Spring is looking exciting
I am so excited to be back working with Lyrici Arts this year on Paint the Town Festival which is back for SPRING – focused on spreading a little bit of kindness, celebrating great local and national theatre, and getting all of Medway involved! It’s on all this week!
Paint the Town is an exciting theatre and arts festival taking place twice a year in Medway, produced by Lyrici Arts in partnership with Battersea Arts Centre and Collaborative Touring Network. The festival runs from 2016 to 2019.
Who are Lyrici Arts?
Lyrici Arts is a Kent based organisation (not-for-profit limited company) which works in partnership with local organisations and authorities to address diversity inclusion via arts programming. It was founded in 2016 by Keely Augustus and the name Lyrici means ‘ Of Literature, Art or Music) Expressing the writer’s emotions in an imaginative and beautiful way.’ Meet the team
The company presents ongoing festivals and community events for Medway with added artist development support. They also have a focus on Black Minority Ethnic (BME) works. A wide range of BME lyrical arts activities are also programmed into the wider Kent community, including theatre shows, music and spoken word events, panel discussions, workshops and cultural events specific to BME holiday celebrations.
How did I get involved?
I met Keely many years ago before she founded the company and then a few years later met Clara her sister when they asked me to photograph their parents Ruby Wedding Anniversary. In 2016 they approached me and asked if I would like to get involved with their “Legacy Project”.
From January to October 2017 I was involved in photographing community arts projects from Medway Libraries and Lyrici Arts, in partnership with Medway Council’s Arts Development Team. This involved a season of free lyrical and literature events, rooted in African and Caribbean culture. Funded by the Arts Council England.
I absolutely loved been involved with such a brilliant team and all of the fantastic events that were put on for the local community, bringing families into the library hubs and celebrating a culture that has brought so much to the arts.
I heard beautiful soulful music from The Vanbrugh Hill Music Syndicate and met Wil Johnson (from Outlander, which I am a big fan of) but who is most famed for his roles in theatre and Emmerdale.
There were many moving performances including one from Ayesha Casely-Hayford and inspirational stories from Ian John Lewis, to name just a few. I also sampled some pretty amazing Caribbean food and met and worked with many more talented people.
There is so much to look forward to this season
Paint The Town Highlights 2018 Include:
Ugly Chief – a comedy based on true events performed by a real-life father and daughter. It explores the taboos around death and its practicalities, and the fractious relationship with a parent whose opinions you don’t always agree with.
Festival of Festivals- A Showcase like no other from the talented Dance Alley, looking at Medway’s history of festivals and community events.
Sponge- Roll, squeeze and pop yourself through a new, squishy kind of family show for 0-4 yr olds with a funky 1970s soundtrack including disco favourites The Hustle and Car Wash!
Shakespeare’s Royal Company- As part of National Shakespeare week, the larger-than-life Bindlestick Theatre Company are back with a fun theatre workshop on the real Game of Thrones!
Beached- The most perfect little puppetry show you ever did see! Take 10 minutes out of your day and immerse yourself in this beautiful show by local company StrangeFace!
Live Before You Die- Funny, tragic and shockingly honest, this is a true story of hopelessness and friendship told by two men on a desperate quest for happiness.
Make sure you don’t miss out on a thing and buy your tickets now!
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See you soon Alison xx