25th Sept - 3rd Oct 2009: Skegness/Mablethorpe UK 9 days of performances/exhibitions in Skegness & Mablethorpe including CityScape Seminar: Arts and Urban Re-Invention ...........................................................................................  Back to Press Page

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	SEAS press cuttings   [from September 2009] enlarge + Skegness Standard - 7th October 2009 THE SEAS project is being heralded as a tremendous success by organisers, at home and abroad, and residents. And it looks like it could just be the tip of the iceberg as East Lindsey District Council hopes to develop a new cultural reputation for Skegness. The project, organised by Intercult of Sweden, has been touring the Black and North Seas for the past year, and held its finale in Skegness with a 10-day festival, including artists from Poland, the Netherlands, Croatia, Turkey and the local area. The main UK sponsors were ELDC and Arts Council England. ELDC's business manager for health, arts and events Semantha Neal said: "One of our main objectives was to provide really interesting opportunities for people because we're a coastal area, a long way from London. Bringing these things here and, in particular, performing them outdoors and in places people are comfortable going, made it easy for people to enjoy it. "We wanted to tell people across the UK Skegness is not just about chips and candyfloss. To have our name alongside Copenhagen and Istanbul raises the whole profile of Skegness."   Adam Jeanes, of Intercult, said: "We are very happy with the warm reception of the audience here in Skegness. "The shows have attracted a lot of people, far more than we were expecting for some of them. I was very interested to see so many people had made a special trip to Skegness for SEAS - I spoke to several people who had decided to spend an 'art weekend' in town." Local hotels and business have certainly been busy over the past couple of weeks - perhaps as a direct result of SEAS. So what is next for Skegness? Mrs Neal said: "The sky is the limit to some extent. "There's definitely scope to do a lot off the back of this but it's a case of balancing the budget. "We're already talking about next year's SO festival. We don't know how much money we have yet but we might be able to build on the international flavour." The council has already been approached by Tromso in Norway and Helsingborg in Sweden about working together on art and literature-based projects. ELDC is also busy arranging the cultural olympiad as part of the 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commmonwealth Games and the 2018 World Cup. SEAS has also been very positive for Skegness photographer Coun John Byford who has been invited to Bulgaria in the spring to take his exhibition A Daily Dose there for an arts event and to teach students. He said: "I'm waiting for the official invite, and when I get it there's a chance the arts council will support it. "That would be really good - I'm very keen." Death in Skegness Guardian - 8th September 2009 An international arts festival that has travelled for two years to coastal towns in Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Norway and Denmark will complete its tour later this month in Skegness. The Black/North Seas event is bringing theatre, music, sculpture and more to the town to challenge "stereotypes of life on the coast". It doesn't lack ambition (16 acts will perform over nine days), but what regulars at Skegness's Sea View Pub will make of the Swedish theatre director Dritëro Kasapi's production Glorious Death (to be performed on 1 and 2 October) is anyone's guess. The show is apparently inspired by a visit Kasapi made to the town in 2007. IMAGE + Target - September 2nd 2009 LOCAL people are being invited to get involved behind the scenes of one of the largest arts events ever to be held on the East Coast. With just a few weeks to go before the SEAS International Arts Festival gets underway, volunteers are now required to help out with the running of the programme. Skegness is the only UK host for SEAS which takes place from September 24 to October 4. The festival combines performances and art installations from international artists with work from local groups. The full programme of events has now been officially launched and highlights include electro-acoustic opera performance Sorelle, innovative play Glorious Death and humanoid sculptures the Fantomat. Exhibitions, installations and performances will be taking place across Skegness and Mablethorpe with plenty of opportunities for local people and visitors to sample some of the unique events. Volunteering opportunities include technical, administrative, marketing and health and safety roles and a number of free, professional training sessions are being held prior to the start of the festival. A spokesperson for SEAS said: "Giving your time to help with the SEAS festival is a great way to gain experience in an international festival, and meet a fantastic, diverse group of people that you wouldn't normally work with. "It isn't only the artists and performers who will make the festival a success. It is also the people who volunteer their time to help deliver the event." To find out more about volunteering opportunities contact SEAS project worker Helen Duffy on 01507 601111 or email helen.duffy@e-lindsey.gov.uk More information at www.seas.se or www.skegnessinternational.com   Target - July 8th 2009 SCHOOL pupils in Skegness have been working with a highly acclaimed silversmith this week as part of workshop connected to the SEAS festival being staged in the town later this year. Katey Felton, originally from Skegness, now runs a successful business based in Sheffield creating bespoke items of tableware, often on commission. She explained: "When I say that I'm a silversmith many people assume that means jewellery but my main work involves creating vases, candlesticks, beakers etc, things which have a decorative function." Katey has produced pieces for the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth House, Sheffield City Council and even for the Home Office for the G8 summit held in Sheffield. After hearing about the SEAS festival Katey was keen to get involved and applied to the Arts Council of England for funding to help run a series of workshops with local schools. "When I heard about Skegness hosting a contemporary arts festival I was shocked but was instantly inspired and new it would be a big thing for the town," said Katey. "I spoke to the Embassy Theatre about exhibiting some work but decided it was important for me to do work with the people of the town, to give them a chance to understand and develop a connection with the pieces." Last week, Katey ran a series of workshops working with 80 Year 4 pupils at Skegness Junior School and the Year 10 art class at Skegness Grammar School. Students each handcrafted a section of a collaborative piece based on the sea, producing mosaics which focused on colour form and tiles. Some of the Year 10 pupils also had a go at wire working producing 3D wave forms. "My creativity began at Skegness Grammar School when art teacher Mr Stewart really encouraged me. I hope that this new and exciting way of working will inspire some of the pupils and give them something to remember." The work will soon be going on permanent display in the Embassy Theatre, Skegness. For more information on Katey's work visit www.kateyfelton.co.uk   Target - March 25th 2009 THE Jolly Fisherman, donkeys, and the clock tower painted in a Pop Art style could all form part of an exhibition at the Seas International Arts Festival being held later in the year. As part of their BTEC Certificate Course in Art and Design students at St Clements College were required to produce work based on popular images of Skegness in the style of artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichenstein. Year 10 Art and Technology Teacher Raegen Newcombe then invited Coun John Byford to take a look at the students work and, impressed by what they had produced, he suggested the paintings could be exhibited to the public during the Seas Festival due to take place at the end of September. Miss Newcombe said: "I'm really proud of my art group and what they have achieved. They have been working on the pieces since September and the results are fantastic." "The students are all very excited about viewing their work to the public," she added. More information about the festival can be found by visiting www.skegnessinternational.com     Facebook & Twitter
	All images © John Byford 2009	SEAS  home page