Featherstone Festival of Words – Wakefield Lit Fest 2015

In 2015 Rusticus were commissioned by Wakefield Lit Fest to co-curate and deliver a creative events programme in collaboration with Beam, a local working group and Featherstone Library. Entitled Featherstone Festival of Words – the event constituted a one-day celebration of reading, writing and words which took place on Saturday 19 September 2015 at Featherstone Library – and included an imaginative romp around Pearson Park!  The event was part of ‘Lit Fest in a Day’, which funded by the Arts Council Strategic Touring Fund, brought high quality arts activity to areas of the Wakefield District with least arts engagement, building capacity and strengthening engagement with community partners.

Heritage on the High Street – a Celebration of Hornsea Pottery

Rusticus were commissioned in 2015 for phase 1 of this exciting public art project which celebrates the iconic designs and craft of the world-famous Hornsea Pottery. Rusticus carried out a period of community engagement within Hornsea in order to connect local people with the project – including visiting schools with a creative workshop, making links with local societies and individuals, and creating the successful public event ‘Wacky Walk: We’re Potty About Hornsea’ – an interactive performance which saw areas of the town centre animated by larger than life characters, celebrating aspects of the town’s heritage.

Autumn 2017 sees the successful installation in Hornsea of the project’s artworks by local ceramicist, Adele Howitt and the opening of a new Pottery studio at Hornsea School & Language College!

Message to the Sea – A one day arts festival for families at Sewerby Hall and Gardens

Set to coincide with the re-opening of Sewerby Hall after its £2.6m HLF funded restoration and to help celebrate its 300 year anniversary in August 2014, Message to the Sea was designed to generate interest and excitement in the venue by celebrating its unique cliff-top location. Rebecca, on behalf of Rusticus, was commissioned to create and manage the event, and took the opportunity to bring in partners – including Cornucopia Festival, Scrapstore Hull, the RSPB, The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Living Seas Centre, the RNLI, Flamborough Management Scheme, The Children’s Centre Bridlington, The Harbour Museum Bridlington, Yorkshire Coast Nature photography, the Coastal Voices choir, and the Artwaves Visual Arts Festival at the Spa, Bridlington – in order to create a whole raft of arts activities to inspire and delight audiences.