Posted on 27th Oct
Newark’s Parish Church will be bathed in the lights and sounds of the forest in November thanks to a stunning co-created project by Newark Creates and Inspire, with artists Urban Projections, CJ Mirra, and students from Magnus Academy.
The installation, titled Fallen From The Same Tree, will be free to attend from 5.30pm to 9pm on Friday 3rd and Saturday, 4th November.
Those behind the work said British woodlands demonstrate how intertwined humans and nature are. These ancient forests provide homes for wildlife, purify the air we breathe, and offer inspiration across generations, while the responsibility of safeguarding these essential ecosystems falls to us.
This bond and the ideas of interconnection with nature were explored in co-creation days with students from Magnus Church of England Academy, led by artists Urban Projections and CJ Mirra.
They considered the systems and cycles of the forest, along with hopes and visions for the future. Working with the artists, they made audio recordings and sequences of light.
The installation has been organised by Newark Creates, whose projects this year have included the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity Umbrella installation and 3D street art with Urban Canvas in the Market Place. Set up in 2021, it is a cultural programme, led by Newark Cultural Consortium and forming part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zone.
Carol Newman, director of Culture at Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries, the lead partner in the Consortium, said: “St Mary Magdalene Church is the perfect setting for this event. Seeing the light play against its lofty rafters will echo a forest canopy ,while the soundscape will reverberate in this cavernous space.
“This is a fantastic way to kick off the festive season too and I hope that lots of people will come along to enjoy the fantastic work of our local young students.”
Funding to support Newark Creates’ events has been provided by Historic England, Arts Council England, Newark Town Board and Newark and Sherwood District Council’s allocation of UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
