Alongside our touring programme we also support artists to co-create work with communities, bringing people together, strengthening relationships and empowering them to realise their creative potential.
Case Study - Aquanauts Adrift
Applause Rural Touring in collaboration with Gravesham Borough Council commissioned outdoor theatre company Enter Edem to develop a new walkabout show for outdoor touring in 2025. The show was developed with the local community through a series of making workshop and participatory sessions and shared with all at the Gravesham Light Festival on 24 and 25 January 2025. The community were encouraged to participate as part of a town centre parade leading to the Light Festival, with their Jelly Fish lights created from upcycled materials at workshop sessions.
As part of our commitment to supporting the development of local artists this project also supported three artist development roles for local practitioners to develop skills as both performers and makers of small-scale outdoor work. Click here to find out who we’re working with and their interest in developing outdoor work.
Mandy O’Hare, Cultural Manager, Gravesham Borough Council says ‘Gravesham Borough Council is delighted to be collaborating with Applause on the Aquanauts project. We believe that community co-creation empowers local voices, fostering a sense of ownership and pride in the artistic process. By involving the public directly in the development of new work, we not only create more relevant and resonant productions, but also strengthen community bonds, inspire creativity, and ensure that the arts are accessible to all’.
Case Study - The Allotment Project
In 2023, Applause and Creative Estuary co-commissioned Casson & Friends, a UK based Dance Theatre Company, to create a new show in collaboration with the local community in Chatham. With interviews from allotment owners & community gardeners of all ages, intercut & combined with compelling movement, THE ALLOTMENT PROJECT is a unique performance that reveals our relationship to the land, nature and each other.
Choreographer Tim Casson and performers Bethany Edwards & Lucy Starkey spent a week in residency in Luton, interviewing and working with allotment holders and community gardeners. Their responses were then used to inform the creation of the new work, providing verbatim text and recorded dialogue. The final dance piece connects audiences with the joy of growing plants, food, and connecting with others across all four seasons.
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