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Island Projects Newsletter
The Newsletter is out;
http://us8.campaign-archive1.com/?u=4c8e113290706a0d22ed7d430&id=227d3027e4&e=926a48721d
The Art of the Magic Lantern will work with communities across Kent to research local history, and make a series of contemporary fables using photographic slides. Local communities will be invited to help construct a site-specific story, which reflects local issues old and new. The performances have been touring a range of venues, often working outside of the traditional cultural venues to reach new audiences.
This project is being produced by Island Projects. Island projects is an independent non-profit curatorial practice based in Kent which focuses on commissioning contemporary art in unusual public spaces. The delivery of this project is made possible with the support of local partners across Kent and funding from Arts Council England and Kent County Council.
Storytelling workshop for teenagers
Saturday 22nd November, 1-3pm
LV21, Pier Approach Rd, Gillingham, Kent ME7 1RX
We will be working with a group of local young people from Gillingham to construct stories inspired by original glass slides.
Public Performance
Saturday 29th November
Free entry, 7pm doors open, performance at 7.30pm
LV21, Pier Approach Rd, Gillingham, Kent ME7 1RX
An event to commenorate the Goodwin Sands disaster with live music by Hare & Hoofe a punk/folk/prog band.
The Cabaret Club Christmas Special Performance
Thursday 4th & Friday 5th December, 7-11pm
Sun Pier House, Medway Street, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4HF
Tickets £18 (group discounts) https://thecabaretclubchristmas2014.eventbrite.co.uk
The Christmas party presents a varied selection of musicians, enchanting performers and surreal puppeteers, entertaining comics and exotic artistes.
Public slide making workshop
January 2015, date/venue tbc
We are looking to produce a site specific set of photographic magic lantern slides with the help of the local community in Margate. Researching local folklore and maritime myth, we will construct our very own set and invite people to create their own fantastical characters in our tale.
Pub Crawl Performance
February 2015, various venues across Margate.
Live performances will tour the town, showcasing the newly produced Margate story.
The Halloween Special Performance
There were two evening performances in the Heritage Micropub at Halfway. We were made to feel very welcome by the pub landlord Melvin, who entertained us with tales of the local community spirit whilst we set up. The first performance was mostly a family audience, whilst the second later performance was more adults. The pub was full on both occasions, with an impressive array of witches on show (both fictional and in the flesh).
The Sheerness story was a fictional tale inspired by a series of key historical island events, including, Queen Sexburgha, the floods, the building of the Sheerness Dockyard, and the Pier. The tale links these moments in time through a mythical character called the Sea Witch. Members of the audience we invited to take part in chanting made up spells and making sounds with shell strings and plastic jellyfish. The performance ends with two very long hand painted slides which contain fantastical images of an underwater world of greed, vice and debauchery within which the Sea witches dwell.
Minster Museum Workshop
The workshop held at Minster Gatehouse Museum on Saturday 1st November was a great success. Families and adults joined in. Some people learnt about Magic Lanterns and how they worked, whilst others had a go at tracing and painting their own slide. The afternoon was full of rich discussion surrounding the wealth of Heritage on Sheppey and how it inspires so much creativity.
A few images from recent performances..
Documenting a performance which happens in the dark is a bit tricky. Here are a few attempts!
