Arts in Hyndburn
 

In one of the other threads, the arts in Hyndburn have been described as abysmal, I can't help but agree.

So what would people like to see if things were to change?

Would you want more public art, more live theatre, more workshops and activities, more exhibitions, more places to buy art things, more music, different types of music/opera etc, more shakespeare, more what?

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

I've mentioned this on more than one occasion, so appologies if I'm boring you.

In the seventies, and early eighties, we used to get a full and varied selection of professional arts groups performing in Hyndburn. I saw everything from Shakespeare to contemporary dance troupes. I saw punk rock concerts in the Civic Theatre, and alternative comics in Accy Town Hall. I'll refrain from remarking that the Town Hall is still full of comedians...except I didn't refrain from saying it, I suppose.

They were well attended, and much appreciated, and I don't think that in the intervening years the people have Hyndburn have turned into such Philistines that wouldn't pay to see similar things today.

There is no way on God's Earth that I would pay to see the dross we're currently served up. I just tried to check what delights are currently being offered, but as so often is the case HBC's website is down. From memory it's the usual fare of tribute acts, and as a treat maybe Orville.

We have one of the most beautiful art galleries in the country at the Haworth, but again most of the monthly exhibitions aren't a patch on what we used to get under the curatorship of Mr. Potter. I don't want to see what some pensioners have made out of felt in St. Helens. It may have been therapeutic for the them to do, but on artistic merit it scores a big fat zero from me.

As for public art, there isn't any. We must be the only borough in the country of a similar size, which doesn't have a statue.

Art isn't elitist. We have a strong tradition in this part of the world of producing artists of world reknown. From just over the border we have Kathleen Farrier, arguably the greatest contralto voive ever to be recorded, then there's Sir Harrison Birtwistle and John Tomlinson. Throw in our connection with Ossie Clarke, and Jeanette Winterson, and the many actors who have come from Hyndburn, and it shows we have a diverse and rich cultural heritage, but sadly that isn't represented in our borough today.

With the amount of money the council wastes on stupid schemes, their decision to stop paying Mid Penines Arts a relatively small amount, so that we would have at least some variety, is scandalous.

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

Well naturally I'm going to agree with you on that last one Garinda :D

I was in the Civic Theatre on Friday for the 'end of term' performance for Sparks, Oswaldtwistle Player's youth group, and the amount of talent on stage was amazing. There were some really spirited and intelligent performances and it would be great if there was more of this sort of stuff and more stuff in the area to inspire them.

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I seem to remember HBC giving some money to Mid Penine recently to fund something ;):D

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That's slightly different - in that MPA were commissioned to manage a specific project for that money. The money that Garinda was talking about was the small amount of funding that was given to MPA as a grant for us to generally work in this area.

Anyway, like I said, I really didn't want to get into that, that's all in the past now. What I want to talk about is what people would really be interested in seeing happening in Hyndburn.

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I agree, some of the amateur groups we have are first class, and some of the things I've seen rate very favourably to professional groups.

It just seems a shame that we have to now travel further afield to see things of merit, when we used to have such a good arts scene on our doorstep here in Hyndburn.

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I know that you, Garinda, would probably become more emersed in the arts if there were more things on at the theatre - but do you think it would be a viable business? Would it attract enough audiences?

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I can't see why not. There was certainly an appreciative audience there twenty five years ago, and I don't think Boltonians are any more cultured than us, and the Octagon Theatre is always packed.

Much to my shame I was dragged to see one of the tribute/rehashed line-up bands at the Civic Theatre, and it was only a quarter full, so whatever they're doing now is hardly filling them in to the rafters.

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It's possibly because nobody expects there to be anything on at the theatre at the moment so nobody ever checks whether there's anything on - a bit of a vicious circle, I guess.

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

At the moment we can't check, as HBC's website is still down!

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The entertainment site isn't down

Guide to Hyndburn entertainment

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

Thanks...I think.:eek:

Usual boring tribute bands, rehashed line-up bands, and amateur productions, no offence.;)

I'm not hoping for grand opera or the Bolshoi Ballet Company, but it's so disappointing compared to what we were offered twenty five years ago.

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

I think you're right. I think there was a spell about ten or fifteen years ago when theatre slumped in popularity and so that led to the decline of small theatres like the Civic. In recent years theatre has enjoyed a huge surge of popularity, so perhaps it's time to start demanding more events on there.

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We have got somewhere in the centre of Accrington that with a bit of work would be ideal for theatre productions IMO. What an ideal use for the Con Club, the car park on Paradise Street would make ideal parking in the evenings and at weekends and the club would be made use of instead of being left to rot.:)

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Gayle, as you well know I would love to see public art in Hyndburn. I've been trying hard to get something for the last 18 months, watch this space I won't give up !!!!!!!:)

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On Wednesday night my girlfriend and I are off to the Royal Exchange in Manchester to see Henry V. Love things like that. Not a magnificent work which attract masses, but a good quality production which we must go further afield to see.
Now I don't know much about funding or where it goes but surely this borough deserves what it got twenty five years ago (which I am incredibly envious of Garinda :D) and more?

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

The statue of the mother and child created uproar at the time...as all good art should, but now it appears to be much loved.

Don't forget they also have Queen Victoria as well, whilst we here have...absolutely nothing!

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

Idiot. You are getting your statues mixed up. The one that created uproar at the time was the one in Lord Square, where the old Cav used to be. It is the one with the woman cradling the child in her arms and she ain't wearing a wedding ring - very risque at the time (about 1969). The woman and child on the boulevard is a nice bit of fun.

Oh, and you forgot the Gladstone statue.

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

Do you need your glasses changing?

The statue I mentioned isn't the one Busman posted about.

I was just passing comment on the initial reaction to the one in Lord's Square.

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

Oh, and Blackburn also has the lovely Flora, in Corporation Park.

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Just a shame you failed to make that clear. Any person with a reasonable command of English would infer from your comment, quoting Busman's post, that it is the boulevard statue.

You can't get out of it that easy.

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Nice to see that week at charm school wasn't wasted. :p:D

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I have to say that I wasn't really trying to provoke another argument about public art - I think it's a little too emotive a subject. What I was really trying to get an idea of was if people would visit the theatre more if different things were on or if people would be interested in things like art classes or workshops etc?

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

Some people just seem to like to make an arguement out of everything. I am not really into thearte, but I know that other people are so if they manage to get what they want in Hyndburn good luck to them. I could be persuaded to goto the theatre if you could manage to get Joseph for us:p:D

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But to have the choice would be nice!:cool:

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thats what makes this site,interesting,funny,sometimes annoying, which is preferable to those ass kissing forums by a mile, perhaps why people stay around for years? (just my 2 cents) as for the "Arts" would like to see more/ Live Arts, also better use of the haworth,:)

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Look in the thread Keeping failing pupils back! You know I don't mind a bit of banter but some people just seem to thrive on being nasty:mad:

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What about the former Barne's furniture shop,didnt it used to be a cinema/theatre once over?

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I quoted Busman because he'd posted about two sculptures in Blackburn that he liked, and I was also referring to a once derided, but now much loved, statue in Blackburn.

I'll try my best to keep it as simple as possible in the future..for those that may be simple minded.:)

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It's seems odd indeed that HBC, like Accrington Borough Council which preceeded it, have such a philistine attitude to the arts. Especially when one considers how important the arts are in attracting tourism and external funding, not to mention a better class of council tax payer!!

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Blackburn has a few nice pieces of Art.......I am not big on sculptures/statues, but I do like the arrangement of street art in Church street, and I imagine it is much more impressive at night if it is lit up.
As for theatre......I like farce...funny stuff.

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Oh no you don't!

Whoops.

Where's my trousers?

(Exits through French doors.)

:D

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Followed by the heroines husband....brandishing a riding crop :D

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Me too Willow!

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I think I read in the paper about it the other day. They are hoping to reposition it.

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Oh good :)

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It is not art that is missing in Accrigton,there is very little 'art to put in it, unlessof course Henna hand painting or some one with an unpronoucable nam e playing an instrument that sounds like a broken Bagpipe fall into that category. As a child Accrington was rich in live entertainment, The Hippodrome was at it's height with nightly live shows were many a famous name cut their teeth. My parents had a 6 bedroomed house were many of these artists used to 'board'. The top names stoped in the Hotels but the chorus and the like stage hands etc used boarding houses.
The best time was when the Circus came to town, the worlds strongest man the tattood lady, you name them they came. There is far to much canned entertainment for any art form to be of any interest to this generation. They are as art is now a lost cause. In my humble opinion.

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Work shops would be great IF they were affordable to all.

My 9 year old is always making up his own 'shows' but is still too young to join any amateur dramatic groups which is sad.

Re: Arts in Hyndburn
 

Maybe you should introduce the young man to Gayle Debbie j after all she asked the question, it may be a child such as yours is the one with the answer.