Interest area: culture

Service: That week with the Rats

Following workshop performances to audiences at Edge Hill and Bolton Universities, and with the support of YEP producer Bethany Howells, The Everyman Theatre, and the Dame Janet Suzman playwriting prize; this original short film is an adaptation of material in development for an eventual fully staged production.

Inspired by the creators’ own experiences, Service is a darkly funny peek inside the harsh world of the service industry. Developed by Young Everyman alumni, writer Mostyn Jones and director Martyna Puciato, the story dives into an enthralling world of late nights, long hours, and toxic friendships.

The screening will be followed by a discussion of the issues depicted, with contributions from industry and mental health professionals.

Held in the Playhouse Studio.

Miss Granny

This screening forms part of Preston Sejong Institute’s first Korean film festival. This year’s festival pays homage to Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk and includes two of his earlier titles.

Hwang Dong-hyuk’s comedy-drama, Miss Granny, follows stubborn seventy-year-old widow Mal-sun (Na Moon-hee). Before settling into a nursing home, Mal-sun visits a photo studio, snapping a magical photo that transforms her into her 20-year-old self.

From there, she embarks on a crazy adventure to discover the meaning of true happiness.

Silenced

This screening forms part of Preston Sejong Institute’s first Korean film festival. This year’s festival pays homage to Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk and includes two of his earlier titles.

Silenced (2011), is based on a real scandal that took place at the Gwangju Inhwa School for the hearing impaired in the early 2000s.

Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the film follows Kang In-ho (Gong Yoo), a new teacher at Gwangju Inhwa who discovers that faculty members are repeatedly abusing their deaf students. The film is a powerful reminder of our unfair bias towards authority figures and the danger of failing to act.

Jackie Kay: In Conversation

Jackie Kay will share her experiences as a looked after child and the search for her family roots, as documented in her 2010 memoir Red Dust Road.

She will be in conversation with Janaya Pickett, writer, researcher and project facilitator for the Bluecoat’s Looked After Children project.

From 2016 – 21 Kay was the Makar, Poet Laureate of Scotland. She has been honoured for her services to literature and won many awards for her work, including the Guardian Fiction Prize in 1998. Her biography of blues singer Bessie Smith featured as BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week in 2021.

Tuesday, 15 November, 6pm-7.30pm

Winter Exhibitions Opening

Presenting new works by 4 artists, join FACT after-hours to celebrate the launch of their winter exhibitions!

Explore Josèfa Ntjam’s aqueous, interstellar cave and experience Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley’s immersive video game installation, before venturing upstairs to discover new commissions by residency artists April Lin 釱萰 (Jerwood Arts/FACT Fellow) & Erin Dickinson (FACT Together 2022).

The residents’ works are presented in their First Floor Gallery, which has been redesigned into a vibrant, kaleidoscope of colour by artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman.

RSVP for free via Eventbrite to receive a complimentary drink upon arrival.

Family Day inspired by River of Light

Join Bluecoat for their River of Light themed Family Day, full of fun and illuminating arts activities.

Their performance space will provide the perfect space for your little artists to warm up and get creative, before exploring the trail after dark.

Event

Free, drop in

Suitable for all ages.

Creative Futures

Luma Creations exciting series of professional development sessions for Freelancers & Small Businesses in the Creative Industries returns!

The set of four sessions focus on four areas:

Tues 1 Nov – Learning how to market yourself and your business to potential clients and understanding that you have to market yourself differently in different situations.

Tues 8 Nov – Becoming Self-employed or setting up a business. What do you need to know and how do you decide which is best for you.

Tues 15 Nov – Understanding Funding and how to access grants in the creative industries.

Tues 22 Nov – Understanding Portfolio Careers. As a freelancer you often do a number of projects at any one time and take on a different role depending on what the job entails. How can you ensure you’re managing your work and your time.

Christmas Incy Wincy Rhymers

Celebrate Christmas with some special Festive Incy Wincy Rhymers this December!

The Reader’s sessions are for little ones, 1-4 year olds and their families. They’ll explore Christmas stories, festive favourites and seasonal nursery rhymes through storytelling and sing-a-longs.

Under 1s are free but will still need a ticket.

Session – 70 minutes

Event

Please do contact storybarn@thereader.org.uk if you’d like to discuss how they can take any additional needs into account.

Tiny Reindeer Outdoor Story Trail

Join The Reader for some seasonal magic and discover how even the smallest beings can do something really big!

This Christmas they’re wrapping up warm and going on a brand new festive adventure around the park, based on the beautiful book Tiny Reindeer by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros.

Their self-led trails last around 60 minutes and are perfect for families with children aged 4-9, but all ages are welcome.

Every family receives a copy of Tiny Reindeer to share, as well as a map and pencil for every child.

Event

Illustrations © by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros, from ‘Tiny Reindeer’ published by Andersen Press, 2021

Katumba Halloween Community Workshops

Katumba are holding a set of community cultural workshops in the run up to their Halloween Carnival.

Participants will express their realities using oral traditions and ludic sharings. They will learn about positive and accessible changes, and collectively find solutions to be translated into pieces of music, dance, theatre and art that will then become part of the Carnival Parade.

The workshops are for all ages. You will be learning from professionals and creating your own prop, beat, and/or dance move for the big night.

Drumming

Workshops include Katumba Drumming & Movement tasters for new and aspiring performers. These workshops, including adults, family, and kids only sessions, are a great way to come and find out what the Katumba Drumming & Movement buzz is all about.

You will meet the founders, learn the Katumba beats and moves, and most importantly, have a great time.

They’ll take you on a journey of body percussion, drumming and movement to get your body ready to wear their drums!

This year they have an extra special challenge for Families and Kids, they will be building their own upcycled drum and performing with it in the parade. They can’t wait to get blown away by what they come up with, and they know they will be too!

Expect to feel uplifted, inspired, full of energy and wanting more.

Drumming is literally the beating heart of the parade, so head over to their Eventbrite page and book on to a drumming workshop now!

Then bring your skills along to the parade and feel empowered and ignited by joining the core drumming troupe. Feel the power!

BOOK FAMILY DRUMING HERE

BOOK KIDS DRUMING 8+ HERE

Lantern Making

Stay tuned for details of their Lantern Making Workshop where they invite everybody to create wonderful illuminations to light up the Parade as it pulses along the route.

BOOK LANTERN MAKING HERE

Dance

Plus Carnival partners Movema will be delivering a series of Dance for Diaspora workshops celebrating diversity through dance, creating safe spaces for us all to create and move as we prepare for the big night!

No experience is needed for any of the workshops.

Call out to Cyclists

There will be an epic illuminated mass bike ride as part of the Carnival Parade. All cyclists are welcome to join in, in fact, they insist on it!

Head to the cyclist’s workshop to get your bike Carnival ready, then hit the Carnival Parade in style.

Illuminated Bike Ride Workshop details will be announced very soon.