The Vital Spark
A Celebration of Creativity in Liskeard.

January to March 2012

Last year was fantastic
“Brilliant, what a wealth of energy creativity and inspiration lies within our community, thanks to all who have started to uncover and promote it”
“Superb evening - here’s to the next festival”

Be Inspired - Workshops and Activities, January - March 2012

We have lots of imaginative offers to get your creative juices going. We have guest workshops with Sally Crabtree writer in residence at Hall for Cornwall and Anna Murphy, a chance to dance, sing, make art and music. Dip your toe in or become part of the performances. Artists, writers come along to the dance sessions and watch, draw, write.

Festival fortnight- March 5th – 18th 2012
Packed with events and performances including Rough Cut,
The Big Celebration, A Day of Words and a week-long art exhibition.
Calling schools clubs, shops and individuals- Put your idea in Festival Fortnight.
This years’ theme is Liskeard’s Got Style –past present and future. Take this theme and put on your own event, fancy dress day, tea party, create a dance, sing a song, write a story, decorate your window, a cake.....We can advertise it on the website.
So get weaving stories from the past into happenings of the present to make memories for the future.
Creative conversation - exchange your ideas and Vital Spark images on facebook. Visit facebook.com/thevitalspark or thevitalsparkliskeard.wordpress.com/

Taking part is easy.

Contact Lois Taylor: 07730586306
E-mail: enquiries@vital-spark-liskeard.co.uk www.liskerrett.co.uk/vital-spark www.facebook.com/thevitalspark.

About the workshops

Singing
Gerry Hillman leader of Con Brio and Java five will run 7 fun sessions to develop Cornish and newly composed songs to perform at Rough Cut event March 9th – no experience necessary.
Sparking Saturdays – Cornish Dance
Carmen Hunt, who has performed & taught at many prestigious folk festivals & cultural events, will lead a series of workshops in Cornish social & scoot (step) dance. Learn how to dance a furry or two, an Old Hand-in-Hand, a Mr Martin’s Reel, a breakdown & Liskeard’s very own ‘Fer Lyskerrys’ - foot stomping fun for all!
Rough Cut drama group
Lois Taylor invites you to come together to create some short sketches and stories to perform at Rough Cut March 9th.
Dance sessions
Lois Taylor freelance choreographer experienced in making large and small scale work in professional and community settings, invites anyone who likes to dance to come and work creatively with her to develop a dance piece for the big celebration March 17th.
Music makers
Introducing Cornish Traditional Music led by Steve Hunt, who has recorded and performed with Corncrow, Dalla, Leski, and others on the Cornish/ national folk scene. Sessions are open to all players of acoustic instruments, and focus on developing skills, learning traditional tunes ‘by ear,’ and devising chordal and rhythmic accompaniments and inventive musical arrangements.
Sally Crabtree – Words on the wing
Described as an international action poet, a contributor to Woman’s Hour, a published writer and extensive performer, and developing work with the Hall for Cornwall, Sally invites you to let your imagination fly. The workshops include the lyrics alive instant song machine, edible poetry and the creation of books to house poems and stories.
Bring along an object that is precious to you (not in monetary terms!) It might have a story to tell. We will use it to inspire songs stories and poems that will be a featured in a mini travelling cabinet of curiosities.
Creative Knitting
Come and have fun and get creative, learn to knit or refresh your skills. Lots of knitting needed to make a window display. No knitting skills required (you don’t have to read patterns honest) just enthusiasm and imagination. Knitting needles and wool provided but bring your own and any spare if you want to.
Ignite – a day of words
Anna Maria Murphy is an inspirational storyteller, playwright and poet. She has worked extensively with Kneehigh Theatre, including writing for the acclaimed ‘The Red Shoes’. She has also written for Theatre Alibi, Platform 4, Brainstorm Films, The Eden Project and Radio 4.
What the Dickens
In February Liskeard leads the Dickens bi-centenary celebrations in style. Hotfoot from the academic front, having attended the Dickens Conference in Paris and Bologne, Dr. Ella Westland will be discussing the work of Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens: the continental connection.
Full details in the January WEA brochure.

T: 01872 320036
E: cornwalloffice@wea.org.uk

Cost and contacts – 18 and under everything only £2.00

Sparking Saturdays: Carmen Hunt : £4.00 : 01579 348434
Singing: Gerry Hillman : £3.00 : 07754106271
Dance: Lois Taylor : £4.00 : 07730586306
Rough Cutdrama group : Lois Taylor : £4.00 : 07730586306
Words on the Wing: Lois Taylor : £4.00 : 07730586306
Music Makers: Stephen Hunt : FREE : 01579 348434
Creative Knitting: Victoria Rowan : £3.00 : 07821949526
Ignite– a day of words : Jackie Taylor : £20 pp, : 01579 320147 : places limited, advance booking preferable

Festival Fortnight

March 5th – 18th 2012

We are inviting shops, traders, venues and local people to get involved ideas so far:
Rough Cut- a night of live music and sketches at the Liskerrett Community Centre, inspired by the crazy time of boom and bust in mining towns
Traders- dressing up and decorating windows
The Exhibition- New work created over the Vital Spark exhibited at Stuart House
A day of words- a market of new writing, edible poetry cakes and much more
The Big Celebration- Liskeard Public Hall performance and live music.
A museum Live performance town trail.
A new playabout the castle.
See www.liskerrett.co.uk/vital-spark for further information
Artists- take the Vital Spark theme Liskeard’s Got Style - past present and future or draw inspiration from one of the workshops and make new work, to show in our exhibition.

Contact us with your ideas

A creative idea stays flexible to the end so stay in touch with your ideas and we can put it on the website.

Make Liskeard the place to be!

Vital Spark is a voluntary group of individuals who celebrate creativity in the area. We welcome any support you can offer time, finance, practical.
Contact Lois Taylor: 07730586306 E-mail: enquiries@vital-spark-liskeard.co.uk
www.liskerrett.co.uk/vital-spark