Festival Evaluation
Executive Summary Extracts
The Severn Project 2009 was a great success in terms of artistic content, participant experience, audience experience, and for the participating artists in terms of creative and professional development opportunities. Two one-day festivals in Tewkesbury and Lydney formed the centrepieces of the project. Within and around them – between April and September 2009 – ran a series of interrelating performances, workshops and other elements at a range of venues across Gloucestershire. Links were made with the ‘The Quest’, the Cultural Olympiad in the South West.
Helen Owen, Arts Development Officer, Gloucestershire County Council. Right Helen Owen receiving the BBC West Cultural Olympiad Champion Award 2009 from David Lawrence.
“This is terrific endorsement of all the hard work and sheer talent that went into the whole series of events. It was such an exciting and innovative project that I think it really put Gloucestershire on the cultural map of the UK in a new way and brought many people into contact with the arts.”
It is estimated that the Project reached around 10,000 people as audiences and 1259 as participants. The overall programme of events was devised and delivered by a multi-agency, multi-artist partnership including local authority arts, music, library, archive and other departments. This highly innovative partnership model was key to the success of the project, but also presented it with challenges.
“What is new for us as Creative Directors, is working with that wide range of partners. As practising artists, we can think strategically and radically about partnerships. It is all about being creative with other people. The arts can and do affect people on a broad spectrum and can address and promote social and environmental agendas.” Desperate Men, Artistic Directors
“You all achieved something amazing - so ambitious and accessible. Thank you for including me in the project and well done.” Alice Oswald, poet
The Project also took the innovative form of commissioning a major new poetic work by an internationally renowned artist (A Sleepwalk on the Severn by Alice Oswald) and using this as the centrepiece of the artistic programme. The poem was adapted into a number of performances and interpretations through music, stage/street theatre, made art, writing and music workshops. This proved to have a major bearing on the quality of experience for other participating (local) artists, participating members of the public and audiences, in terms of their enjoyment and engagement with new, innovative, high profile successful artworks and events.
“Severn Project has been a unique project. This is the first time that a poetic work for many voices has been the inspiration for a multi arts programme, leading to the creation of new music, dance theatre, song and even comedy.” Deborah Harrison, Severn Project festival Manager
“The atmosphere created at Tewkesbury and Lydney by the dance, theatre and music made two truly magical events which were enjoyed by all. The outside ‘site specific’ element made it particularly special. Please, please can we do something like this again” Festival participant
A particular emphasis was put upon participatory art creation/performance, and 1,259 members of the public took part in rehearsed performances as singers, dancers and makers, and/or as participants in a number of one-off workshops and indoor and outdoor performance events. The festivals and other Project elements brought high-quality innovative arts to small rural communities in the Gloucestershire area which have had little or any previous exposure to art initiatives of this type and scale. The Project has also served to give a significant boost to the artistic community of Gloucestershire by providing them with significant professional and creative opportunities, exposure at local and regional levels, and the chance to work in partnerships with other artists and organisations. The festivals have also had significant impacts in raising community and landscape awareness in the host towns and helping to boost local economies.
"I was so pleased to be involved. It really felt like being part of something big. The music was great and very moving – a joyous experience. Nice to celebrate nature and the river." Musician in choir band
“This was a new style of event for Tewkesbury. The festival brought people of all ages to experience different elements of the arts including local and national performers.” Tewkesbury Councillor
The Severn Project leaves a considerable legacy in terms of community impact, skills development and artistic development. This is manifest in a range of concrete outputs and future plans amongst the partnership membership. For the full evaluation report click:
Written by Dr Owain Jones
Countryside & Community Research Institute
University of the West of England / University of Gloucestershire
Dunholme Villa, The Park, Cheltenham GL50 2RH
Email: ojones@glos.ac.uk October 2009
October 2009
