The Dukes has developed a reputation for creating high quality, innovative and thought provoking work with our community members, a small selection of our recent projects are highlighted below.
The success of our projects has been strong partnership working that champions quality, diversity and ambition for the young people, both in terms of the process and end result.
If you are interested in working with us, please contact Guy Christiansen, creativelearning@dukes-lancaster.org
Current Projects:
Metropolis
The Dukes are recruiting 500 young people from across Preston and the Ribble Valley to participate in a once in a lifetime event at Preston Guild this September.
Metropolis, devised and part scripted by the young people involved, will question and celebrate what The Guild means to young artists in the 21st Century.
Expertly guided and supported by Award-winning writer Laurence Wilson, the young people will create something part gig, part theatre show, part rave and 100% an amazing night out.
CLICK HERE for more information on Metropolis.
Recent Projects
Princes Trust Community Project
In early 2012 thirteen young people from the Princes Trust worked with Jason Threlfall, Digital Eye to create a dynamic series of artistic murals for the interior walls of DT3. The images represented the diverse range of arts activities available to young people through the Dukes Creative learning Department and contained inspiring lyrics and quotes. Since completing the project one of the group has continued to volunteer with the Dukes in a variety of departments.
Tunes@
Tunes@ was a live music and workshop programme sponsored by Lancaster City Council. Working in partnership with LCC YPS and More Music the Dukes delivered 18 participation workshops across the district and engaged over 100 young artists and band members. The project culminated in six music events, including genres such as Indie/Rock, Urban and Acoustic. Each event was well attended and over 400 young people participated. The events were a great success and also proved that there are many young talented artists, musicians and bands in the Lancaster and Morecambe district.
Mental Health Music Workshops
Throughout 2011, the Dukes Creative Learning Department worked with adults with mental health conditions at Parkwood Hospital, Blackpool and Ridge Lea hospital, Lancaster. Workshops delivered by Louie Ingham and Mark Melville supported the group to write, develop, edit and record their own songs and rhythms. Using music and singing as a therapeutic tool the project instructed care workers and mental health practitioners on how to develop and lead music workshops after the project had concluded, offering a real legacy. As participants began to explore the powerful processes of music therapy, it sparked off hidden talents from within the group, which then reinforced their confidence and well being; this was clearly seen at the Mental Health Awareness Conference held at the Dukes in October 2011 where a number of participants delivered an outstanding performance.
Our Place in the World:
Throughout 2011 this pilot programme will provide high quality creative engagement opportunities to young people and young adults across the County and offer an opportunity to explore, investigate, challenge and respond to their emotional and physical landscape whilst comparing their locality to the experiences of others throughout our World.
The Programme aims to assist people in developing pride and association with their environments and challenges them to make positive changes in themselves and their immediate surrounding. The programme will explore emotional and physical histories and experiences of locality and individuals and will inspire people to recognise and influences their place in the World.
Life through a Lens (February 2011)
A photography and creative writing project exploring the themes of identity, culture, aspiration and ambition. The project engaged young mums and their toddlers, NEET young men and wo men and members of the local Polish Community and culminated in a small exhibition at the Dukes Gallery
Tip the Balance (April 2011)
A new play written by a Dukes trainee, supported by youth theatre Directors and young people tells the story of a groups of friends as they search for their long lost parents in a not too distant future in which the Earth has been decimated through Global Warming and disease.
Children of Killers (March - May 2011)
A new play by Katori Hall, explores contemporary Rwanda as a trio of friends born during the genocide’s bloody aftermath, prepare to meet their fathers. The play asks, ‘who can you become when violence in your inheritance ’Children of Killers is part of the National Theatre Connections Programme – a national celebration of young people in theatre
Transitions (December 2010 - July 2011)
A series of short films made for, by and with young people with learning and physical disabilities, exploring the educational and personal transition of a young person as they move between school and college, into work and adult social services. The project has been funded by Lancashire County Council Aiming High for Disabled Children fund.
360º Challenge (June - September 2011)
A tri funded project managed by the Dukes, Lancashire County Council Young peoples Service and Blaze. The project will engage over one thousand young people in creative and physical activity, inspired and influenced by the Olympic and Paralympics values.
For more information regarding the ‘Our Place in the World Programme please contact Guy Christiansen on creativelearning@dukes-lancaster.org
Other Past Projects:
Fallout (2008)
This hugely successful Urban Music and film project engaged over 300 local young people in developing creative lyric writing workshops, Djing and Vjing skills and film production. Project culminated in two large music concerts at DT3 and worked to reduce anti social behavior in our locality.
Postcards to Africa (2009)
A virtual exchange project with over 100 young people from Akwa Ibom State and young people based in Lancaster and Morecambe. Working in partnership with Stepping Stones Nigeria we sent and received creative ‘Postcards’ which were performed and exhibited at the Dukes. The project rose over £1200 which funded a touring theatre production which toured throughout Akwa Ibom challenging the myth of Child Witches.
Routes (2009)
Working with a variety of local agencies we created a verbatim piece of theatre which celebrated the heritage and culture of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveler Community. The production provided dance, creative writing and carpentry skills to young members of the community and the final production played to over 250 people at sell out performances in DT3. The community is now working with Creative Learning Department to secure funding to tour the production across the County.
HMYOI Lancaster Farms Project (2009-10)
Our team worked with the Writer in Residence at HMYOI Lancaster Farms in order to support the development of literacy and creative writing with young offenders. We have delivered several creative projects at the prison which has supported the restorative justice approach to encouraging the offenders to engage with their crimes and the effects their offences have had on victims and our wider society.
Performing for Success (2009)
Working in partnership with the learning department at Preston North End Football Club, we delivered a literacy, numeracy and building self confidence project with 13 young women from Morecambe. The project culminated in a street theatre performance at Preston North End on match day, the young people performed to the crowd and the documentary film of the project was shown at half time to 12,000 spectators.
Lancashire Youth Charter Theatre Production (2009)
Our Creative Learning Department were commissioned by Lancashire County Council to bring to life the 13 Principles of their Youth Charter which ensured young peoples’ views and ideas were respected, listened to and acted upon. We delivered numerous workshops with 8-12 year olds across Lancashire and created a verbatim piece of theatre which celebrated and explored the principles and the rights of young people. The Theatre piece travelled across county and engaged over 700 young people.
Blaze - Hunter and Hunted (2009-2010)
Our young people were recruited as one of the six young producers for Blaze, part of We Play (Cultural Olympiad). As producers they commissioned a digital media company and professional theatre and film makers to assist them in the creation of a new participatory game to be digitized into an application for the I-phone.
Bulk Ward World Cup Project (2010)
We were approached by Lancashire Constabulary to support the development of diversionary activities during the World Cup season. We invited community members form the Bulk Ward area of Lancaster into DT3 to experience watch the first three England games in a safe and enjoyable family friendly environment. At each game we provided a live DJ and International Food, and they events were enjoyed by over 250 community members.
Skerton Primary Times Capsule (2010)
Skerton Primary school served their community for well over 100 years and positively affected thousands of young peoples lives. In July 2010 the school was closed. The Creative Learning Department were commissioned to make a film capturing the last day at the school and the burial of a time capsule, which will be uncovered in the year 2040.
LANPAC Tackling Intolerance Workshops (2010)
Working in partnership with Global Link Education Service we devised a innovative film based workshop which explored prejudice and intolerance in a local, national and International context. The workshop was hard hitting and thought provoking and toured to Secondary Schools, Prisons, Youth Centres and SEN colleges in the Lancaster and Morecambe district.
Galileo (2010)
In 2009 we were approached by a local Physicist to produce a short piece of theatre celebrating the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s telescope. The production was a resounding success and the National Institute of Physics commissioned the piece to be re-written as a short film which will be made available to all Secondary School Science departments in the Lancaster and Morecambe district to be used as a educational tool and resource.
