Art of the Dearne

This project will use arts and community engagement to collect and tell the stories of the Dearne and the people through oral history, photography, exhibitions, creative writing, memory walks, willow working, art camps, classes and land art.

The DVLP will lead on the delivery of a comprehensive and co-ordinated programme of arts activities working with a range of artists, arts organisations and communities across the Dearne. The activities will be woven into the projects across the programme.

The Project

The arts present an opportunity to engage in creative ways with all sections of the community covering all the key themes and objectives of the DVLP. The two key strands will be:

Collecting and telling the stories of the place and the people.
Producing work and projects inspired by the landscapes and heritage of the Dearne Valley.

The projects will be developed with the local communities and the arts organisations based within the Dearne Valley. This will include:

Exhibitions and outreach programme

Four major exhibitions of local relevance. The DVLP will work in partnership with the three local authorities in the Dearne, linking with and shaping their exhibition programme. These will take place at a range of larger venues, complemented by smaller “satellite” and “pop-up” exhibitions at smaller community venues. The outline is:

Our Glass: A Celebration of Glass
Pottery and Ceramics
Kestrel For A Knave: The 50th Anniversary
Oaks Disaster: The 150th Anniversary

Public art and sculpture trails

Looking at strategic commissions within communities. Working in partnership with the Yorkshire Sculpture Park to look at the location of existing works from their collection as well as the commissioning of new pieces for the area.

Residency Programmes

Supporting a programme of bringing photographers, writers, artists and poets into the area over an extended period to engage with local communities, leading on workshops and developing new pieces of work.

Oral history workshops

Working with local community members, friends groups and schools on oral history projects (using creative writing, visual arts, photography or film) to celebrate sites and feed into signage and interpretation

Performances, Celebratory events and festivals

Taking the opportunity to stage and support events and activities within the Dearne, building on the themes of the DVLP. Bringing performances into the area, based within the landscapes of the Dearne.

Participatory arts

Working with local arts organisations to deliver a range of participatory arts projects involving communities across the Dearne. Within Mexborough there are opportunities to work with the Doncaster’s Arts Council funded Creative People and Places project ‘Right Up Our Street’.

The Art of the Dearne project is an opportunity to bring together a range of creative and arts organisations from within the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham areas.