Six seasonal stars – staying creative this winter

This winter, creativity is more important than ever as we come together to learn new things, celebrate community and look after our wellbeing and mental health.

From pantomime and family theatre, to live orchestras and festivals, here are just a few things our funding is supporting across this Midlands this season:

• Mansfield Palace Theatre is hosting two pantomimes this winter – Peter Pan and Dick Whittington, meaning you can enjoy some festive live theatre right through until 22 January 2023! The venue which brings theatre to the heart of the town through live shows, local dance schools, youth and amateur theatre, has just joined our National Portfolio.

• Stoke’s New Vic presents Tale Trail to Wonderland, a magical interactive storytime adventure for young children and their families.
  
  Running until 31 December, the accessible family theatre show invites audiences to explore the rabbit hole with Alice, meet characters and experience the story for themselves.

• Birmingham’s B:Music has an array of events going on over the winter months across Town Hall and Symphony Hall – from a festive film on the big screen accompanied by a live orchestra, to a dance extravaganza or a Christmas concert. This year, they are also raising money to help create 10,000 musical memories for young or vulnerable people across Birmingham and the West Midlands. Find out more here.

• Creative Black Country– part of Arts Council’s Creative People & Places programme – have just launched Cosy Communities, designed to deliver creative activities in a warm and comfortable space for communities in the Black Country. The aim is to bring fun, joy, connection, and creativity to local people in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall or Wolverhampton between now and 31 March 2023. Get involved here.

• In February 2023, the 20^th Spark Festival programme kicks off in Leicester, bringing together arts and creativity to inspire children and artists alike! From Bollywood music and classical Indian dance, to interactive adventures featuring bobble hats and library takeovers, the festival ensures children and families can take part in schools, libraries, their homes, their communities and in well-known venues across the city.

• Returning for its third year, the UK Ghost Story Festival rises again in February 2023 in Derby -  one of the UK’s most haunted cities. The creative festival is taking over Derby’s Museum of Making for a weekend of readings, workshops, panels, interviews, performances and more.  If spooky isn’t you style, try one of the On Gallery Makes in January, where you can create something inspired by the weird and wonderful objects in the museum collections.