PAST PROJECTS
2022
THE QUEEN'S PLATINUM JUBILEE
In 2022, we received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund in honour of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Leading up to the big day, we hosted a series of free 'Platinum Crafting' classes at our Southwick hubs, as well as a number of themed events, such as a special regal edition of our famous "Paint & Plonk" nights.
Over the Jubilee weekend, we held a "happy and glorious" street party on The King's Road, which brought performers, carnival games, facepainting, and so much more to Southwick on a wonderful weekend.
PENNYWELL JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS
As part of their Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022, we partnered with Pennywell Youth Project and Pennywell Neighbourhood Centre to create and display costumes, crowns and props for a mini carnival through the community.
With funding from Sunderland City Council, The National Lottery Fund and Tyne and Wear Foundation, the project involved around 400 people, with a particular focus on young people, those with learning difficulties, and the elderly.
SOUTH TYNESIDE PARADE
The Creative Seed have been the creative directors for the South Tyneside Parade in each of the last 5 celebrations. Working with many different community groups from the area, we have created fantastic events for the community.
In 2022, The theme was Carnival/Recycle, and we implemented these themes through our dance and costume making workshops, taking place at our South Shields hub, The Pit @ St. Hilda's.
The Creative Seed worked with 2000 participants and were seen by so many more!
We have also partnered with fantastic Carnival Guests such as: Emccan, Rampage Mas, RJC Dance, High Esteem, Preston Carnival & Gateway Studios.
2021
SUNDERLAND HALLOWEEN PARADE:
The Creative Seed helped to organise the spooky and spectacular Halloween parade that took place in Sunderland in 2021.
Working alongside Sunderland council, the university of Sunderland, and other organisations, we exhibited some amazing creations, dances and costumes.
NEWCASTLE MELA PARADE
The Creative Seed worked on The Newcastle Mela 25th birthday celebrations, which incorporated a parade. The Mela is a free event based around Pakistani, Bengali, Indian and other South Asian cultures.
The event celebrates the diversity within Newcastle upon Tyne.
The company worked with a number of community groups including Bilton Hall, RASPS and Apna Ghar, who took part in the parade along Northumberland Street, Newcastle.
MORE
HISTORY OF PARADES
The Creative Seed was funded by heritage lottery to document the relationship and passion the people of South Tyneside have for parades and carnivals in the borough.
The project includes The production of a 10 minute film documenting the memories of local people and groups who have been associated with, organised or taken part in parades or marches over the last 50 years. [CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR DOCUMENTARY].
The project involved extensive research, looking at archive footage and photography dating back as far as 1907. The Creative Seed would like to thank British Pathe, North East Film Archive and The National Centre for the Written Word for being valuable resources for this research.
As part of this project, The Creative Seed worked with professional artists to deliver workshops in costume and movement. The workshops evoked memories of past parades in South Tyneside and created an opportunity for the participants to share their memories.
This project was funded by Arts Council England to help develop our existing static shows into a mobile performance and roadshow which will be suitable for both Summer and Winter professional events.
The vehicle is multipurpose in terms of staging, sound and lighting, either as a static backdrop or a mobile float.
CARNIVAL ROADSHOW
BILTON HALL FUN DAY
The Creative Seed have been working in partnership with Bilton Hall for 3 years acting as an arts and cultural resource for the centre.
We worked with children and their parents in preparation for the centre’s family fun day, conducting 8 costume workshops and 8 dance workshops in the lead up to the event.
The children designed and constructed carnival headdresses and tabards which were worn at the family fun day, and kept by the children after the event.
Callaloo Carnival Arts was invited to take part in the South Tyneside Parade as part of a relatively new partnership. Following the success of the South Tyneside Parade, Callaloo Carnival arts invited The Creative Seed to take an element of its Great North Carnival Roadshow to the Mirfield Carnival, the parade was part of the Mirfield Arts festival and included 250 participants.
The Creative Seed would like to thank Callaloo Carnival arts for allowing us to take part in this beautiful community carnival and look forward to working with them in the future.
MIRFIELD CARNIVAL