LIFESTYLE-Magazine-Winter-2016

Fourteen years ago, and very heavily pregnant, I made a presentation at Oswaldtwistle Area Council...

By GAYLE KNIGHT Creative Director, Civic Arts Centre and Theatre, Oswaldtwistle

T

he main gist of the presentation was that the space underneath the Civic Theatre, Oswaldtwistle was underutilised and that there was the potential for more local drama and arts provision; particularly for young people. Representatives fromHyndburn Borough Council and local Councillors agreed that there was scope for developing the ideas but at that time it wasn’t taken any further. About ten years ago, with this still in the back of my mind, I became aware that local theatre groups were struggling to cast young people in plays. All young leads were being played by people far older than the parts required. I spoke to the management board of Oswaldtwistle Players and secured funding for seing up a youth group. This became Sparks and is now one of the core projects based at the Civic. The very first Sparks session aracted over 50 young people, many of whom are still involved. Sparks made me even more convinced that there was a desperate need for activities for young people in the area and that the Civic was the ideal space for it. I again approached the Council and was able to secure some Arts Council funding to develop some consultation work to demonstrate the need for creative provision. This led to Hyndburn Borough Council investing in refurbishment of the space underneath the theatre and allowing Hyndburn Arts to be formed to manage that space which is now the Civic Arts Centre (the theatre continued to be managed by Hyndburn Leisure until 2015). Hyndburn Arts has a board of local people and has overall management of the running of the Civic Arts Centre and its finances.

We’ve been able to secure funding for large scale projects like Project Theatre Company, Welcome to Gobbinland andWeather or Not, and we’ve extended our reach substantially beyond Oswaldtwistle, with people travelling great distances to take part in regular events. We work with local schools on a regular basis delivering activities and shows to them. We create outdoor events and were a partner involved in reinstating Oswaldtwistle Carnival in 2014. As our confidence, and staff team has grown, we’ve aracted bigger name performers including sell out performances fromChina Crisis, Cannon and Ball, Forbidden Nights, Navi and Jenny Éclair and we host one of Manford Comedy’s top comedy clubs in the country. We now have an in-house team of producers that are developing, producing and directing shows in-house on a regular basis. We also work with local charities to help them fundraise and this month alone we handed over £700 to East Lancs Hospice and £1,265 to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Being handed the keys in August 2010 was a scary moment because I realised that I had now to prove that everything I said previously was right! Fortunately, since opening the Centre and subsequently taking over management of the theatre it has gone from strength to strength. It now aracts over 1,000 people a week taking part in drama, music, dance and all manner of creative activities. Dramatic Annie, ReAct Academy, St Mary’s Panto, Skoot and other groups deliver sessions at the Civic every day of the week.

I had now to prove that everything I said previously was right!

But it doesn’t just cater for young people as people of all ages have rediscovered their passion for performing, singing and craing through new groups that have been formed at the Civic. It has also become a community hub with things like quiz nights, Murder Mysteries and Escape Room type events being held here. We are currently working on a number of projects, one of them being the Hearts and Cras project with SuperSlowWay and another is a sculpture project with Tesco Bags of Difference funding. There is still a lot of hard work to do and many opportunities for the Civic Arts Centre and Theatre but when I see the smiles on young people’s faces aer a performance, or I hear of someone who has joined two or three different groups and is building a social life here, or I see a comment on Facebook saying howmuch people have enjoyed a show, I know it is all worthwhile and that there is a great future ahead for the Centre. To find out more about the Civic (to participate, watch or volunteer) visit www.civicartscentre.co.uk or ring 01254 398319.

Left and above: Funding is a constant drive - the Oswaldtwistle Carnival in 2014 was a great community milestone.

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