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Last updated on 7 September 2010
Promoting a safer and stronger community
Re:bourne is Coming
Have you ever chased your own shadow down the pavement – and then caught it and taken it home? Would you like to paint a river down the middle of a street? And what might happen if you stepped into an unused shop and found yourself in an undersea world?
These are just a few of the experiences on offer at re:bourne, a magical art and performance event on Sittingbourne High Street that will take place on Friday and Saturday, 13–14 August 2010. Re:bourne will run from 2.30 to 5.30 pm each day and is free of charge.
Re:bourne will be sited in and around Sittingbourne High Street, which will be transformed into a magical ‘travelling’ space for visitors featuring art, light, sound and performance focused on the past, present and future of the area. But re:bourne will remain a work in progress until the audience arrives and contributes drawings, writing, movement, questions and ideas.
Greg Klerkx, director of Nimble Fish, one of two companies producing re:bourne, said, “Re:bourne isn’t just being staged in Sittingbourne; it’s about Sittingbourne. Every activity was designed for a particular carriageway, shop, nook and cranny. And everything is interactive. We want the audience to join in and contribute new ideas and perspectives to the future of Sittingbourne, and the future of Swale.”
Re:bourne is both a cultural happening and an economic event, citing a 2008 report by the research project Celebrating Enterprise, which noted the many economic, social and cultural benefits of community-driven festivals like re:bourne.
Greg added “It’s clear that local investment in events like re:bourne offers opportunity for growth, both economically and in terms of how people in a community see themselves and their future.
In particular, re:bourne will engage with unoccupied shop spaces as part of the ‘slack space’ movement that is sweeping across the UK.”
Beth Cuenco of Workers of Art, which is co-producing re:bourne, said, “Artists and communities, working together, have given new life to these spaces by drawing attention to them in a positive way, That in turn has often led to their revitalisation as economically viable businesses.”
For the past four months, both Nimble Fish and Workers of Art have engaged in a series of workshops and consultations with Swale-based community groups and artists, many of whom are delivering re:bourne activities. All in all, there are 16 artists, performers and arts companies contributing to re:bourne, most of which are Swale-based.
Beth added “We have a wonderful mix of established and emerging artists and performers involved. Whether native or visiting, all of us have discovered that Sittingbourne is a vibrant place, rich in both culture and history. We’re all excited to provide this event as a way of encouraging others to share our excitement.”