We're excited to announce a FREE summer programme for young people in Ashington to explore what music means to them, share what inspires them and have a go at creating their own songs. Building on the success of our Sounding Board Youth Theatre Project we are creating free, bookable, open access sessions over the summer holidays at YMCA Northumberland, to give more young people the chance to explore the expressive power of music. Participants can have a go at playing instruments, writing lyrics, trying out digital music production and using a recording studio, guided by our fantastic professional guest musician Calum Howard and our team of friendly and creative Theatre Practitioners and Youth Workers. We will be guided by the interests and ideas of our groups, making original music that expressed what really matters to them. These sessions were created in partnership with YMCA Northumberland's Changemakers project, which uses the power of music to encourage young people to make positive change in their community. Bandcamp will be relaxed, fun and perfect for anyone, regardless of experience. We’ll use fun games to help the group learn musical skills, build their confidence, make new friends and express their creative spark. Sessions will take place on Monday 12th, Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th of August at YMCA Northumberland. For ages 10-13 1.30 pm - 3.30 pm For ages 14-18 4 pm - 6 pm These sessions are completely FREE and booking is essential. Places are limited and we recommend coming to each day for the best experience but we can accommodate people if they aren’t able to do so, please let us know when you sign up. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the sessions get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 07594 798 073. Please help us get the word out and share this news post with anyone you think may be interested.
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We’ve got an exciting summer coming up, where we will be getting out and about at events across Northumberland, meeting lots of you lovely people and running some fun art-based activities. Last Saturday (29th June) we took part in Northumberland College Ashington Community Day, where visitors could try out a wide range of activities, from meeting exotic animals, to taking part in sporting challenges and trying out some crafts and woodworking. The day also served as a fantastic opportunity to find out what’s on offer at the college. We ran a badge-making activity, and we loved seeing the fabulous designs people were creating and we equally enjoyed chatting with people and hearing about memories and experiences of youth theatre. It was also great seeing the thoughtful contributions to our community bunting, where we asked people to share wishes for the future… We will be asking for contributions to our community bunting at events throughout the summer! Our aim is to gather all the ideas from this collaborative project to create a digital version of the bunting and possibly even a physically version, serving as a beautiful and meaningful reminder of our collective hopes and dreams that will last many years. Join us at these upcoming events: Ashington Community Fair Day- Sunday 7th July (11 am-3.30 pm) at People’s Park Ashington This Sunday we will be at People’s Part running a nature-themed origami-making activity with our lovely guest artist Pui Lee and inviting visitors to contribute to our community bunting. We will also have some colouring sheets that are perfect for younger children or anyone who just wants a relaxing few minutes. It’s set to be a fantastic day with an exciting lineup of local musical talent, a great selection of market stalls and thrilling rides and amusements. Find out more on the Ashington Town Council Website Alt text: Poster advertising Blyth Family Pride stating "Join us at the Blyth Central Family Hub. This event is free to attend and suitable for all ages, 103 Wright St, Blyth, NE24 1HG" The poster lists activities including LGBTQIA+ stalls, live music, face painter, sport activities, sensory room and food. Blyth Family Pride- Saturday 24th August (12 pm- 4 pm) at Central Blyth Family Hub Pride Action North and Central Blyth Family Hub are coming together for this celebration of LGBTQIA+ people in Northumberland! We have been invited to run a colourful flag-making activity encouraging visitors to explore and celebrate all the wonderful things that make them unique. Come along to try out this fun activity and enjoy a cosy chat. Across the event there will be something for everyone with craft activities, face painting, live music and lots of info about welcoming social groups and support available for young LGBTQIA+ people and families in the area. Find out more on the Pride Action North Website And join us for… Sounding Board: Live 13th July at Riding Mill Parish Hall Sounding Board: Live is a joyful celebration of music, activism and creativity, showcasing performances that our youth theatre groups have been creating this term. Sounding Board is a Mortal Fools project, created to give our Youth Theatre members opportunities to explore the expressive power of music. This bold and hopeful project is inspired by the DIY music scene, and based on the belief that young people can use their voices to speak up about what matters to them through music. Our Mortal Fools Youth Theatre members have transformed Riding Mill Parish Hall into a vibrant DIY Creative Music Hub for this immersive live event. Feast your eyes and ears on dynamic music videos, inventive stories, and powerful spoken word performances. Leave behind the humdrum of everyday life and let your imagination run wild as we see what a youth-led future could be... Find out more on our Sounding Board Project Page This Autumn we will also be holding community screening events of the imaginative films created by our youth theatre groups. Keep your eyes peeled for more details! And finally, we want to share this fantastic collaborative map! Across 2023 and the first half of this year, at various Ashington events and across projects, we've been asking young people what they want the Ashington of the future to look like. It’s been so eye-opening to see what people currently value and the creative ideas people have for the future. Have a fantastic summer, and we hope to see you soon, along with some warm summery weather!
It’s been a few weeks since our Inevitable? tour wrapped, and we are still getting messages from audience members positively impacted by the show. It’s really got us thinking…..what’s next for Inevitable? Across March and April, our Mortal Fools Ensemble Young Company brought their original new production, Inevitable? to venues across the North in a highly anticipated Spring tour, delighting audiences and selling out performances. Nearly 350 audience members joined us to watch the unfiltered, funny, and thought-provoking show exploring a very universal part of life: becoming an adult. We’d like to take this opportunity to give a huge shout out to our Inevitable? touring venues YMCA Northumberland, Gosforth Civic Theatre, Burnley Youth Theatre & Theatre Porto. Thank you for having us! “As a 12-year-old, I found it really relatable because it touched on topics like friendships changing, facing responsibilities and figuring out who you are. The actors did a great job portraying the emotions and challenges with growing up. The show made me think about my own future and what changes I might face.” – Inevitable? audience member “Having the opportunity for our young people to come and see a show is amazing, as going to the theatre is often an inaccessible experience for many young people. But to also see a show that has been created and performed by other young people was just fantastic. Showcasing stories from young people with similar lived experiences is SO incredibly important and powerful. Our young people were welcomed into the space and benefitted from all of the access provisions in place, making it a brilliant day out for everyone!” - Ailís Lord, Comics Youth CIC Devised and performed by a group of Northumberland young people, Inevitable? was an honest and poignant exploration of the phenomenon of growing up, drawing on the real lived experiences and feelings of the young company members involved in the production. "Inevitable really made me smile and cry. The characters were so relatable and the topics and subjects they went through really helped me prepare and know what to expect in the future. Every character had their own sparkle and their own aspect of the show that really gave it life. Would watch it again 100%." - Inevitable? Audience Member 11 Northumberland Young People from Ashington and the Tyne Valley worked with Mortal Fools and our associate artists since September 2023 to create the show from scratch. “As a young person led production the messaging was beautifully pitched to connect with a wide range of people of all ages in a hugely engaging way. The stage craft and effects were highly polished and professional and further amplified the enjoyment of the performance without it being eclipsed. It was of the highest quality and better than some professional productions in Edinburgh and London.” - Wendy Scott, Northumberland Council Culture Manager Ensemble Young Company is Mortal Fools' dedicated youth theatre group for Northumberland young people aged 13-19 offering the experience of making and touring theatre, as close to a professional process as possible! Kiz Crosbie, Mortal Fools Artistic Director and CEO shared: “Northumberland is one of Arts Council England’s Levelling Up for Culture areas, meaning that the county is recognised as having a significantly lower level of arts and culture activities available for people to take part in than the national average. Mortal Fools’ work has always been focused on Northumberland and gives exciting artistic opportunities to the young people who live there. Inevitable? gave our Ensemble young company members the chance to make a high-quality original theatre show through a process of deep collaboration with a range of professional artists, to showcase their work and voices to public audiences and as a beacon for change.” The current group worked alongside a team of professional theatre practitioners, directors, designers, and technicians to create a full production with sound, lighting, set, costumes, and original music. In the making of Inevitable? They then had the experience of performing to audiences across the North in professional theatre venues, to paying public audiences. This was a unique, high impact opportunity for those young people, many of whom have intersectional needs, mental health difficulties and face challenges in their lives. “Mortal Fools has been such a lifeline for me. It gives me a space to truly be myself and I have met the most amazing, genuine people. The way Mortal Fools gives the young people a voice, is honestly special.” – Ashington Ensemble Young Company Member The production was part of the national Grow Up! Project, created and co-led by Beyond Face, Company Three, Mortal Fools and Prime Theatre. The Grow Up! Project supports youth theatre across the country, drawing on its ability to spark and create radical, transformative change for young people. Due to the success of the Inevitable? production and its impact on audiences, we are busily planning what’s next and exploring the possibility of transforming it into a film, so that the lived experience of Northumberland young people can be seen and heard on a bigger scale. Kiz Crosbie concluded: “We know that it’s not always easy for audiences to access live theatre performances, so we’re excited to be developing a digital content strategy. As part of that, we’re busy working on plans for a filmed version on Inevitable? which will be proudly produced in Northumberland, providing a longer legacy and much wider audience for this brilliant piece of work.”
Any young people aged 13-19 interested in joining Mortal Fools Ensemble Young Company are invited to take part in taster workshops in Ashington this Summer term, ahead of joining one of the groups in Ashington or Riding Mill. Young people can register their interest via: www.mortalfools.org.uk/register-with-mfyt Now of course, none of the above would have been possible without our Inevitable? Tour funders Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Youth Music, Northumberland County Council, Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland & BBC Children in Need. Huge thank you to them for their continued investment in our work and children and young people. Bringing back Inevitable? feels rather…….inevitable? Watch this space! |