Mid-Pennine Arts project

An organic relationship

MudfaceRather than marking a single project, Creeping Toad would like to highlight a long, growing relationship with one organisation that provides a lovely example of how initial projects can encourage longer friendships that feed one idea into another and grow exciting developments.

Way back in 2000, Toad was approached by Mid-Pennine Arts in Burnley to work with schools looking at stories and artwork inspired by the environment of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

This was just the beginning…

Mid-Pennine Arts are based in Burnley and work across East Lancashire to “…provide a strategic overview of the arts and work in partnership with local service providers and regeneration organisations to develop best practice in arts consultation projects.” (www.midpenninearts.org.uk)

They are a diverse and adventurous team, working on anything from small, intimate, local projects to grand regional schemes (look at the Panopticons project!) with a strong environmental theme running through a lot of their work.

dragon

Creeping Toad and Mid-Pennine collaborations have ranged from

  • that first canal project
  • to woodlands in Padiham and Gawthorpe
  • from adventure in Towneley Park
  • to the wildness of Wycoller Country Park
  • from individual schools across the region
  • to teachers’ workshops and conferences

In 2005, Creeping Toad led a team of artists to work in schools in Accrington to create an Enchanted Woodland for one evening in Arden Hall Park. The images on this page (and in the gallery) come from that project.

Most recently, we worked on a Creative Partnership project with the lovely Whitefield Infant School in Nelson, and, in 2007, on an exciting youth conference, “Imagine a Future” looking at the use of art to explore ideas and make effective statements about the future young people would like.

And what will happen next? Watch this space!
Arden audience
More images in the gallery »

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Environmental storytelling, art and celebration – Education, Training & Workshops