New 'Scarborough Stories' project hopes to bring community together
It'll offer the opportunity for people to communicate what matters to them
A new project in Scarborough is hoping to get people to express themselves and bring the community together.
Over the coming months, 'Scarborough Stories' will be offering the opportunity for people to communicate what matters to them in whichever ways they want to.
The scheme will lead to a show which will be held in the town centre next July, created in co-production with the Stephen Joseph Theatre and working with a team of creative talent from around the country.
It is being put together by ARCADE and has been made possible through the support of Coast and Vale Community Action and funded by Yorkshire Coast BID and Arts Council England.
The project is open to everyone, no threatre or writing experience is needed with inclusive and inspiring partcipatory workshops starting this year. The ARCADE team are starting the project by running 'Ideas Exchange' workshops to listen to the stories from some of Scarborough's frontline community groups including Andy's Man Club, The Wave Project, the Sidewalk Youth Prjoect, the Westway Open Arms Church Eastfield, St. Cecilia's Care Group and the Gallow's Close Community Centre.
A further big 'Ideas Exchange' session bringing lots of people, stories and ideas together on Saturday 29th January 2022 will be led by Evie Manning from the CommonWealth theatre company from Bradford.
Throughout Spring 2022, further workshops will be devised and led by the Yorkshire Coast's arts talent including Allie Watts, Shannon Barker, Jayne Shipley, Rebecca Denniff, Ben Slack and Matt Cooper. These workshops are open to anyone aged 16 and over and are bookedable online via the ARCADE website.
There will also be an online story gathering campaign where people can contribute their own stories via social media. The finale of Scarborough Stories will be a unique celebration of the town’s people, imagination and the stories that matter. It will take place in unexpected, immersive and site-specific locations around the town centre. It will be a completely new way to enjoy performance and storytelling, all taking place in Scarborough between Thursday 7th and Saturday 9th July 2022.
To find out more or book into a workshop go to: https://www.hello-arcade.com/scarborough-stories or email sophie@hello-arcade.com
Sophie Drury-Bradey, ARCADE C0-Director, said:
“This isn’t making a show for an audience, it’s making a show WITH them - it’ll be a storytelling experience unlike any other. If you or your workplace would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Scarborough Stories will be quite unlike anything else seen on the Yorkshire Coast, we will be distilling people’s stories into a theatrical production that will involve the very fabric of our town. We’re confident our way of working will involve and inspire people to unite and think differently about where they’re from and what home really means. We can’t wait to get started on this!”
Chief Executive of Yorkshire Coast BID, Kerry Carruthers spoke about the project:
“Scarborough Stories is a fantastic new project that we are really delighted to be supporting. It will be brilliant to see the community come together along the Yorkshire coast to tell their unique stories and showcase the vast array of talent we have up and down the coast.
“I know it has taken a lot of hard work to bring it all together and to get such a great line up ofpeople and talent on board."
Paul Robinson, Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, said:
“We’re delighted to be working with ARCADE in realising Scarborough Stories. Our joint ethos which involves collaborating and co-creating work with our communities, is at the heart of this project and we can’t wait to hear what stories will emerge."