the-girl-and-the-raven/
When Monday 15th, Wednesday 17th, Friday 19th February, 11am, 1 hour
Cost FREE
Who Kindred Drama
Title Introduction to singing.
Description
Workshops with warm-ups and exercises. Free.
Link
When Thursday 18th Feb 2pm
Cost FREE (booking required)
Who Showtown: Russ Brown
Title Magic Workshop
Description
Suitable for age 5+. Award winning magician Russ Brown is your host as he teaches you step by step how to make things transport, vanish and even float on a card’s edge!
Link
When Friday 19th Feb 11am.
Cost FREE (booking required)
Who Stamford Arts Centre
Title Children’s Creative Writing Workshop
Description
Release your imagination and find your voice, confidence and enjoyment throughout the process.
Link
In fact there is a lot of stuff on Fantastic for Families – organisations all over the country post their events and activities there.
For events (ARTS AWARD) to watch:
https://fantasticforfamilies.com/online-events
For activities to do:
https://fantasticforfamilies.com/home-activities
Also much recommended this Youtube Art Club, from Olaf Falafel (is that his real name??)
https://www.youtube.com/user/OlafFalafel
Older teen / young adult:
When ANYTIME
Cost Various, pay as you feel, (if you are doing silver or gold Arts Award, HPCA can pay for tickets)
Who Home, Manchester
Title Homemakers Festival
Description ARTS AWARD
Homemakers is series of new commissions inviting artists to create new works at home, for an audience who are also at home. Various topics and genres, including 2 featuring sign language.
Link
https://homemcr.org/event/homemakers/
When Feb 25th (and for 7 days after, on demand)
Cost £7.50 (if you are doing silver or gold Arts Award, HPCA can pay for tickets)
Who South Bank Centre, London
Title Raven Leilani in conversation
Description ARTS AWARD
The debut novel from Raven Leilani has won plaudits across the board – hear from the author in a broadcast conversation with novelist Diana Evans.
Link
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/literature-poetry/raven-leilani-luster?eventId=864144
When March 4th (and for 7 days after, on demand)
Cost £7.50 (if you are doing silver or gold Arts Award, HPCA can pay for tickets)
Who South Bank Centre, London
Title Skin in conversation
Description ARTS AWARD
‘You’ve got to keep moving forward, keep striving for everything you want to be.’ Skin
The lead singer of rock band Skunk Anansie, solo artist, LGBTQI+ activist and all-around trailblazer launches her memoir in a broadcast event.
I’m going to this – Skin was my total hero in the 1990s.
Link
When March 19th, 7.30pm
Cost £10 (if you are doing silver or gold Arts Award, HPCA can pay for tickets)
Who South Bank Centre, London
Title London Contemporary Orchestra
Description ARTS AWARD
The innovative ensemble presents orchestral versions of new electronic masterpieces and a UK premiere.
Link
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/gigs/london-contemporary-orchestra?eventId=864197
When Various 28th March – 4th April, generally 7.30pm
Cost £7.50 (if you are doing silver or gold Arts Award, HPCA can pay for tickets)
Who South Bank Centre, London
Title Out Spoken Festival
Description ARTS AWARD
Bringing the cream of UK writing talent to you, our resident poetry and music night goes online for the very first time.
Link
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/literature-poetry/out-spoken?eventId=863518
When 1st – 7th March, anytime (35 mins long)
Cost From £7.50 (if you are doing silver or gold Arts Award, HPCA can pay for tickets)
Who Oldham Coliseum / Thickskin
Title Petrichor
Description ARTS AWARD Immersive Theatre in VR.
Welcome to Petrichor.
Thousands applied and you have been selected.
This is a new beginning, a clean slate, a second chance.
You are an important part of this machine,
And that’s all you need to think about.
Step into a new world.
“PETRICHOR is a 360-degree experience with action happening all around you. The experience can be viewed on smartphones and tablets, with or without a VR headset and you can move your device to follow the action around the space, for this reason we do not recommend you watch on a computer, laptop or smart TV. We also recommend wearing headphones as PETRICHOR uses sound to direct you where to look. This means it’s best to watch individually rather than as a group.”
Link
Sticking together!
Re-launching our youth programme through the COVID-19 emergency of 2020.
Welcome to High Peak Community Arts’ youth programme.
This is a complete re-design of how we work with young people – so we can keep connecting and supporting young people who take part in our work.
We hope this new way of connecting will be a voyage of discovery into new tools and new skills – we all need some fun right now, and there are ideas waiting to get made… by US!
Our priority is to provide for our current participants, but we are working on ways for new people to join in.
If you are new to our programmes please get in touch with Sophie directly by email: sophie@highpeakarts.org, or get someone else to email her with your contact details and she will get in touch.
Film Cuts Club Re-Launch for 2020!
Our Film Cuts Club re-launches in 2020 with new funding from the National Lottery Awards for All.
The project is our filmmaking club for young people with additional needs, run by filmmakers Mark and Benn Turton. It all started back in 2013, but we had to take a break last year to looks for more funds.
Now we are back offering a welcoming and inclusive environment for anyone with a passion for films. The group starts from age 8, and has a fantastic mix of abilities and a few older young volunteers.
The club aims to teach the full process of film making to all participants, and in the past we’ve made documentaries, dramas, comedy spoofs, animations and news shows.
Everyone takes a turn at the different roles including writing and planning, directing, camera work, acting and then editing and post-production. With an overview of how these roles work, people then specialise in an area that suits them most and they form teams where each person’s strengths support the others in the group.
More experienced and older members are encouraged to become more independent and to support new starters.
“It’s been amazing – working with everyone, working with all the people who make it work – get our heads together, make a good film and we’re just enjoying ourselves basically – I love it”
Anyone interested in joining the group should get in touch with Sophie on 01663 744516 or sophie@highpeakarts.org
This is our Youtube Playlist – click on the top right hand menu to choose a film!
Paddington World Book Day Event!
Calling all families with a love for bears and marmalade!
Our friends at Lymefield Garden Centre are doing another screening for World Book Day. This is what they have to say:
Paddington loved nothing more than his marmalade sandwiches. As it’s Real Bread Week, on Saturday 29 February from 11am, we have invited Cowburn’s Bakery to host a bread-making demo and tasting of our weekly stocked artisan breads. We will also have our own Homemade Lymefield Marmalade Tasting.
Throughout the day on 29 February, we will be hosting a children’s bookstall supporting the amazing work of Cascade Baby Bundles and at 1.30 there will be a messy workshop local artist, Frances Walker.
Then at 3:30pm on 29 February (doors open at 3pm) there’ll be a pop-up screening of Paddington the Movie in our Glass House.
Cinema tickets are on sale in the Garden Centre, (£5 each, under 3’s are free). All proceeds to High Peak Community Arts project ‘For the love of books’.
DON’T FORGET YOUR DECK CHAIRS, WARM CLOTHES & BLANKETS!
(IT GETS CHILLY IN THERE!)
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Come and join in the fun and introduce your little ones to the pleasures of reading and bringing books to life!
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