Okehampton Lantern Project

The Pitch

Problem statement

The reality of our former market town is the same as the rest of the UK, increasing poverty and divisions. These difficulties are compounded by infrastructure changes, which are causing a demographic shift. We have thousands of new houses and two new schools. Families arrive in the area without an extended family network. Devon has long been a retirement destination, and Okehampton is receiving its fair share of older adults looking to enjoy their later life in a picturesque place, which is often a long way from their adult children. With no arts venue in the district, children growing up in town must travel for nearly an hour to experience live music, theatre, dance, and the visual arts.

Solution

The Okehampton Lantern Procession is an activity for all ages, from open access workshops creating the lanterns to performing as part of the final parade through St James St into Simmons Park. As people tire of the dark winter months, the lanterns remind us that spring is just around the corner and offers cause for celebration. An evening of music, dance, and lanterns where people of all ages come together, a truly multigenerational event. We want to keep the workshops free for local residents to take part, which is why we need grant support. We want to reach local people of all ages who don't normally think of the arts as being for them.

Why are we best placed to deliver?

We have strong working relationships with community groups: developing a project with the youth service aimed at diverting anti-social behaviour, one of our musicians is instrumental in running the local food bank, and we’re providing music in the new school for children with social, emotional, and mental health conditions (SEMH). From The Community Garden: Our events with Wren appealed to a multigenerational audience and were very well supported by the public. They are a pleasure to work with. They bring the community together providing an opportunity to explore their own creativity regardless of ability, and the work that Wren Music do helps keep us connected to our heritage through music

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

200 people

Expected impact

10 residents from the old people’s home will be visited and asked to share their memories of spring and their childhood. They will feel included in the process and will feel part of the wider community as they watch the procession. 50 families with young children will participate in lantern making workshops. They will learn new skills, and learn about the old people’s memories, and understand about welcoming spring and it relationship to cultural heritage and local folklore/folk music. Estimate audience at finale event of about 300 local people will have an enhanced sense of pride of place. Not many towns in Devon host a similar annual event. Estimate of audience at finale event of 200 day visitors will develop a view of Okehampton as a place for accessible arts activities

Track record

We are a well-established arts organisation and this year sees our 40th anniversary. We were established in 1983 as the Wren Trust, and became Wren Music (a company limited by guarantee and Registered Charity) in 2009. From north Dartmoor we work all over Devon, including North Devon, Torridge and Torbay. Often, our activities reach communities who would not otherwise engage with the arts: rather than ‘outreach’, we ‘reach in’ to SEN/D schools, housing estates, schools, support groups, care homes, areas of deprivation, and rurally isolated communities. “I can’t speak highly enough of the Wren musicians. I don’t have enough superlatives. From their organisation skills, their personas, obviously their musical skills. They never judge. It’s like they’ve all been dipped in something shiny and good.” Sue, respiratory choir member

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