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As I see it: Our district has much to offer heritage and the arts




Have you got your panto tickets, will you be visiting a small gallery to buy that special present, or will you be going to a carol concert, asks Councillor Rowan Cozens, Deputy Leader Newark and Sherwood District Council and Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and the Arts?

Our district has so much to offer to bring this special time of year to life and it’s hard to imagine our many civic events without music or the wonderful heritage buildings which accommodate them.

It’s a great privilege to support our Heritage, Culture and Arts team as they deliver innovative events, exciting new projects and generally improve the quality of our residents’ lives, developing pride in our communities, instilling a sense of wellbeing and celebrating our diversity.

I’ve been fortunate to attend some wonderful events this year as we focussed particularly on music in our district; an evening with the Dukeries singers in Ollerton, performances by Newark and Sherwood Concert Band and Newark Town Band, a breathtaking performance of Blood Brothers at our own Palace Theatre, the relaxed and welcoming Music for Market series at St Mary Magdalene, the Music Foundation Concert in Southwell Minster, the wonderful Newark and Southwell Music Festivals, and, at the Holocaust Centre in Laxton, a very moving first performance of a piece written by local pianist Chris Miggells, based on manuscript fragments by the composer Gideon Klein which were smuggled out of Auschwitz.

The live music scene is truly alive and well in venues across Newark and Sherwood.

Teamwork is very much the way creative projects come to life and the team here is phenomenal, dealing with huge capital projects like the Castle and the installation of the Kiddey Sculptures, at the same time as smaller, more intimate events and exhibitions for specific groups of residents.

The Open Doors team for example reach out particularly to families, young children and those with special access needs, as well as individual communities through recent exhibitions like A Polish Heart Beats Here and Mining for Stories.

Our world is a rapidly changing one. We are hearing a lot about how AI and technology will become an even bigger part of our lives, the loss of traditional crafts and skilled workers, the emotional and mental health crisis for many of our youngsters, and an increase in feelings of isolation and loneliness.

It is through supporting the arts, culture and heritage that we encourage the development of much needed creative skills, resilience and critical thinking, as well as learning to better understand each other.

We connect with shared human experience and participate in activities that don’t isolate us in front of a screen.

We always want residents to get involved, so whether it’s about joining panels, volunteering, participating, or advice on grants, email us at customerservices@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.



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