A unique blend of cycling and theatre comes to Darlington giving residents and visitors the chance to take part in this immersive experience

Eden Arts have partnered up with Darlington Borough Council to bring the award winning Blast Theory to South Park Darlington with their unique experience Rider Spoke. Having toured worldwide Eden Arts are delighted to be able to introduce this event to the area. Tickets are available to purchase for the three days the tour visits Darlington on Friday 21st April, Saturday 22nd April and Sunday 23rd April.

You are given the opportunity to listen to other peoples stories, hidden along the route of your choice, while being prompted to share your own. Previous participants have described the experience as ‘contemplative, ‘thought provoking’ and ‘fun’. 

If you are not able to ride a bike there are other options making the event fully accessible. You can bring your own bike or turn up and use one provided by Northern Renewables in Redcar, or you can take part on foot or in a wheelchair

This tour will also see Rider Spoke visit Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake 21st-23rd April and to The Palace Hub in Redcar 28th-30th April. Each location offers an entirely different experience from lake shore to park, seaside to town.

Rider Spoke was developed by Brighton based Blast Theory in collaboration with the Mixed Reality Lab and was first was first staged at the Barbican, London. Blast Theory are renowned for creating groundbreaking new forms of performance and interactive media that mixes audiences across the internet, live performance and digital broadcasting.

Rider Spoke is brought to you as part of the #66 project linking regions along the A66, supported by the Arts Council and the local authorities across the region. Curated and managed by Eden Arts the #66 project brings new cultural, digital and sustainable projects to the region, helping to make it the most liveable place in the UK, especially for the under 40s.

This is more than just a bike ride, it’s theatre on a bike. Be ready for the most revealing bike ride you’ll ever have. Across the 28 cities where the work has been shown it has been astonishing to see what people share – sometimes shocking, sometimes very funny, often intimate, and personal.

Additional information and booking:

Rider Spoke is suitable for people aged 16 years and over. With a smartphone attached to your handlebars, set off in search of the perfect place to hide a secret. Guided by narration and a delicate soundtrack, explore back roads and hidden corners in search of personal stories told by people like you from around the world. Take time to reflect on the moments in your own life that mean the most. Then decide whether to leave behind a story of your own.

The work is accessible for people with disabilities including reduced mobility, impaired vision and hearing. Audiences with access needs can take part in a wheelchair, on a mobility scooter, or on foot. Bring your own bike or hop on one loaned by the Northern Renewable Centre, Redcar. We give you a smartphone with the Rider Spoke app already on it and ready to go, so you don’t have to use your own phone or download anything. 

The duration of the show for an individual participant is around 75 minutes. There will be 6 tickets available every 30 mins.

Rider Spoke is a cultural treat, environmentally sound, good for mind and body – what inner thoughts do you have as you cycle around the town?

 “gloriously enlivening … ” – Metro, five stars

“As soon as it was over, I wanted more.” – ICON Magazine

Rider Spoke Tickets £5 per person. Early bird tickets available with the discount code ‘earlybird’ https://www.edenarts.co.uk/projects/rider-spoke

Theatre by the Lake 14-16 April, 2pm-7pm

South Park, Darlington 21-23 April, 2pm-7pm

The Palace Hub, Redcar 28-30 April, 2pm-7pm

Award Winning Rider Spoke comes to Keswick, Darlington and
Redcar- Listen to heartfelt stories from strangers in this
unique, immersive bike ride

Performed in over 28 countries worldwide, internationally award-winning Rider Spoke is on tour. It has been in Adelaide and ‘gone down a storm’ in Athens. Now Eden Arts are bringing the world-class Rider Spoke to Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake, Darlington’s South Park and to the Palace Hub in Redcar this April.

Rider Spoke is available at South Park, Darlington between 2pm and 7pm from Friday 21 April to Sunday 23 April 2023.

Booking information

Rider Spoke Tickets £5 per person. Early bird tickets available with the discount
code ‘earlybird’

https://www.edenarts.co.uk/projects/rider-spoke

Rider Spoke is suitable for people aged 16 years and over.

The duration of the show for an individual participant is around 75 minutes. There will be 6 tickets available every 30 mins.

Rider Spoke was developed by Brighton based Blast Theory in collaboration with the Mixed Reality Lab and was first was first staged at the Barbican, London. Blast Theory are renowned for creating groundbreaking new forms of performance and interactive media that mixes audiences across the internet, live performance and digital broadcasting.

The work is accessible for people with disabilities including reduced mobility, impaired vision and hearing. Audiences with access needs can take part in a wheelchair, on a mobility scooter, or on foot. Bring your own bike or hop on one loaned by the Northern Renewable Centre, Redcar. We give you a smartphone with the Rider Spoke app already on it and ready to go, so you don’t have to use your own phone or download anything.

This is more than just a bike ride, it’s theatre on a bike. Be ready for the most revealing bike ride you’ll ever have, its been astonishing to see what people share – sometimes shocking, sometimes very funny, often intimate, and personal.

Rider Spoke is brought to you as part of the #66 project linking regions along the A66, supported by Arts Council England and the local authorities across the region. Curated and managed by Eden Arts the #66 project brings new cultural, digital and sustainable projects to the region, helping to make it the most liveable place in the UK, especially for the under 40s.

“What’s special about Rider Spoke is hearing people talk about the everyday joys and struggles they face. And about the things that made them. Taking a ride with no particular destination is a rare freedom to reflect on life and find perspective. We’re excited to see what the landscapes of Keswick, Darlington and Redcar will bring. What stories people will share? And what people will recognise of themselves in the
stories they hear from around the world.”

Nick Tandavanitj, Blast Theory Artist

With a smartphone attached to your handlebars, set off in search of the perfect place to hide a secret. Guided by narration and a delicate soundtrack, explore back roads and hidden corners in search of personal stories told by people like you from around the world. Take time to reflect on the moments in your own life that mean the most. Then decide whether to leave behind a story of your own.

“Loved it! What an interesting and thought provoking event”

“Different to anything we have attended before”

Rider Spoke is a cultural treat, environmentally sound, good for mind and body – what inner thoughts do you have as you cycle around the town?

“gloriously enlivening … ” – Metro, five stars
“As soon as it was over, I wanted more.” – ICON Magazine

Darlington Borough Council is supporting Rider Spoke through Creative Darlington.

The Open Clasp Theatre Co performance of ‘Lasagna’, a snippet of which can be seen here, has already received great reviews. It is based on the true life experiences of women who have lost children to the care system and celebrates community, generosity and humanity. This fundraising performance is supporting the Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service Darlington and Co. Durham. Tickets are priced £14- and available now at: http://ow.ly/mLiW50MHAPp.

Creative Fuse Tees Valley are calling out for applications for their Creative Fuse Advance programme. The closing date for application is 12pm on Wednesday 8 February 2023. If you are thinking of applying but unsure if you are eligible, please contact W.Parvin@tees.ac.uk for an informal chat. If your application is eligible, you will be invited for an interview (Monday 13th/Tuesday 14th February 2023) to discuss your application before offering a place on the programme.

If you’re an early-stage creative start-up in the Tees Valley area, Creative Fuse Tees Valley would love to hear from you. Creative Fuse Advance is an exciting new 9-week programme designed to support and develop start-ups in the creative and cultural sector. You could receive access to workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities, up to a £5k grant and much more to advance the growth of your creative/cultural business. ERDF eligibility criteria apply. The workshops will be highly interactive and provide you with opportunities to share experiences and support like-minded individuals to excel. Please apply now, as demand is high and there are limited places.  Further information and application form are available at https://thedigitalcity.com/advance-programme-creative-fuse-tees-valley/

Education and training provider, Changing Relations have devised an engaging arts-based training for businesses who are ready to embrace the role they have to play in tackling domestic abuse, from sole traders, to SMEs, to large organisations.

They have advised that participants attending the earlier taster days for our Demystifying Domestic Abuse: Workplace Training in Autumn 2022 told them that:

“Gave me more confidence to have those conversations.”

“I want to reiterate how fantastic it was to experience the training you have developed as a participant (and a survivor).”

“Broadened the context in which I understand domestic abuse”

“Films were very powerful backed up by quality resources”

Domestic abuse is a duty of care matter for businesses of all sizes: 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men are affected by domestic abuse in their lifetime.  

Of those affected, a staggering 58% are known to miss up to 3 days of work per month due to their experience. Your staff and colleagues will be no exception.

75% of those affected by domestic abuse experience controlling behaviours such as stalking and surveillance whilst at work. Would you know what to do if you learned that a colleague was experiencing domestic abuse?

To widen the breadth of professionals and organisations empowered to identify, empathise with and support affected colleagues, clients, friends, or family, they have scheduled a further taster day on Tuesday 21 March 2023 and asked Creative Darlington to share the date with you so you can check your availability, or that of your HR Leads and People Managers if you wish to attend. We understand places are priced £95 per person and the day will run from 9am – 5pm in Bridge Creative, 8 Dorset Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6UP. 

To book your space, please email lisa@changingrelations.co.uk

To get an insight into the artistic content their training is based around, take a look at the following links: 

• The trailer of our film, Make Do and Mend – https://youtu.be/e2Jo7kQXbYo
• Clips of our soundscape Us Too – https://youtube.com/shorts/lm0tbbCRLSk?feature=share  /  https://youtube.com/shorts/ju7kZgC329c?feature=share

Changing Relations advise their impactful training will help you develop a more open, supportive company culture, with better people managers, leading happy, healthy, and productive teams.

Can’t make it? They’ll be scheduling further dates across May-July which are likely to be held in Newcastle. If you think this would work better for you / your colleagues, let Changing Relations know and they can keep you posted when dates are finalised.

Changing Relations look forward to welcoming you!

Are you a Tees Valley business with a physical and online presence? Then check out https://thedigitalcity.com/bricks-and-clicks-programme/ for Tees Valley business with a physical and online presence. Examples of eligible businesses may include:

• Creative designer makers with workshops, light industrial units etc.
• Artists with gallery/retail spaces
• Cultural sector with physical and online offers
• Independent retailers (including non-high street retailers e.g. selling car parts from a workshop space in person and online would be eligible).

Places on the Bricks and Clicks programme are limited, eligible companies will be accepted onto the programme on a first come first served basis, please apply today to secure your place by emailing info@thedigitalcity.com to find out if you’re eligible.

The Bricks and Clicks programme will consist of workshops and mentoring which will be delivered by Academic staff at Teesside University Business School including leaders in digital marketing, alongside 1 to 1 coaching and mentoring for your business.

Your business will also receive a digital audit to see and review your current position, strategy and develop a plan for the future. A small grant will be awarded* to support the growth of your digital offering and presence, subject to the creation of a development plan and eligibility.

Workshops will start in February with coaching for businesses commencing in March and April 2023.

Clore Leadership are delighted to invite you to the launch of a new regional leadership programme supporting arts & culture leadership and change making across the Tees Valley region.

The launch event will include a welcome from Hilary Carty, the executive director of Clore Leadership; and a representative of the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Guest Speakers: We’ll be joined by guest speakers, including Anna Byrne and Liam Slevin, the co-directors of The Auxiliary in Middlesbrough, who will offer reflection on their leadership approaches, and the notion of working within a place.

This will be followed by an opportunity to hear more about the new programme of leadership development, and how to get involved, from Clore Leadership associate Amanda Smethurst. 

Tuesday 31 January 2023, at The Hullabaloo

Doors open, tea and coffee from 1.30pm. Event runs from 2.00-4.00pm.

Clore Leadership are grateful to Tees Valley Combined Authority for funding to support this event and leadership development programmes in 2023 and 2024 through their Network and Sector Skills Development Challenge Fund.

To register to attend please complete this webform registration https://www.cloreleadership.org/register-tees-valley-programme-launch

The creative urge and the desire to explore ideas have walked hand in hand for millennia and this free course for adults, led by Paul Fagan and held at Working It Out in Darlington Town Centre, will illuminate links between Art and Philosophy, moving from prehistory to the post modern age and looking to the future. If you’re looking for something thought provoking and affordable then why not drop into the first session running 1pm to 3pm on Friday 6 January 2023. The Philosophy of Art is backed by the Darlington for Culture small grant scheme, which remains open to applications.

The Culture Bridge North East (CBNE) fund provides grants of up to £1,500 to support collaborations between education and youth settings, arts practitioners and cultural organisations anywhere in the North East. Priority is given to projects which improve access to high quality arts provision for those who would otherwise face barriers to taking part.

CBNE Programme Manager, Mel Burgess, says: “While the grants available are small, we know teachers and artists can use these practical, manageable amounts to make great things happen, so we’re confident the fund can have a big and lasting impact on the lives of young people across the region.”

The Culture North East fund is managed by the Community Foundation for Tyne & Wear and Northumberland and is open for applications until 15 January 2023. 

BRIEFING SESSION

Culture Bridge North East are holding an online briefing session for schools, led by Jo Cundall from Community Foundation. The session will provide more information about the CBNE Fund and about fundraising for arts activity in general. Apply for the CBNE briefing session on Wednesday 7 December, 3.30-4.30pm by clicking here.

It was great to see so many people of different ages get involved in the first Autumn Almanac session at the Friends Community Hub on Skinnergate in Darlington on Saturday 22nd October. A big thank you to all who came along and got involved, and to Cabinet of Curiosity Studio for bringing this opportunity to Darlington as part of the Big Draw Festival 2022. I was struck by how much time people committed to exploring paper craft techniques, by how people explored their imagination to beautiful effect through fantastically coloured card, and by what a rich source of inspiration our flora, fauna, animals, bird and sea life provide (currently) for adults and children.

The final session is taking place on Saturday 29th October 2022 and anyone aged 6 years old and above who wants to get involved can drop into the Friends Community Hub anytime between 11am and 3pm. There’s no charge to take part, you can drop in for as long as you like between these hours and all the equipment and materials you need are provided.