Local school children are working on the Corby Sound Sculptures Project with Creative Futures, which will be a significant part of this year’s Corby Mardi Gras. Taking place outside The Core at Corby Cube and in Thoroughsale and Hazel Woods this year’s annual event led by Leicester based cultural development agency ArtReach in partnership with Made in Corby and Same Sky, on March 30, is set to be bigger than ever.

The children at St Patrick’s Primary School, Studfall Junior Academy and Hazel Leys Academy are working with artist Liam Hadjipetrou from Creative Futures on workshops with an innovative approach which will combine sculpture and music. The school workshops will lead to the production of an art work created by local pupils. This large scale installation, which will be showcased in the centre of Corby and coinciding with the Corby Mardi Gras event, will also be interactive, allowing people to explore this great new project for themselves.

The theme for this year’s Corby Mardi Gras is Corby stories and several workshops are available for the public to participate in that will allow people to contribute to some of the creations that will feature in this fantastic, free, family day out.

Arts charity Same Sky, whose colourful illuminated lantern sculptures have been the centre of the enchanted woodland promenade since the first Mardi Gras, are hosting a workshop at Corby Library on the first Monday of half term from 1pm-4pm. John Varah Artistic Director of Same Sky told us, “This workshop is a great way for anyone in Corby to feed into the Mardi Gras. On Monday 18th February everyone is welcome to drop into the workshops at the library. Not only will we be hosting free arts activities for people of all ages but we’ll be collecting stories from local people that will act as a source of inspiration for this year’s main event. Same Sky has also created an arts engagement device that we’re sharing with local retirement homes and community groups that may find it challenging to come to the event in person. These groups will be making smaller contributions, but when combined these creations will form an important part of this year’s woodlands promenade.” People will also be able to use these creative tools live on the day of the main event.

That’s not all! Corby’s Rooftop Art Centre team are hosting regular lantern making workshops, every Saturday from 1pm-3pm, on February 16th, 23rd and March 9th, 16th and 23rd. The workshop for March 2nd is already fully booked. People should head to Rooftop Arts Centre website to book spaces for the rest of the creative sessions.

Dinah Kazakoff, Director of Rooftop Arts Centre explained, “It’s great to see one of the free workshops is already fully booked but we do encourage everyone to join us for a workshop. We’re raising awareness of our ‘Young Creators’ art sessions which we run regularly on Saturdays but it’s great to contribute to the Mardi Gras on March 30. At these lantern workshops, which are free to all, we’ll be creating smaller, portable, lanterns that people can then use to join in the public parade through the illuminated woodlands at 6pm as part of the main event.”

So it seems that there are a number of ways in which, local people, can contribute to this year’s exciting event. From making your own artistic creations to sharing stories of Corby as your home town, or just attending the day with your friends and family.

Don’t forget that on top of all these opportunities to get creative for the Mardi Gras the event itself (which is entirely free and on March 30) will also feature fantastic performances from funky marching band the King Brasstards, local choir Deep Roots Tall Trees, a superb ‘Saxophone’ choir and street theatre performances from award winning theatre company, Highly Sprung Performance Company. The street theatre performance, Journeys Home, will feature local people as part of the performance and is also based on stories from the area.

Be sure to follow developments and plans for the event by searching Facebook for Corby Mardi Gras 2019, use #CorbyMardiGras2019.