HomeNewsWhat were the ‘WOW’ moments of 2024 for Activate?

What were the ‘WOW’ moments of 2024 for Activate?

  Activate’s Producing team have selected the most memorable and brilliant events from this year. As a lovely way to round up 2024, Dom Kippin, Caroline Suri and Michaela Shaw reflect on the stand out moments: from seeing Weymouth College students rehearse with Worldbeaters to co-creating a new noisy bookcase with 400 energetic school children, […]

 

Activate’s Producing team have selected the most memorable and brilliant events from this year. As a lovely way to round up 2024, Dom Kippin, Caroline Suri and Michaela Shaw reflect on the stand out moments: from seeing Weymouth College students rehearse with Worldbeaters to co-creating a new noisy bookcase with 400 energetic school children, and making new connections with diverse community groups with Dorset National Landscapes Flavours team.

Dom Kippin, Activate’s Outdoor Arts Producer said: “For me, 2024 was all about potential – in particular seeing the many great artists and communities we get to work with push themselves to reach their full potential. Two particular highlights were, firstly, September’s world premiere of Fireflies by Worldbeaters. Seeing the students from Weymouth College transform themselves into fully-fledged drummers, performing in front of thousands, was incredible. Secondly, I got to spend time on the road with Working Boys Club, taking their show Serving Sounds to festivals across the UK and Europe. In August we went to Sziget Festival in Budapest for 6 days of shows. One evening, halfway through the week, they started performing on a corner near some food vans. Before we knew it hundreds of people had gathered around, listening, dancing and singing. Serving Sounds brought all these people together for 30 minutes, creating some incredible memories.”

Caroline Suri, Producer (Theatre, Education and Engagement) said: “It’s been an eventful and colourful year, working with a fabulous range of people and communities across Dorset and BCP of all ages.  In Spring we worked with nearly 400 eight and nine year olds from primary schools across Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch on a project called Noisy Noise Noise. A series of interactive workshops with Jason and Adam Dupree from Working Boys Club to co-create a new artwork for young people. I’ve also enjoyed making new links with a range of secondary school art departments as we shape and develop our Inside Out Dorset projects for 2025.

Outside the classroom I’ve enjoyed working with Dorset National Landscapes Flavours team to make new connections with diverse community groups across the region; taking part in Rangoli and wreath-making at Corfe Castle to celebrate Rang Barse, listening to the landscape at Durlston Country Park with artist Lorna Rees and the BPC Indian Community and our Summer visit to Durlston with the Nigerian Community in Dorset.  Building connections with our rich and varied landscapes through art is also at the heart of the Nature Calling project and it’s been a busy year working with our commissioned writer, Louisa Adjoa Parker and Becca Gill, our commissioned artist, to shape and develop the project and to build connections with our colleagues and communities in South Somerset.

We’re so lucky in Dorset to have such a strong and supportive community of theatres and venues and I’ve loved hosting the Dorset Theatre Promoters Network this year and welcoming new members into the group.  Making connections and bringing people together is always a privilege of the job and with Wiltshire Creative we’ve been building a new Regional Engagement Network and making new and stronger connections across the regional for our creative engagement colleagues.

Live performance is always a highlight of any year, whether it’s the magical Midsummer Madness that we supported Allsort’d on in April or the crazy antics of Spark and Worldbeaters in Weymouth later in the year as part of Dusk Til Dark.”

Michaela Shaw, Producer (specialising in Youth Dance and Diversity) said: “For me, the highlight of 2024 is seeing young people become empowered through the arts. Opening up opportunity for young people, providing a platform for them to show what they can do and seeing that sense of achievement and accomplishment, is what we strive to do. Dom has already mentioned the impact working with Worldbeaters has had on the students at Weymouth College. But seeing their talent and creativity develop, the spark of possibility unfold and their confidence build is invigorating.  Seeing young people work alongside professionals to run, manage and perform at Street in the Park and the enjoyment, opportunities and progression that comes with that, such as Street in the Park on tour at We Out Here Festival…..just amazing!  And seeing the Remix family shine in many performances…….their warmth, energy and commitment is always infectious!
We are so lucky to have, and continue to build, amazing partnerships with local and regional businesses, events and organisations, who like us, believe anything is possible and everyone’s invited!  Looking forward to seeing what 2025 has in store!”

Image credits: Finnbarr Webster

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