Great War MK Project Update

Great War MK is a collaborative project led by the Arts & Heritage Alliance Milton Keynes (AHA-MK). It explores the impact of the First World War on the communities of Milton Keynes – an area now covering six towns, 41 villages and 1/4 million people – through research, commemorative events, participatory learning activity and community workshops.

This Heritage Lottery funded project enables partners from the AHA-MK membership collectively to commemorate not only the stories from 100 years ago but also their legacy for modern Milton Keynes. Our aim is to inspire active participation amongst both native and new communities in Milton Keynes – in interviews, workshops and creative activities to produce informative and engaging new works. Great War MK will generate film screenings, music, dance, performances, archive material, exhibitions and installations, all of which will give fresh insights into the turmoil – and creativity – of those times.

If you want to get involved with Great War MK you can attend a workshop or come along to an event, all listed here or get in touch here.

You can find out more about the projects on our Vimeo page: http://vimeo.com/greatwarmk and Facebook www.Facebook.com/GreatWarMK or follow @AHA_MK #GreatWarMK on Twitter.

Great War MK Programmes and Events

Festive Road – Milton Keynes-based carnival company Festive Road are building full
size WW1 tank that will form the backdrop to their new performance informed by the tensions and challenges of frontline fighting. This outdoor artwork will be presented at night in various locations around Milton Keynes.

The Banner Project – Working with a talented textiles artist, Vinny Stapley, Westbury Arts Centre aims to create over 500 banners informed by the stories and memories of WW1. These beautiful commemorative banners will then be used to create a large-scale dance performance. Working with renowned choreographers Helen Parlor, Effie McGuire-Ward and Chris Bradley, a team of over 100 dancers will take part in this act of remembrance.

Cowper & Newton Museum – Working with Olney RFC the Cowper & Newton Museum will stage a commemorative Rugby match in January 2015 – in memory of local hero Edgar Mobbs. The Museum is also developing a Songs and Poetry Evening and an energetic Old Time Music Hall, breathing life into 100 year old music and verse, as well as presenting a new animation inspired by life in the trenches.

Frontline – MK Gallery is working with four local schools to explore the concept of conflict and how artists have represented war and wartime in their work. Groups of students will be visiting the Imperial War Museum and working with artists to develop their own artworks – culminating in an exhibition at MK Gallery project space in June 2015.

Living Archive – Working with a group of talented young people, professional musician Steven McDaniels will be supporting the development of new songs and music inspired by the WW1 stories held by Living Archive. These new songs will be performed at an event in May 2015. In addition, Living Archive will be developing digital stories bringing new life to re-mastered Living Archive Band recordings.

Independent Cinema MK – Local independent cinema company ICMK is exploring the ideas of propaganda and truth in their work creating stop-time animations with school children. These animations will form part of several ‘WW1 style’ screening events to take place around Milton Keynes, alongside other WW1 relevant film and footage.

Serving King and Country – Deanshanger Village Heritage Society have undertaken a research project to uncover information about the village in the WW1 period. Research will uncover life on the home front, those that served, those in reserved occupations – working on the land and at the famous E & H Roberts Iron Foundry. This project will result in exhibitions, creative workshops with school children, walks and archive material.

MK Heritage Association – Through support from MKHA, these local history projects also form part of Great War MK. These include:

Simpson History Group’s research project to better understand the lives of the men represented on their war memorial, work to restore the local memorials and production of a booklet to commemorate their sacrifice.
Bucks Constabulary Museum’s WW1 exhibition
North Crawley Historical Society’s research project to track and commemorate all those who fought and died from their village, producing an exhibition and booklet.

December 11, 2014

Help awaken the sleeping Dragon by volunteering at Festive Road’s Mid-Winter Fire Festival

“The Darkest of Nights is upon us. And the Dark Knight has sapped the last spark of the old year deep into his soul. All we see around has outgrown its use. The Dark Knight must now die and relinquish the power he holds so that the young, unburdened year can be born.

Listen carefully, the dragon is stirring! But first we need to face this Dark Knight and conquer our fears! When we are able to look into the eyes of the Dark Knight, then we can awaken the sleeping Dragon who will be reborn and bring the brightest light of a New Year.”

Join Fesive Road for an exciting evening of fire, music and solstice celebration on 20th December, from 7pm at Campbell Park.

Festive Road are looking for volunteers to help with Paraffinalia:

Do you fancy helping to make fire sculptures in the workshop next week?
Or maybe you can help us set up the event at Campbell Park on 19th Dec?
On the night of 20th Dec we’ll need lots of help with stewarding, car parking, rigging and feeding braziers to keep folks warm.
We will also need litter pickers after the event!

If you think you can help we’d be very grateful for any extra hands and feet…email jessica@festiveroad.org.uk to get involved.

November 12, 2014

Seasonal Fayre @Westbury_Arts

Westbury Seasonal Fayre

Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd November 2014, 11am – 4pm

Come down to Westbury Arts Centre for a festive seasonal fayre – Westbury artists will be opening their studios, we have at least 20 stall holders in the house and the barn selling arts, crafts and produce.

There will be live entertainment – including the stilt-walking elves!!! Art activities for all the family and lots of refreshments.

November 6, 2014

Calling all musicians to be part of Paraffinalia @Festive_Road

Festive Road is looking for brass, wind and percussion players who would like to take part in Paraffinalia, a fire festival in Campbell Park on 20^th December 2014. We invite you to accompany us on the darkest of days…

Over November and December we are offering music workshop sessions which will culminate in a processional piece and a musical performance to accompany the fire sculptures and performances which we have planned. This is an amazing opportunity to work with Musical Director Tim Hill, of the infamous Tongues of Fire. Have a look at his website: http://www.tongues-of-fire.co.uk/

The musical rehearsal sessions are as follows:

Wed 26^th November, 7-9pm at Bath House, Wolverton

Wed 3^rd December, 7-9pm at Bath House, Wolverton

Sat 13^th December, 11am -4pm at Parks Trust, Cricket Pavilion, Campbell Park

Sat 20^th December, morning rehearsal tbc and performance 7-9pm

It’s not essential that you attend all the sessions as long as you can attend at least two and the event itself of course!

Please contact Jessica or Jitty at Festive Road if you are interested in taking part:

jitty@festiveroad.org.uk
jessica@festiveroad.org.uk

If you want to know more about the event itself, please do have a look at our website: www.festiveroad.org.uk

August 21, 2014

Experimental Metalwork and Creative Machine Sewing Workshops at WAC

Westbury Arts Centre invites you to come and learn and experiment at one of their workshops led by experienced artist-teachers at their beautiful Grade II listed site. This August Westbury Arts Centre presents two exciting workshops in Experimental Metalwork and Creative Machine Sewing.

Experimental Metalwork (creating a mirror frame.)

August 23rd, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

This workshop will allow you to combine traditional techniques such as embossing, patination and gilding. You will create a mirror frame that explores these processes and your own designs. You will build final images layer by layer, pushing the metal and surface to create something unique. All materials will be provided, but if you have your own specialist materials. This course is limited to 6 places. Kate is traditionally trained as a silversmith fine art pieces that are made from metal and using traditional jewellery skills.

Westbury Arts Centre, Foxcovert Rd, Shenley Wood, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK5 6AA

http://www.westburyartscentre.co.uk/

Creative Machine Sewing

August 30th, 10:00 am – August 31st, 4:00 pm

This is a two day workshop led by Helen den Dulk, which will use alternative materials and methods to create 2D and 3D machine stitched art. Helen is the founder of ‘Stitch and bitch’, the sewing group at Festive Road, where she used her textiles knowledge and her experience as a mixed media artist.

The course is suitable for all abilities and is for a maximum of six people. Participants will spend the first day experimenting and planning with literally any materials that can be sewn: fabric, paper, plastic and materials they create themselves, such as fusible web, and laminated items. The second day will focus on making final pieces, inspired by each individual’s earlier experimentation. There will be sewing machines available and materials but please feel free to bring your own.

Westbury Arts Centre, Foxcovert Rd, Shenley Wood, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK5 6AA

http://www.westburyartscentre.co.uk/

August 11, 2014

Have a go at Pit Firing ceramics in the garden at Westbury Arts Centre

Two-Day Pit Firing Course

Day 1: the workshop will start with a day creating a series of pots and objects that will be bisque fired ready for next week’s pit firing.

Day 2: The pit will be dug and the objects will be placed in the pit ready for firing along with a mixture of oxides and organic materials. But if any budding potters out there have some fired bisque already that they would like to put in the pit then come along, bring your banana skins, dried manure etc. to put in the pit…fingers crossed for good weather. Julie leFevre will show you this traditional and surprising way to fire your work.

When: Saturday 16th August 10 – 4.00 Saturday 23rd August 6 -9pm

Booking: http://www.westburyartscentre.co.uk/event/pit-firing-in-the-garden/

Please note, all workshops will run if there is a minimum of 4 people attending each session.
Westbury Arts Centre reserves the right to cancel a class if necessary (with a full refund) but will give as much notice as possible in the case of unforeseen circumstances.

August 6, 2014

Graduate Show at Westbury Arts Centre #MadeinMK

Westbury Arts Centre is pleased to announce that this year’s graduate show will open 9th August with a private view 2pm to 4pm. All welcome. The exhibition is open until 30th August.

The University of Northampton recent 2014 graduates, showcasing sculpture, mixed media installation, and painting are:

Melanie Cutler

Helen den Dulk

Amy Nelson

Jacqueline O’Kane

Resident 2014 graduates, showcasing delicate layered drawings inspired by the Mk Landscape, and sculpture displayed on the exterior of the building:

Nicola Saunderson

Anna Sikorska

To find out more about what Westbury Arts Centre has to offer please see their website: http://www.westburyartscentre.co.uk/

July 18, 2014

Fringe Comedy shows for as little as £4 #lovemk

MK Fringe has partnered up with Comedy Cow this year to create an awe-inspiring, side-splitting, howl inducing Fringe Comedy programme. You can catch one of over 50 Comedy acts during the Fringe Festival at venues across MK including: The Crown in Stony, The Chrysalis Theatre, MK Gallery Event Space and the Red Dot Bar at MK Stadium.

Stand up acts include; the hilarious Lee Nelson, the old favourite Patrick Monahan, the Brendan Burns Show, Late Night Gimp Fight, The Beta Males and the impressive Brett Goldstein. But we are doubly excited to be welcoming our favourite home grown comedy pals McNeil and Pamphilon with their wonderful new show Secret Holding Pattern.

Many of the acts we’re presenting are home grown and most are on their way up to Edinburgh with new material that they are keen to test out on audiences at MK Fringe first!

If it’s a full comedy show you want though, on Friday 18th we’re presenting the very special Simon Jay with his new show, Is He a Bit Simon Jay? and also Augustus Stephens’s new show, This Way Madness Lies, on Wednesday 23^rd. Both are at The Chrysalis Theatre and tickets are only £4!!

As if that wasn’t enough the Comedy Cow are hosting the Crown’s Big Weekender, a two day Comedy extravaganza on Saturday 19^th and Sunday 20^th July which includes some fantastic children’s comedy as well as featured acts like: Vikki Stone, Tom Binns, Omar Hamdi and Paul Savage.

So what are you waiting for? For more information and to book tickets have a look at MK Fringe website: www.mkfestivalfringe.com or www.comedycow.co.uk

July 16, 2014

Breathing paper and body prints – just a fragment of the MK Fringe events this July

In the heart of the Milton Keynes shopping centre, local artist, Anna Berry, has been busy for the last two weeks putting together an incredible art installation in an unused shop unit. The piece, called the Breathing Room, has been funded with help from MK Community Foundation and is created entirely from discarded A4 paper which has been donated by companies and organisations across Milton Keynes. Many hundreds of rolled cones have been made by the artist and are fixed to the walls of the space which gentle breathe in and out, creating an intriguing and mesmerising atmosphere. The exhibition, which is just off Middleton Hall, will be open daily throughout the Fringe Festival.

Meanwhile over in MK Central Library you can find the fascinating work of artist Deborah Last in an exhibition called Upper Room. The piece consists of full scale prints of women’s bodies on canvasses which the artist has drawn into. Each of the canvasses has an inbuilt sound track, recording s of the stories of the women who are represented and their contrasting attitudes towards their own body images.

Deborah Last is creating a publication of her body prints and is also running one to one body printing from MK Gallery for one day only on Thursday 17^th – so you could have a print of your body done by the artist! Booking is essential for these sessions, to find out more just go to MK Fringe website: www.mkfestivalfringe.com

MK Fringe is also hosting a special three day event in City Square (just outside M&S) which showcases the work of up to 14 local artists who have been asked to perform and exhibit in and around pop-up tents! The three day event is called Pitch: Events in Tents and there’ll be everything from a mini art exhibition in a tent, drawing workshops and puppet making, to a dance performance, an installation of knitted plastic and a mini show about climate change!

This year the Fringe runs from 17^th – 24^th July, alongside the International Festival and there are some real treats in store.There is also some AMAZING theatre, music and comedy programmed throughout the eight day Fringe Festival, in venues all around MK

Check out the full programme on our website: www.mkfestivalfringe.com

July 14, 2014

Art in the Park returns to Campbell Park with food, art music and more, #MadeinMK

MK Islamic Arts, Heritage and Culture Group presents their annual art of integration festival, bringing a diverse selection of art, food and events to Campbell Park. August 2nd and 3rd 2014, Saturday 1-7pm and Sunday 1-6pm. Everybody welcome, Free Entry!

Highlights include: Art wall, Healthy food cook-off, Funfair, Bouncy Castle, Face painting, Henna art design, Tug-of-war, Story telling, Fashion shows, Calligraphy and Geometry workshops and much more…

Art in the Park

You can download this flyer here: MKIAC Flyer Festival