Lively libraries dance into summer
Shropshire Council’s libraries team are celebrating a prestigious award from Arts Council England. The £26,000 grant gives the green light to a unique and innovative arts project for children and families in south Shropshire during the school summer holidays. “Lively Libraries” will develop a new creative partnership between public libraries, Arts Alive Rural Touring Scheme, four Shropshire-based artists and Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Throughout the summer four local artists – prizewinning writer for children Polly Peters, storyteller/musician Sally Tonge and creative artists Kate Johnston and Zoe Needle – will deliver a range of exciting activities for children in libraries in Bishop’s Castle, Bridgnorth and Ludlow, all linked to the Summer Reading Challenge theme of myths and legends. There will also be an opportunity to meet Shropshire’s first Young Poet Laureate Mia Cunningham.
In a fantastic new partnership, for the first time in Shropshire a dancer and musician from Birmingham Royal Ballet will take up a week-long residency, giving dance workshops in Craven Arms and Bishop’s Castle during the week Monday 28 July 2014 to Friday 1 August 2014, and culminating in a sharing performance for all 60 participating children at SpArC Theatre in Bishop’s Castle on Friday 1 August.
Pearl Chesterman, Director for Learning at Birmingham Royal Ballet, said:
“Birmingham Royal Ballet are delighted to be working in rural south Shropshire as part of the Lively Libraries project. We will be working with children and young people to create a performance inspired by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s “Beauty and the Beast”. We look forward to working with boys and girls of all abilities for this exciting week of workshops, and you will be amazed at what can be achieved. Don’t miss out on seeing an exhibition of stunning “Beauty and the Beast” costumes at Ludlow Library between 12 June and 6 July, and at SpArC in Bishops’s Castle between 8 July and 1 August.”
Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, libraries and culture, said:
“Shropshire Council’s libraries continue to evolve and embrace new ideas, technologies and partnerships, to create a vibrant, stimulating and life-long learning environment for local communities.
“Thanks to funding from Arts Council England and the support from Arts Alive Rural Touring Scheme, local artists and the Birmingham Royal Ballet, children and young people in south Shropshire can really look forward to an even greater range of exciting activities this summer.”
Cecilia Motley, Shropshire Council’s representative on the Arts Council Midlands Board, said:
“The Arts Council is committed to making great arts and culture more accessible in rural areas, and involving young people in innovative arts projects. This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to work with professional artists and take part in an exciting range of arts activities over the summer. It also demonstrates really good collaboration between the Arts Council, arts organisations and Shropshire’s libraries service, to bring a fantastic summer programme together for our young people in south Shropshire.”
For further information see the Shropshire Council and Arts Alive websites, contact Bridgnorth, Ludlow or Bishop’s Castle libraries, or email Pam Parish, Lively Libraries Project Manager at pam.parish@talktalk.net.
