Past Successes

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2007

July 2007 Starfish Theatre Company: Starfish United was performed at the Tithe Barn (see press release Starfish United!). The production was developed by the Company members to deliver an anti bullying message by using football as the theme, although there was also an X Factor style panel of bullying judges who were put in their place!

May - June 2007: Spinning Yarns: Participants from around the county celebrate their achievements by holding a series of exhibition days at Appleby, Longtown, Barrow & Egremont.  Workshops were held in stained glass making, computer graphics, liquid lead, rag rugging, watercolours, encaustic art, felting & circle dancing.

10 May 2007: Celebration Event: Prism Arts celebrated winning the Rural Arts Organisation of the Year Award at Dada Fest 06. We are also 20 years old and we're launching this new web site. Held at the Sands Centre, Carlisle, to coincide with a Starfish exhibition, workshops included playing the gamelan, making music, movement and drama, salsa dancing and making shadow puppets.

April 2007: Starfish performed The Weavers at the La’al Fest at Theatre by the Lake.

February 2007: Arts and Crafts project for members of SIS (Self Injuries Support).

January 2007: Research project into visual Arts for learning disabled participants.

2006

December 2006: Prism Arts won a National vote to become Rural Arts Organisation of the Year at Dada Fest 2006.

4 October 2006: D.Art Day on 4 October 2006 at Rheged was the very successful inaugural conference with speakers, performance, exhibitions and workshops. This project is supported by core funding from Arts Council England North East and Carlisle City Council. Speakers included:

  • Tom Shakespeare - made the keynote speech
  • Caroline Boditch - performer, talked about her journey in the arts and the ‘Domino Effect’
  • Laurence Clark - Comedian, performed some of his recent show from the Edinburgh festival based on his Jim‘ll Fix it experience
  • Ben Cove - NW regional Artist 2005, showed slides of his work
  • DIY / Starfish Theatre Company from Salford and Cumbria respectively performed an improvisation based upon a journey, showcasing learning disabled theatre
  • South Lakes Society for the Blind (who created the invitation image) exhibited recent work as did Eden Mencap. The event was funded by Arts Council England NW

28 June 2006: Spinning Yarns Big Bash: Held at the Shepherd's Inn, Carlisle, participants from all the groups around the county came together to exhibit work, celebrate and take part in dance, Chinese calligraphy, theatrical make up and other workshops.

March - May 2006: Spinning Yarns: Barrow group hold a photographic exhibition in Art Gene's U-Hang gallery at the Nan Tait Centre, Barrow, showing items they created during their workshops.

6 February 2006: HRH Prince of Wales' visit to Appleby Spinning Yarns group as part of his visit to open the new Riverside Building at Appleby.  HRH Prince Charles joined participants painting on china.

2005

December 2005: Prism Arts Exhibition at Cumberland Building Society on Fisher Street, Carlisle.

September - October 2005: Artsminded: Arts and crafts for people with mental health problems based in Carlisle – a research project.

8 June 2005: Spinning Yarns: Big Lottery funding celebration, exhibition and press launch.  Representatives from the various Spinning Yarns groups around the county and invited press & local councillors, came together at Brampton for this celebration on securing 3 years of Big Lottery funding.

May 2005: Wendy Hannah and Andrew Murphy, participants of Starfish, exhibit work at Tate Modern as part of a MENCAP exhibition.

April 2005: Starfish perform at the La’al Fest at Theatre by the Lake.

February 2005: A Starfish production, based loosely on a magical maze, to be performed at ‘On the Map’ in Manchester and Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

2004

December 2004: Christmas Carnival, Starfish Theatre Company’s first performance, was at Carlisle.

November 2004: ‘Celebration’: A series of arts workshops for young people with learning disabilities, to evaluate the demand for a future project. They were held at James Rennie School and were run in partnership with New Directions (Theatre by the Lake). Carlisle College, James Rennie School and Prism Arts.

October 2004: ‘Roadhead Project’: Arts workshops were held in Roadhead to establish if there was a need for future arts provision.

19 July 2004: Spinning Yarns: Brampton group - first open day & exhibition with the Mayor of Carlisle, deputy chair of Cumbria County Council & BBC Radio Cumbria's Paul Braithwaite.

June 2004: Starfish Theatre Company: Starfish Theatre Company was established with the support of Prism Arts. See under Starfish Theatre Company.

April 2004: The Nightingale, by Hans Christian Anderson, was performed at Tullie House, Carlisle.

April 2004 - ongoing : ‘Spinning Yarns’: Arts workshops for the over 55s running throughout the County of Cumbria. The project is participant led and will look to raise the status of creative work with older people in the community. It will include intergenerational workshops with local schools and culminate in an exhibition of the participants work. See Spinning Yarns.

March 2004 - February 2005: ‘Seventeen’: A Bursary Scheme for deaf and disabled artists throughout the north-west with a showcase of their work at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal. Launch of DVD of the work at Art ’05 in Liverpool February 2005. This was run in partnership with ACE NW, Full Circle Arts, NWDAF and Prism Arts.

2003

June 2003: "Lightning Strikes" - A day of celebration and taster workshops with nationally acclaimed disabled artists, and a Cabaret in the evening.

May 2003: Drumfest: Prism Arts ran a series of drumming workshops in Carlisle with artist Stripey Dog.

April/May 2003: St George and the Dragon and Li Chi, two Dragon plays, were toured with workshops in Workington and Kendal.

2002

Nov/Dec 2002: Jumpstart produced 2 short pieces which they toured to day centres in Cumbria.

2002 - 2005: Jumpstart Project: During Prism Arts' "Breaking the Mould" Festival, the Company hosted a conference with learning disabled people to gauge what everyone wanted to see happen next. It was very clear that participants wanted longer term projects, during which they could develop theatre skills, perform to a wider audience and link up with other groups in the region. Out of this event Jumpstart was developed, and was launched in April 2002.

2001

2001: MINDfields: A 6 month project with people who are living with mental health problems. The project offered a range of creative media to participants in North Cumbria, exploring music, drama, digital arts and creative writing.. The project concluded with a special installation, a concert and a presentation of a new CD.

2001: Moving Mountains: Dance project with Carlisle Age Concern - creating a piece of choreography for presentation.

2000

2000 - 2002: Deaf View/Sheepfolds: Prism arts had been involved with a major public arts project in association with Cumbria County Council's Andy Goldsworthy's Sheepfolds sculpture commission since 1998, when the Company began to research access with disability groups. The Cumbria Deaf Association expressed an interest in a photographic project, through which they could explore the Sheepfolds sites, and "Deaf View" - a touring exhibition - was the result. Site-specific storytelling and drama\music projects were also devised with various Cumbria groups to celebrate "Sheepfolds".

2000: "Breaking the Mould": Cumbria's festival of Arts and Disability, which included an exhibition by Aidan Shingler, workshops and gig with Heart n Soul, a music project with Altar Native and a sculpture project.

1999

1999 - 2001: Drama Club project: Inspired by visits to Carlisle by Heart n' Soul and the Lawnmowers (nationally renowned learning disabled performance groups), the project was set up so that learning disabled groups in Cumbria could have a regular input of creative arts. The project ended with "Theatrefest" at Kendal Brewery Arts Theatre June 2001.