27 November to 6 December
‘Light Up Elmbridge’; is a new online festival hosted centrally on the Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre YouTube Channel as well as on other social media sites and media outlets to maximise the reach of the performances.
Light Up Elmbridge aims to bring together the borough’s cultural sector in an exciting and dynamic celebration of music, theatre, dance, the visual and literary arts. It is an opportunity to show that the arts are one of the most powerful agents of reflection, recovery and renewal, even more so in these unprecedented times.
This project is run in partnership between R C Sherriff Trust, Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre and Elmbridge Borough Council.
The festival will feature original content – productions/readings/recordings, archive performances, virtual exhibitions, literary submissions – that can be presented as part of an online programme.
Riverhouse Arts Centre now has a broadcast quality 3 camera set up capable of streaming performances and is looking forward to partnering with performers and artists who would like to utilise this technology.
Pete Allen, Director of the R C Sherriff Trust, said, “Over the last few months, local art organisations, performers, musicians and artists have come up with incredibly imaginative solutions to bring entertainment into people’s homes and provided solace in periods of isolation. It has been uplifting to see how they have responded to this crisis and come together to engage with the public. The Light Up Elmbridge Festival is about celebrating the wealth of artistic talent in the borough by showcasing works and performances in an innovative and powerful way”.
Emily Boulting, Director of the Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre: “We have been missing our audience & visitors during lockdown and have implemented new ways of keeping in touch with them. Thanks to our new streaming facilities and camera equipment, we have been able to continue offering a varied programme of arts, performances and music. We are now ideally positioned to give opportunities to artists to stream their work and ensure they reach a wide audience. I encourage artists to come forward to discuss how we can help them to support their work through the Light Up Elmbridge Festival”.
Janet Turner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Elmbridge Borough Council, said, “In times like these, arts play an important role in our lives. They contribute to our wellbeing, especially when having to stay confined at home. We are very lucky to have so many arts groups and such an active arts community in Elmbridge. We want to celebrate their talent and resilience with the Light Up Elmbridge Festival. They are a beacon of light in the present troubled times”.
Find out more information at rcsherrifftrust.org.uk or elmbridge.gov.uk/culture.