Artists in Torbay are being supported to begin to make work again after the lockdown.
With the cultural sector being hard hit by the pandemic, many artists and cultural organisations have been fighting for their very survival. Torbay Culture was awarded Arts Council England COVID-19 Emergency Response Funding to support the local cultural sector to recover, and today announce a wonderful line up of artistic projects running from August to October 2020 throughout Torbay.
Martin Thomas, Executive Director, Torbay Culture said, “Now, more than ever, we need creativity and imagination to begin to recover from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are delighted to be able to support artists and creative practitioners to begin rebuilding their creative practice, and to collaborate with local people on making artistic work again. Artist Walter Bockhorn said that ‘you must create beauty in dark times’, and Torbay’s creative talent is doing just that”.
The Create to Recover programme will include a diverse mix of open air music, dance and documentary film, participatory circus and painting. Local people will be invited to take part in a range of ways including helping artists uncover local stories and contributing to a giant willow outdoor installation at Torre Abbey. Artists were selected following an open call during July, which received a great amount of interest.
Performance poet Robert Garnham will meet and collaborate with people in Brixham to create ‘Squidbox’ – an original series of poems that will shine a light and uncover local characters and stories from Brixham’s fishing industry and the people who work there.
Artist Fred Gray, whose commercial work includes creating backings for many Aardmann animation films, and who hopes to connect with his neighbours in Chelston to uncover characterful views of the area, said: “Physically Chelston is very hilly. Houses tumble over each other layer upon layer. Visually this is very exciting.. a fantastic melting pot visually to contemplate”.
One of the commissions will enable Zoe Singleton to collaborate with HeARTS at Torbay 2 Hospital to install a series of stone waymarkers creating a trail through the grounds of the hospital and encouraging staff, patients and visitors to find places for reflection and respite.
Members of the public will be able to see and experience the work at a range of venues throughout the Bay from September to the end October. Full details of the programme will be provided on Torbay Cultures website: https://www.torbayculture.org
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