RURAL ARTS

Last week saw the end of our second #CreateTour, a new Rural Arts ON Tour project which will be taking place in The Wolds, East Cleveland, and the Selby District over the next three years. The young people were signed up, the transport was organised and here at Rural Arts we were all really excited about Create Tour with internationally acclaimed Phoenix Dance Theatre, but as it got nearer feelings of nervousness and worry started to creep in. Create Tour had a lot of ‘firsts’ attached to it, which meant no one was quite sure what to expect. For starters, it’s the first project of it’s kind; allowing young people aged 11 – 18 from rural settings the chance to work with a professional company for a week and then tour with them, opening for the professionals each night. It was also the first time Rural Arts had worked at Tuned In! Redcar, where the intensive rehearsal week took place, the first time Phoenix Dance Theatre have toured to rural venues with smaller sta

The Young Curators getting stuck in with some ceramic work Rural Arts saw a buzz of activity over Half Term last week, with our studio taken over by a group of young people working with professional craft artists as part of an exciting new project… Earlier this spring, Rural Arts received Heritage Lottery funding for a project called ‘Young Curators’, through which 15 young people have the chance to learn more about their heritage and history, interpreting this through the development of their own artwork. April saw the launch of the project with a visit to the Helmsley Archaeology Store guided by curator Susan Harrison, followed by a chance to explore Rievaulx Abbey. We were given a fascinating insight into the history of medieval glass and ceramics. In early May we had a visit from Archaeologist John Buglass at the Courthouse, learning how to record and identify finds from excavations. Making up designs for clay tile moulds Half term week brought the chance for t