Looking Ahead to Coast Arts 2016
Looking ahead, with any security requires having a solid place beneath one’s feet from which to do this. As the incoming Chairman, I am pleased to be able to trust that I am part of a team which has built exactly that: a solid foundation.
This is the result of six years of successful COAST Festivals.
The theme for COAST 2016 is “Revolution”. In this spirit, and after 6 successful years, the Trustees of CASALF (Cromer & Sheringham Arts & Literary Festival, the legal name of the charity organising COAST events) is “revolutionising” its activities!
Our operational name from January 2016 is COAST Arts
Our original remit was from the two town councils, Cromer and Sheringham, to put on an event in the Autumn Half Term for visitors and locals alike to enjoy.
People like local councillor Cat Plewman were crucial to the original organisation and thinking about what that event might look like; Cat is still one of the leaders in the Coast Arts team.
I am pleased to say that the Coast committee and trustees continued to develop the festival from its origins so effectively that we have, for two years, been able to start the new year with sufficient funds to confidently plan the next year. Rosie Glasgow, an ex chair, has worked tirelessly, (although it is probably more accurate to say that she has exhausted herself) and, until this year was responsible for writing bids for funding.
This post is now vacant and if you feel you might enjoy helping with this, please do contact us.
Every year, there are lessons to be learned and thanks to be made to the people who faithfully turn up to Trustees’ meetings to formulate the programme; ensure the finances are available to put on events and ease the whole process through from ideas to delivery.
Currently the team is composed of Sally Wallace – the outgoing chair – who with her able partner, Jenny Rumens have held COAST through and contributed enormous amounts of time and effort to ensure we have a festival each year.
Like myself, Sam Robbins has been constructively contributing both practical support and the delivery of imaginative and creative events for many years. as has Katrina Cole.
Tim Bartlett and Barry Meadows have been similarly utterly reliable, creative and technically accomplished members of the team.
Eddie and Tina Anderson and Siri Taylor continue to bring their years of creative experience to the festival.
We continue to evolve as a result of the previous years’ festivals and this year is no exception.
The Autumn Half Term will continue to offer the usual exhibitions and workshops you have come to expect so look out for those in Cromer and at The Belfry in Overstrand. Arts North Norfolk will be entertaining us with their hilarious, close to the edge humour Fringe Cabaret again. Come and see how CEO Joe Ballard releases his alter ego on his audience simply by the fact he is wearing a frock!
Last year’s determined move to involve the younger people of the area resulted North Norfolk’s Got Talent and was comprehensively enjoyed thanks to an enormous amount of work and the wholehearted support of Cromer Pier Pavilion Theatre.
What both surprised and delighted us was just how many of the older residents of the community got involved in this event. And it was the octogenarian contestant who gave us the kernel for one of our Easter events!
We are a community and arts based charity hoping to involve people of all ages and we are thrilled to say we shall be holding matinee performance – a Croonalong – at Cromer Pier Theatre to draw you all out to celebrate Spring after this wild and windy Winter and feel a real sense of regeneration as the days get longer. This will give the talented semi finalists and finalists a chance to sing some of the old favourites and lift our spirits.
Additionally, we are offering budding actors and existing ones too to come and be part of a Scratch performance, again at The Cromer Pier Theatre, under the expert guidance of professional actor James Darby.
Every year we have enjoyed the performance of a local community choir and this year we have taken the idea on to offer a ChoirFest being produced by Tony Knight and we are hoping to bring you at least six choirs. This is not to be missed.
If you have ideas of what you could offer the festival this year please fill in the online form and send us your proposals asap. This year for the first time, we will have events running throughout the year.
Finally, this year’s biggest event is a Youth Production of the Les Miserables – Schools Edition, at autumn Half Term. Take advantage of this opportunity if you know a young person who would like to be involved, encourage them to audition or offer their talents for the Production Team. If you are that person , contact us now!
If you have any skills useful to putting on this ambitious production ie., wardrobe, set design and construction, stage management, sound and lighting skills, come and join us. We all had a really great time putting on NNGT, so this will be amazing!
We have lots more events, quizzes, a photography exhibition in North Lodge Park Cromer and Lynne Truss returning this year so look out for updates on this website, our Facebook page and Twitter too, of course.
I shall be back with more information on these and hope to post regular letters.
Annie Lloyd