Christmas is the only time of year when you can sit in front of a fake tree and eat chocolate out of socks.
But if that’s not your thing, we’ve got plenty of other things coming up to look forward to…
David Glass Ensemble Workshops
We’re delighted to be working with the David Glass Ensemble to offer two days of workshops as an introduction to the International Lost Child Project framework, methodology and context. Led by David Glass himself, this training programme will launch plans to develop a potential future project in Somerset in partnership with Take Art.
There are just a few places left for the workshops, which will take place 10am-5pm on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th December, at The Princess Theatre & Arts Centre, Burnham-on-Sea.
For further details and booking information can be found here.
Theatre-makers networking
It was lovely to see everyone who came to the event in November in Langport. It was good to catch up on everyone’s news, especially as we hadn’t met for a while. We’ll aim to organise a similar event in the spring.
In the meantime, among the many topics of conversation, we chatted about revisiting the idea of exploring some form of shared storage resource for set, props, costume etc. Perhaps a way forward might be to set up a small task group to explore the idea further? If you’re interested in being part of this and/or have any further ideas, then let us know via theatre@takeart.org and we’ll try and co-ordinate something.
In other news, we’re delighted to be running another Word/Play programme for people with learning disabilities and autism, in partnership with The Hub in Yeovil. Thanks to support from The National Lottery Community Fund, the workshops will start in the new year.
The theatre team also produces the Cultivate programme. Do check out that newsletter as well, particularly if you’d like a heads up on some of the things in the pipeline for next year.
News from around the County
Somerset Youth Theatre will be calling out to Somerset-based artists from Dec/Jan using the SYT commissioning model, led by SYT companies in Langport, Taunton & Highbridge. The young people are currently in R&D stage of work, working from the stimulus of 'Shoes'. They will be taking stock in the winter deciding what art form they need to move their pieces forward.
From there, SYT will place a callout to Somerset based Artists in all art forms. They are keen to hear from artists who would like to collaborate with young people and delivery artists of SYT on a project basis.
SYT’s target is always 50% harder to reach young people. They are passionate and driven in making the arts accessible for all and taking the young people's work into their communities and out to new audiences.
If this sounds up your street: please do get in touch: somersetyouththeatre@gmail.com or selina@somersetyt.com
The Lady Garden (Selina Keedwell, Jessicca Cunnigham, Tomasin Cuthbert Menes) has received funding to carry out work in Sedgemoor and Somerset communities on A Discoverie of Sumorsaete Herstory, which is very exciting! They will be delivering workshops in writing, harmony singing and crankie-making in Cheddar, Axbridge and the Polden Hills, collecting rural stories and looking at past accounts of accusations of Witchcraft, why these came about and the parallels that still exist today.
They are keen to spread the word, connect with other Artists and begin to gather an understanding of how we might move this to the next stage of show development. For more info, or to share ideas and experiences, please email: theladygardenlife@gmail.com
Fresh Fiction is a night devoted to new original short stories, read by writers, at the David Hall, South Petherton. Stories are chosen by a team to create a night to entertain, delight and thrill.
If you’d like to take part please see the submission guidelines here.
The next two events are on Sundays 11 December and 19 February. More details at thedavidhall.com.
As ever, if, as a Somerset-based theatre-maker you would like some advice, guidance or support, you can contact Mark, Katy or Ruth via the same email address and we’ll do our best to help.
Next Newsletter
As you’ve see above, we can occasionally promote other events and opportunities. So, if you have something that you’d like to be included in the next mail-out, please fill in this link with full details by 10 January, 2023.
We wish you a bubbly, white Christmas (and when you run out of white, crack open a bottle of red)!
Mark, Katy and Ruth
The Take Art Theatre team