The Great Place Scheme comes to the Marina Theatre

A new partnership project will enable the Marina Theatre to encourage young people to shape new stories based on the heritage of Lowestoft.

A playwriting project, where 900 young people will work with a storyteller and drama facilitator to shape stories based on local histories, has been instigated by The Great Place Scheme – and will enable cultural organisations to make a step-change in how they work together. A selection of scripts will also be performed at the theatre along with a brand new creative forum. Arts, culture and heritage in the wider area will be further enhanced over the next three years after they secured more than £700,000 in national grant funding.

Making Waves Together, led jointly by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Waveney District Council, will see communities and organisations in both areas work together to boost the cultural offer and drive cultural re-imagination as a way of supporting success in the seaside towns.

Lee Henderson, Chief Executive of the Marina Theatre, said: “We are delighted that the funding will enable us to enrich our communities – continuing our passion and commitment to Lowestoft. It will also enhance our current vibrant outreach work and allow us to work closely with other organisations across the area."

The project is largely funded with a £737,900 grant from the Great Place Scheme, delivered by Arts Council England, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic England. Further funds are from the borough and district councils, Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council, Great Yarmouth Town Centre Partnership and Lowestoft Vision, and the Broads National Park.

Also involved in the initiative are the Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, who will work alongside East Suffolk Preservation Trust to develop a community-led heritage project to highlight and make more of the medieval rows in Great Yarmouth and the medieval scores in Lowestoft.

Flipside will engage with 2,000 school children to develop an exhibition based on the local heritage of wind, linked to fishing, windmills, and looking to the future of offshore wind energy.

In and around Lowestoft town centre, Dance East and the Association of Suffolk Museums will work in partnership to create a map of local cultural assets with residents to inspire pop-up performances.

In Great Yarmouth, the project will facilitate a participatory public animation project in the town centre and public spaces, working with SeaChange Arts.

Cllr Michael Ladd, Waveney District Council’s Cabinet member for Economic Development, said: “Culture and heritage play a hugely important role in creating and maintaining a sense of pride and wellbeing in a local area and we believe that this investment will inspire a whole range of people, from all age groups to enjoy and participate in the creative arts.”

And in addition, the Marina Theatre will be hosting a number of Easter activities over the Half Term break – with sessions including Theatre Make Up, stage combat, storytelling, song writing and musical theatre.

Places are limited and keep an eye out on our website and social media pages for full details and times.