Calling Theatre and Print Makers - apply by 27 April

On Sunday 18^th September 2016 the communities who live, work and pass through Brandon, Suffolk, will be invited to stop, listen and celebrate the town’s heritage as the Gateway to the Brecks and the lowest crossing point of the R. Little Ouse before the Fens, where travellers would rest, be refreshed and share tales. Before the railway arrived in the mid-19th century, people, livestock and goods made the difficult and often perilous journey over the open sandy heathlands of the district, converging upon the Ferry in Brandon. Pilgrims, drovers, footpads, soldiers all forded the river there and were welcomed at the town’s many inns and hostelries. Ferry Tales is a celebration of Brandon’s heritage of hospitality with Market Place commissioning projects, which culminate in a day of entertainment and activity in the town centre.

There are several key elements to the day:

• Saturday Folk Night
• Les Enfants Terribles street theatre show Marvelous Imaginary Menagerie (2 performances), a family friendly show on the Market Hill, for which there is a link to a story from Brandon’s past
• Dance workshops and performances with Brandon School of Dance and visiting professional choreographers, exploring story-telling through dance.
• “Artists at Work” in the shops of local retailers opening especially for the day, ranging from paper artists to poetry readings.
• An immersive, living history trail, performed by the community, together with professionals, along the High Street and down to the former site of the ferry. The piece is to be created by a professional playwright and at least two professional theatre makers / performers, in collaboration with two voluntary organisations, Brandon History Society and Shoestring Theatre Company. An audio trail featuring elements of the trail will be recorded by Music Arts Project CIC (MAP) – SEE DETAILED BRIEF BELOW
• Drop-in print making workshop, following a workshop programme with Brandon Arts Society – SEE DETAILED BRIEF BELOW
• The Orchard picnic and making zone – fruit-based food and drink with ‘Natural Visitors’ crafting activities for children led by Brandon Country Park.
• Sunday evening film showings

Expressions of Interest are invited from:

THEATRE GROUPS/COMPANIES who are excited by working collaboratively with a community to create a living history trail which delivers a short immersive collective experience that will live long in the memory for participants and audience.

The details of the project is to be agreed in collaboration with Market Place staff, Brandon History Society and Shoestring Theatre Company, but it is envisaged that it could follow a format of:

June 2016 – Playwright works with Brandon History Society to explore and identify stories from Brandon’s past, which would resonate with modern audience (3 evening sessions)

July 2016 – Theatre company works with Shoestring Theatre Company (and additional performers drawn from the wider community who may become new members) over at least 6 sessions (evening and weekend – dates to be arranged with Shoestring Theatre Company)

• develop skills in immersive theatre
• explore and be matched to the chosen stories
• experiment with drafts of texts which retell or restage elements of the story

August 2016 – Playwright and theatre-makers script and map out the immersive theatre performance. Shoestring Theatre Company lead on collecting props and costumes.

September 2016 – Theatre company works with Shoestring Theatre Company (and additional performers) over a minimum of 8 evening and weekend sessions, including Sat 17^th and Sun 18^th September, on creating a short, i.e. 30 minute / iterative performance of short dialogues / moments / tableaux (which audiences explore and discover following a map which leads them from the Les Enfants Terribles performances, and then down and up the High Street (delivering them to Brandon School of Dance at the Church Institute, the Orchard or High Street print-making workshops.)

FEE: £6500

• PRINT STUDIOS/PRINTMAKERS with experience of working with community groups who will deliver inspirational, technique-enriching workshops outside of the studio environment.

Brandon Arts Society members are always keen to develop new skills and engage with the best practise out there. Membership is open and reflects a range of backgrounds, interests and experience.

Between May and August 2016 the Society will host at least four workshops which will be aimed at its existing membership, but also open to new members, to develop skills and understanding of print-making techniques.

The outcomes of these sessions will be displayed alongside a drop-in workshop during the event on Sunday 18^th September. This drop in-session will be led by the print professional(s) with Brandon Arts Society assistance.

FEE: £2500 (including materials)

Interested Theatre Groups/Companies and Print Studios/Printmakers are invited to submit a covering letter and relevant background information to Kate Hall, Project Director at kate.hall@cppmarketplace.co.uk or call 01353 611 591, if you have any queries.

DEADLINE: Wednesday 27 April 2016

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to meet a selection panel that will meet in Brandon during the first two weeks in May.

CHECK OUT OUR CALL FOR ARTIST IN WISBECH. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 21 APRIL.