Inspired by the people and places of Paignton, Torbay, Wide Open’s Autumn Season offers free experiences and creative activities for everyone. Across two weekends (22 – 24 September and 20 – 22 October 2023), residents and visitors can enjoy a whole host of events, with five new artistic commissions and a broad range of exciting cultural and community events across Paignton town centre, including performances, workshops, tours, art exhibitions, film screenings, talks & poetry, music and much more.
Wide Open is part of Torbay’s Cultural Development – Paignton Picture House: a new creative and cultural programme in Paignton. The Wide Open programme is co-ordinated by local producing house Filament with over 40 artists and 20 cultural and community organisations involved, including Paignton Picture House; Sound Communities; Artizan Gallery; Palace Theatre; Tonic Creatives; Doorstep Arts; Libraries Unlimited; and many others.
Opening weekend events not to miss include:
Wide Open-Late: 22 September, 6.30 – 10pm at Paignton Library. Wide Open kicks off with a late opening at Paignton Library with live music from Sound Communities, screenings, talks and a chance to meet some of the artists who will be showing work over the coming month. Inspired by Paignton Picture House, there’ll be examples of early and pre-cinema innovations to explore and get involved with if you wish.
The Great Paignton Paint Out: 23 – 24 September. On Saturday 23 September, an Artist Heritage Trail starts from Paignton Sands, taking a route through the high street and around Paignton Old Town. There are eight artists to meet, all painting at sites with unique stories. On Sunday 24 September, take part in a mass Paint Out on Paignton Green. Whether you’re a pro or have never picked up a brush before, we’re inviting everyone to get involved. Bring your favourite art supplies or pick up some freebies on the day and help us gather the biggest group of artists Paignton Green has ever seen.
Through the month, you can experience five new artistic commissions. Each artist has developed work specifically for Paignton, inspired by Paignton Picture House, Palace Theatre and the area’s rich cultural heritage and communities:
Vast Rocks Revisited: Richard Chappell Dance
23 and 24 September on Victoria Street and Paignton Green. Check the Wide Open website for performance times.
Choreographer Richard Chappell returns to his hometown of Paignton, bringing together professional and community dancers to create contemporary dance duets that draw inspiration from Dartmoor and Torbay’s coastline, their vast timelessness and how families experience them over generations. Dancers from Richard Chappell Dance will be performing alongside young dancers in training and older community dancers, in central Paignton locations.
Moving Portraits: Rob Mennear
Performances and installations over the weekend 21 – 22 October in multiple venues, with free creative workshops and opportunities to get involved from 22 September onwards.
Cornwall-based dance artist Rob Mennear and his creative team are transforming unexpected spaces in Paignton into immersive storytelling environments combining live performance and multimedia. Audiences will see projected archives of past movie stars, hear today’s residents narrating their lives, spot dancing figures or shadow shows in doorways and listen to the echoes of song.
Into The Kaleidoscope: Moor to Sea Music Collective
20 – 22 October, with showings at intervals throughout the day
Moor to Sea are creating an immersive play experience for early years children and disabled young people who prefer sensory approaches. Into The Kaleidoscope brings together sensory, participative music-making, and cross-arts storytelling for children and their parents/carers to enjoy together.
Paignton Lights: Steve Sowden and Emma Welton
20 – 22 October, evening performances in central Paignton
Drawing on childhood memories of Paignton Picture House as a beacon of imagination and window into other worlds, this multimedia performance by artists Steve Sowden and Emma Welton draws out stories in Sowden’s hometown of Paignton. Involving live music, sound, film and community voices in song, it captures the dreams gathered with Paignton’s residents and visitors.
Screen Future Memoir: Kelly Bryant
20 – 22 October, 11.30am – 6pm with timed slots throughout the day at Paignton Picture House
Kelly Bryant is creating a unique installation inside Paignton Picture House that reflects the layered history of this building and the stories held within its walls. Found materials, surfaces and textures from the building itself, along with stories, images and sounds collected with Sound Communities, are brought together through a 3D sculptural screen that audiences can enter and experience.
With many more events and activities for all ages, families can look forward to Playing in the Streets, which returns to Victoria Street on 21 October with free fun, live music, workshops, street entertainers, creative activities and games. Or try a playful new trail for all ages to interact with Paignton in a new way: the Paignton Play Plaques offer different challenges with QR codes for bonus content, local heritage and trivia. Follow the trail to find them around town from 21 October.
“As a new cultural programme as part of Paignton’s Cultural Development Fund, Wide Open is a great opportunity to explore and celebrate its rich heritage and culture. Working with cultural and community partners, it provides a whole range of activities for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, as we bid a farewell to the Picture House before works commence on its restoration this autumn. Residents can feel proud that the artists involved in this programme have been so inspired by Paignton, its heritage and stories.” – Jacob Brandon, Chair of Torbay Culture
Explore the full Wide Open: Autumn Season programme at www.wide-open.uk
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