Developing festival experiences for Boston Borough & South Holland
Recent Activity
Illuminate
Illuminate is a annual festival which has taken place on the last Thursday in November since 2015. Each Illuminate festival has built on the last, exploring Boston’s connection to the Pilgrims’ story and what brought the Pilgrims to Scotia Creek one dark night in the autumn of 1607. Illuminate features a procession with spectacular lit-lanterns created in workshops with local schools and community groups in the run up to each year’s event. Previous Illuminates have had a replica of the Mayflower ship, Pilgrims, birds and stars lanterns. The festival also features light projections and music.
Illuminate will lead up to a huge international celebration in 2020 to commemorate the sailing of the Mayflower, and the arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers in America. For more information about Boston’s connection to the Mayflower story, visit http://www.mayflower400uk.com/boston/.
Emerge
Emerge is a brand new festival created by talented young people from Boston, which is jointly produced by students at Thomas Middlecott Academy, Boston Young Carers, and artistic director Charley Genever. It’s delivered in partnership with Thomas Middlecott Academy and is supported by The Mighty Creatives.
Previously
Pumpkin Festival
Transported is working with South Holland District Council on Spalding’s annual Pumpkin Festival in October (which is sponsored by David Bowman ltd). We are commissioning EMCCAN (East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Arts Network) to run dance, and lantern and costume making workshops with schools in the South Holland district for the parade. There will be carnival queens from the EMCCAN national tour joining us along with professional dancers and live musicians.
Family Arts Festival & The Big Draw
As part of wider UK events Family Arts Festival and The Big Draw, Transported has commissioned a variety of exciting artists and companies to bring activities and workshops to Boston Borough and South Holland each October since 2014.
Swineshead Pageant
A two day event in June 2016, organised by Swineshead Parish Council, to mark the 800th anniversary of King John’s final journey. King John travelled from Kings Lynn to Swineshead where he stayed overnight in Swineshead Abbey, travelling on to Newark Castle where he died. Legend has it that he was poisoned by the monks from the Abbey. Transported commissioned artists Ruth Pigott and Julie Willoughby to work with members of the community on costumes and props for the parade, and artist Kathleen Smith created a series of crowns.
Boston Light Waves
Transported worked in partnership with St Botolph’s Church and Pescod Square in Boston to create two individual light installations, under the name of “Light Waves”, which took place over the late night shopping period in Boston in 2014, working with Chris Squire, of Impossible Arts, at Pescod Square; and William Lindley at St. Botolph’s.
Notting Hill Carnival
Transported was delighted to offer some local participants the opportunity to perform at the famous Notting Hill carnival, working in partnership with London School of Samba. Mid-August 2014 saw Marta Scott, one of London School of Samba’s fantastic dancers, come to Boston to lead a two day intensive rehearsal. The participants learnt new performance skills and were able to get a feel for what performing in a real, large scale carnival is like.
Burntwater
Burntwater: a Creative Fenland Journey took place on the first weekend in August 2014 and was a massive success, with audiences reaching over 2500 in engagement throughout the two-day, multi-site event all over Spalding. Transported commissioned artists Tangled Feet to create the festival, which was inspired by the history and heritage of Spalding and the River Welland, and brought the community together to celebrate the past.
Night of Festivals
In October 2013 Transported worked with creator ArtReach to bring Night of Festivals to Boston, the second stop on their four location tour during 2013-14. Over a hundred members of the local community took part – performing in the fantastic carnival processions working with Mandinga Arts, as part of the Transported face painting team or as general stewards over the two days of events. More information here.
