Digital engagement commission : Gloucestershire Libraries

Gloucestershire Libraries ran the Art of Libraries commissioning partnership, through which they commissioned a range of performance artists to create digital experiences that their audiences could engage with online. The aim was to reimagine cultural education, but with the pandemic period still fresh in mind, the project also offered alternatives to in-person engagement approaches. The project included four commissions:

·       One was created by Can’t Sit Still, who produced a digital theatre and circus experience called ‘Play Along Plink and Boo’. The show was pre-recorded and came with an activity pack, which allowed families to participate at home (via a YouTube link) and at their own pace.

·       Another was ‘The End of the Pier Show’, by Jonny Fluffypunk, a stand-up poet, musician and theatre maker. This show included poetry, puppetry and song and was made available on YouTube for a week.

·       A third one was an interactive mystery experience ‘The Company of International Artists’ by Brave Bold Drama, who offered a blended experience of physical activity packs and cue cards mixed with pre-recorded video content, which families could do at the library or at school.

·       A final project was Rispah Amadasun’s ‘Gloucestershire Legends’, which was a live-streamed creative writing workshop inviting children to come up with characters from local legends.

“The conversation after the showing was great for allowing the librarians to get to know us as people, and we felt it also helped them talk about the show to their customers and feel excited about it. To my mind, this was a success because of the commissioning partnership with Art of Libraries.” (Catherine Boot, Artistic Director, Can’t Sit Still)