Culture Collective
Ayr Gaiety is one of twenty-three projects in Scotland that makeup The Culture Collective, a pilot programme establishing a network of creative practitioners, organisations and communities working together to create a positive difference locally and nationally in response to COVID-19.
The programme supports a participatory approach, working collaboratively to actively engage people in shaping the cultural life of their community.
The Gaiety’s Culture Collective Programme includes:
Wallacetown: ‘What’s your story?’ Creative writing group for adults meet every week and are working towards their performance. Members are learning direction, performance, and other theatrical elements as part of the group. This is led by Creative Practitioner Des Dillon.
Our Newton Drama group also meets weekly. This is for children of primary age who have just had their first performance. Each week Creative Practitioner Emma McDougall, assisted by Creative Practitioner Assistant Lisa McIntyre work with the young people to build confidence, teamwork and performance skills.
Our Champions Board: This group of young people with Care experience meets fortnightly to participate in creative writing workshops and art activities. They have been working towards adapting a classic play to represent their own experiences and stories while also developing stories of their own. The group is led by Creative Practitioner Fiona Evans and assisted by Creative Practitioner Assistant Maya Rose Edwards. The group are working towards presenting a main stage show written by Fiona later in the year.
Our Dementia-friendly theatre show. The group meet weekly with our partners Dementia Men’s Group, and have also built close links with Dementia Friendly Prestwick and Dementia Arts who are also involved in the development of the show. The partners in this new Dementia Friendly show are ‘Fearless Players’ lead by Creative Practitioners Shonagh Murray & Lydia Davidson, assisted by Creative Practitioner Assistant Serena Doran.
Girvan: Our Girvan group has been working closely in consultation with the community to create a fantastic new art and physical theatre performance and exhibit ‘Catch a drift’. The exhibit will take place later in the year, and the group are holding events to forage resources and natural beach treasures to create artwork for the exhibit. They are also running physical theatre sessions on Girvan Beach. The group is working closely with partners at CRAG Community Arts and the exhibition will be a photography exhibit of the work created throughout the project. The Girvan group is led by Creative Practitioner Hayley Earlam and Creative Practitioner Assistant Maya Rose Edwards.
Maybole: Our Maybole group is currently in a consultation and research phase. Our artists are building up links within the community, getting to know the community’s needs and wants, and building up strong partnership links. We are looking forward to seeing where this project in Maybole will go.
Adults with learning disabilities: Our weekly theatre company for adults with additional learning needs runs weekly in partnership with ENABLE Ayr. The group are currently working with music, physical theatre and improvisation. They are working towards a showing at the end of the year. This group is led by Creative Practitioners Ceylan Hay, & Lydia Davidson, and assisted by Creative Practitioner Assistant Serena Doran.
