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The Arts Group

This new group is working on an eco-circus show and is piloting the project with two shows in a solar-powered Big Top that will be erected on Abbey school playing field from 23-27th September 2009. The project hopes to involve as many people as possible, and many local people are working to make it a success. People from Shaftesbury are people are acting, directing, fundraising, organising workshops and working as artists and makers, writers and musicians.

We hope this will be the start of a bigger production which will tour Transition towns, cities and villages throughout Britain next year - beginning with a premiere at the Transition Network Conference in June 2010.

In August we are running a series of family workshops at Abbey School. Come and join Professor Junk and his team to make fun and fabulous things for the show; join Karen Wimhurst to make wonderful music and songs, and Geoff Gardner from Head for Heights circus workshop to learn amazing circus skills

• Activity: Making and Music • Dates/Time: Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 August, 10-3 • Cost: £2 per person per day

• Activity: Circus Skills • Date/Time: Wednesday 26 August, 10-3 • Cost: £5 per person

• Children need to be accompanied by an adult (up to 3 per adult) • Please bring a packed lunch – tea/coffee and squash provided • Please book places in advance – numbers are limited

Contact: Karen 850978 Karenwimhurst@ukonline.co.uk

   Amanda 852310 Amanda.Boulter@winchester.ac.uk

The show has been devised by members of Transition Town Shaftesbury - Amanda Boulter has written the script and the music is being composed and performed by Karen Wimhurst. Peter Rush, renowned paper sculptor, is making large visual pieces and props for the show and will be holding free workshops for adults who would like to be involved in this making project. Karen will be running music workshops for local musicians who would like to be involved in the show.

‘The Tipping Point’ is a show that combines clowning and comedy, music and artwork to encourage children and their parents to explore how their actions in everyday life can affect the planet. It brings a light, comic touch to difficult issues such as carbon emissions and consumerism, species loss and climate change, and offers children the chance to engage with these issues in a fun and positive way, showing how we can all learn to care for our local and global environment.

Karen Wimhurst will also be holding workshops over the summer with local musicians and children from local Primary and Secondary Schools to create music for the show. More details to follow.

Directly leading up to the show a week of workshops will be held in classrooms and inside the Big Top at Abbey Primary School, Shaftesbury from September 21-25. Children from all year groups and their parents will be encouraged to work together to understand the issues behind the show and to imagine what life in Shaftesbury might be like in 2030, expressing their ideas using video, story and art. Throughout the workshops they will also contribute to the creation of a unique performance of the show by producing artwork, music, props and publicity for the event. A workshop in circus skills will also take place and Croissant Neuf Circus will give tours demonstrating their solar powered tent. We will be working across the schools in the Shaftesbury Pyramid as well as the broader community.