Fenland Creatives

Fenland Creatives

2023-2026

Our Creative Places work supports artists to develop projects with communities across the region. Residencies offer artists time and space to expand their practice and explore ideas for projects they might then develop with us. Supported by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, dancer and choreographer Dan Canham is on a three year residency across the Fens to explore the creative journeys of young people in the area.

2023/2024

Re-discovering the landscape of his childhood, Dan embarked on a series of meetings with local organisations which opened up an unexpected encounter. When Babylon Arts introduced Dan to Katie Boag and Ash Goosey, two krump dancers from the Ely area, they collaborated on a short film that resonated profoundly with many of the themes he went into the residency with; young people, landscape, climate grief and ritual. The film, Fenland Elegy, premiered at Norfolk & Norwich Festival in 2024 and has been an Official Selection for Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema 2024. Fenland Elegy is available to watch below.

2024/2025

We have continued to support Dan’s residence in the Fens as he delves deeper into connecting with communities in the area. Over a series of meetings and workshops in 2024, Dan linked up with 4D Dance, 20Twenty Productions, Pig Dyke Molly, and Abbey College Ramsey. The result of these encounters is a series of intimate film portraits, Four Portraits from an Edgeland, exploring young people’s experience of living in the Fens, and how creativity and dance is essential to their lives. Four Portraits from an Edgeland premiered at Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2025 and will have a Fenland premiere in Autumn 2025.

2025-2027

We are excited to continue working with Dan as his residency in the Fens draws to a close. The team are working to develop a major new work that will celebrate the culmination of Fenland Creatives. Keep an eye out for news of the project as it develops over the next two year.

‘This project has been wonderful for me – a well supported and consistent opportunity for creative space and dreaming. Making great things happen in response to inspiring people. These kinds of opportunities feel increasingly rare.’ - Dan Canham

‘I absolutely loved seeing the dancers being so open with each other about how they feel within the group. Even though they are well connected we’ve never really had that level of openness and honesty. It was truly magic.’ – Project Parnter, 4DDance

‘The fact it was something so obscure as dancing in the fields of Fenland was so freeing to me. It felt so good to get together as a group and just dance and be filmed. There is so much open space to fill your mind with that you forget about everything you’re worrying about.’ – Project Participant