Festival Blog
Sascha Goslin: Creating Space for Change
15.1.21 | Industry Insight
Producer Sascha Goslin has established the Norfolk Black & POC Creatives Network, providing a vital space for workers across the creative sector to meet, discuss and share. In this post, Sascha tells us about the origins behind, and ambitions for, this necessary project.
Creative Careers: An Honest, Optimistic Q&A with our Team
23.11.20 | News Update
Brexit, COVID and ‘Fatima-Gate’ have sparked plenty of recent discussion about the sector – how viable is an job in the arts? Never ones to shy away from a debate, we asked colleagues across Festival departments (from Finance to Production to Development) their take on everything from career paths to their predictions for the industry’s future. If you’re interested in working in the arts, or if you’re just keen to learn more about the Festival Team, this is the Q&A for you!
Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2021 Announcement
19.11.20 | News Update
Read the full press release from our latest Festival 2021 announcement.
Nadenh Poan: Life as a Disabled Dance Artist in Lockdown
13.11.20 | Artist Insight
Marking 25 years since the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Stopgap Dance’s Nadenh Poan reflects on the emerging threat lockdown poses to hard-fought disabled visibility in the arts, and how he’s keeping busy from home.
My Time as Communications & Development Assistant
05.11.20 | Staff Insight
Denise, 2019/20’s Communications & Development Assistant, describes her 18 months working at the Festival, outlining some of her favourite highlights and biggest challenges.
Why Creative Learning Matters
22.10.20 | Staff Insight | Industry Insight
As we enter into an uneasy October Half Term, our Creative Learning Manager Sarah Witcomb took some time to think about why we run our year-round arts education programme. In this post, Sarah advocates for the enormous benefits of creative learning in schools, for children, parents, communities, and our collective health.
Meet James Hardie, Festival Music Programmer
12.10.20 | Staff Insight
Read about James’ vision for the Festival’s music programme; from bolstering music education to diversifying audiences and venues for our classical offering.
Creating The Journey: How to Make a Public Soundscape
2.10.20 | Artist Insight | Industry Insight
For 2019’s Festival Launch, we worked with a team of artists and producers to create The Journey, an immense evening of storytelling centred on a highwire walk across Norwich Market. In this post, Sound Designer Helen Atkinson charts her experience of the project, capturing voices from across the county to create a sonic story of Norfolk, migration and home.
Creative Individuals: Why supporting Norfolk's creative communities is more important than ever
25.9.20 | News Update | Industry Insight
We know the vital role creative individuals play in the arts ecology. And we know freelance creative workers have been some of the hardest hit during Covid-19 pandemic. Festival Production Officer Ailsa McKay outlines one of the ways in which the Festival is supporting artistic projects and communities in Norfolk, and explains just how pivotal Freelancers are to the Creative Sector.
Regional Theatre at Risk: Lock Down at Sheringham Little Theatre
18.9.20 | News Update | Industry Insight
As we begin working with Sheringham Little Theatre across a number of projects, Theatre Director Debbie Thompson shares her experience of leading one of North Norfolk’s most-loved venues through lock down, explaining why regional theatre is now more important than ever.
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10.9.20 | Staff Insight | Creative Writing
We asked poet and one of 2020’s Volunteers Coordinators Ellie Reeves to respond the Festival’s cancellation in her chosen medium. In this poem, Ellie reflects on change, career paths, and perfecting Mary Berry’s roulade in the time of Covid.
‘Undoing’ a Festival? Thoughts from an Assistant's first six months
21.8.20 | Staff Insight
Every year, four Assistants join the Festival ranks for 18 months of hand-on industry experience. In this post Abbie Reeve, the Festival’s latest Production & Programming Assistant, shares experiences from her first six months in the role, and what can be learnt from unpicking a year’s work.
In Conversation with Frozen Light's Lucy Garland
12.9.20 | Artist Insight | Interview
In February, Festival Assistants Abbie and Robbie spoke to Frozen Light’s Lucy Garland about their 2020 Festival co-commission, Fire Songs. Although the show’s debut has been delayed due to the COVID outbreak, we thought this conversation about sensory performance, learning from PMLD audiences and the future of accessible theatre was well worth repeating.
Wish You Were Here
3.8.20 | Staff Insight | Creative Writing
Each year, the Festival recruits two Volunteers Coordinators to help organise our team of 140+ volunteers. However, for 2020 Volunteers Coordinator Georgia Rees Lang, the Festival’s cancellation left more than a hole in her May to-do list. In this letter, she reflects on a lost love in an ode to the Festival That Never Was…
Masthead image: Snarky Puppy © JMA Photography