What we did: Highlights from January – March 2016

A look back at what City Arts did from January to March 2016. We want everyone to see the full range of City Arts’ activities so, as well as the articles, videos and photo galleries on our website, we are sharing regular quarterly reviews of our work, including news from First Art, a major arts programme that is taking City Arts into North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire.

Check out some highlights below or download our new-look review of what’s being happening at City Arts.

Unity Lantern Procession

Parades, performances and installations made up City Arts’ packed programme for Nottingham Light Night on Friday 5th February 2016. We joined local businesses and organisations in lighting up Sneinton Market and Hockley for the city’s amazing annual festival.

For the third year in a row our evening of events kicked off with the Unity Lantern Procession, run in partnership with the Renewal Trust and supported by the Creative Quarter. Accompanied by musicians from the Can Samba band, alien puppet Starchild and City Arts’ new puppet Arnold, young people from St Ann’s and Sneinton formed two beautiful lantern parades coming together in Sneinton Market Square for a display of community unity.

Frost Inside the Window

Recollections of “real lions in the Market Square” were amongst the memories shared by some of Nottingham’s older people in an innovative art installation created for the Imagine: Arts and Older People programme. We worked with residents from Sycamore House and The Oaks care homes, and visitors to Radford Care Group, to create the 6’ by 12’ interactive artwork in the window of our Hockley premises.

Residents visited City Arts to see the artwork and stay for tea on 12th February.  We laid on a special event for our guests, with musicians Angela Warren and Paul Quinn leading a rousing sing-along to songs including Summertime, Autumn Leaves and Winter Wonderland.

First Art Love Busk

On 13th February, First Art filled Mansfield’s town centre with love songs for Valentine’s weekend. Musicians from around the area were invited to busk at 10 locations including the Four Seasons Shopping Centre, Mansfield Bus Station, the museum and the Market Place. First Art worked with local traders and town centre managers to animate the streets, entertain shoppers and raised £275 for the British Heart Foundation.