Light Up The Town

Light Up The Town is a new light art project that will illuminate our towns across Fenland and West Suffolk. As winter fades and spring begins to bloom, it’s the perfect time to reconnect, come together, and celebrate the beauty of our community. Light Up The Town is here to brighten our spirits and illuminate our towns with stunning light projection art! 

Together with SDNA Moving Image, we’re working hand-in-hand with local groups to co-create  vibrant light shows that will light up buildings in Chatteris, March, Wisbech, Whittlesey, Brandon, Mildenhall, and Newmarket in early 2025. Dates and locations to be announced soon!

What is Light Up The Town?

It’s a light art project co-created with community groups in Chatteris, March, Wisbech, Whittlesey, Brandon, Mildenhall, and Newmarket. The final works will become a light show open to the public in these towns in early 2025.

How is the community involved?

SDNA is working with MarketPlace to run creative workshops with community groups in every town. We are working with local gardening groups to source images and plant names which will serve as inspiration and material for collages created by local community groups. SDNA will be using the artworks made by community members and preparing them to be projected and animated onto local buildings.

How can I get involved?

Join us for a light show in your town! MarketPlace and SDNA will be hosting a free light show evening open to everyone, to showcase the artworks made during this project in February and March 2025. The artworks will be projected onto a building in your town! Follow us on social media or sign up to our newsletter to be the first to know when and where this event will take place!

Who is SDNA?

SDNA is a creative studio founded in 2010 by Valentina Floris and Ben Foot. They specialise in producing distinctive digital artworks and interactive experiences for a range of settings, involving people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds in the creative process. They animate galleries and public spaces with bold and imaginative displays to engage and inspire new and diverse audiences in fresh and exciting ways. You can visit their website here. 

Why did MarketPlace commission SDNA?

MarketPlace ran two community panels to select an artist for this project. The community panelists represented each of the seven towns involved in the decision making process for this project. MarketPlace is proud to be part of the Creative People and Places programme, developed by Arts Council England with support from National Lottery funds. This initiative supports people in creating cultural activity right where they live.

We produce a wide range of creative projects all year round. From all day festivals, to art installations, creative workshops, theatre or storytelling; there’s something for everyone. Every project is co-created with the communities they’re happening in, ensuring authentic and meaningful experiences for all. For this project, the community panel is one part of our co-creation process. 

Chatteris Quilters

Chatteris Quilters runs every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. The group evolved from the positive response to quilting workshops held in Chatteris during the Autumn. These workshops were introduced based on feedback received from the community during the Chatteris Midsummer Festival in June 2023.

So far, the six sessions have been led by facilitators Susie Batchelor, Karin Forman, and Marian Savill. Each facilitator brought a unique perspective on textiles, inspiring the group to explore new ways of using them. The group has made pin cushions using English paper piecing, recycled fabric beads, patchworked postcards and sewing books. The group was also invited to bring along their own projects to work on.  

As the sessions are drop-in, and each week has a different activity, it doesn’t matter if you miss one. You can just slip back into the group with no worries of catching up!

If you’d like to join Chatteris Quilters, come along to our next series on Tuesday 9 & 23 January, Tuesday 13 & 27 February, and Tuesday 12 & 26 March 2024. Each runs from 2-4pm with refreshments provided.

Contact us for further information

Chatteris Midsummer Festival

This year’s Chatteris Midsummer Festival was a fabulous hot weekend of parades, stalls, exhibitions and performances from wonderful local groups and organisations. MarketPlace was invited by the Town Council to provide a range of free activities to correspond with this year’s theme – Roaring Twenties. 

We co-created a 1920’s photo booth with local photography group F-stop Camera Club, where people could dress up and have their photo taken against a beautiful 1920’s inspired backdrop. We were able to print the photos for people to take home with them or send them via email after the event. 

Some local knitters and crocheters also joined the tent, providing a taster into how to knit and crochet, while our Programme Director Susie showed people how to quilt a hexagonal brooch. We also handed out some beginner crochet kits. Artist Karen Forman put together activities for all the family, supporting people to create 1920’s flapper headbands and Art Deco suncatchers. 

We were asked to be one of the judges for the parade alongside Katherine from 20Twenty Productions. Prizes were awarded for best dressed adult group, best dressed children’s group and best individual along with other categories. The community groups put the costumes together themselves and all made such a wonderful effort.

The MarketPlace tent was buzzing all day. Members of the public were already keen to hear about our involvement next year and discussed setting up their own quilting groups.  Smiles and laughter were all around at this year’s fair – we can’t wait for the next one!