The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with local artists and community groups, announce the launch of; At The Forest’s Edge; a series of sustainable public artworks inspired by the themes of nature, family, healing and loss, created by and for communities of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Since February, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Creative Placemaking and Public Programmes team have worked with six community groups local to Stratford-Upon-Avon including Copernicana CIC, Clopton Connect, New Meaning, Sporting Memories, Sporting Memories, Stratford-upon-Avon, Fred Winters Centre, and Escape Arts, to develop a series of beautiful willow structures across six outdoor sites throughout the town.
Inspired by themes of the RSC’s summer productions of Hamnet and As You Like It, Artists Gemma Kerr and Miriam Nabarro have worked in partnership with community practitioner and gardener Emma Waterford, mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus) artist Lisa Franklin, poet Kurly McGeachie, composer Peter Vilk, choreographers LYNNEBEC and sculptor and puppet artist Alison Duddle to create a series of intricate willow sculptures. Together they celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of the communities who live on the banks of the River Avon and their relationship with the natural world around them.
Rachel Sharpe, Head of Creative Placemaking and Public Programmes at the RSC said; “At The Forest’s Edge is the largest community project the RSC’s Creative Placemaking and Public Programmes team have developed to date and a key part of our programme, focused on investing in creativity and wellbeing, working with people across Stratford-upon-Avon.
“This is a unique opportunity for our communities, artists and team to co-create experiences for all to enjoy. It’s been a real privilege listening to the ideas and stories of our collaborators which we look forward to sharing.”
Dionne Sambrook, Creative Programme & Performance Manager at Escape Arts community group said; “It’s very exciting to come together with such a diverse range of groups and individuals and work together on At The Forest Edge. Although we are all connected with Stratford-upon-Avon and are all part of the same community, we may not otherwise meet each other or hear each other’s stories.
“Our community in Stratford is like a woodland, full of life, some parts old and established, some new, some parts sunny and light, some parts in darkness. From a distance, it might appear that the trees are the same. But if you take the time to explore and look and listen, you will be surprised by the diversity and beauty you find.”
The first sculpture installed in April 2023 in the Swan Theatre gardens, is Twin Willow. Created with Polish community group, Copernicana, the twin willow sculptures have been developed in response to themes in Hamnet, adapted for the stage by Lolita Chakrabarti from the best-selling novel by Maggie O’Farrell.
The twin forms, which look out over the nearby river, exist in conversation with each other and respond to the themes of sibling relationships, life, death, grief and the power of nature and creativity to transform and heal. Throughout the Summer, the sculptures will be animated with creative input from Copernicana and with living mycelium sculptures and wildflowers.
All six installations will be available to visit for free from Monday 22 May. Additional sites include the Fred Winter Centre, Stratford Sports Club Ltd, Southern Lane, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and Lock 54 Stratford Canal, Clopton.
Inspired by the themes of ‘Great Big Green Week’, the project will culminate in an afternoon of live celebration on Saturday 17 June, featuring a range of free activities for the family including participatory workshops between 2pm and 6pm, the opportunity to plant wildflower seeds and a special promenade performance in the Avonbank Gardens (further details to be confirmed).
A map of the sites can be collected from Susie’s Café Bar at The Other Place from Monday May 22 onwards, or can be found online here. The willow structures will remain in place until the end of August.
