Project Posts Archives | Market Place

Legends of Lime Avenue

Posted on April 2025April 2025 by Lucy Amos

The event was the result of a long standing collaboration with residents in Wisbech and Orchards Church of England Academy.

Funding provided by Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group, supported festivities that included a puppet theatre exhibition, music, fireside storytelling, and food. The evening concluded with a shadow puppet performance that brought local legends to life.

The family-friendly gathering provided an opportunity for community members to connect and celebrate stories from Lime Avenue and its residents. The event featured work created by Orchards C of E Academy students and Waterlees residents.

Shadow puppet workshop at Orchards C of E Academy

Acclaimed playwright Dan Allum collaborated with community members to develop an original script that incorporated local stories and legends centered around Lime Avenue. Artist Liz Falconbridge led shadow puppet workshops at a local school, creating visuals for the event’s finale.

Attendees expressed positive reactions to the event, with comments highlighting community togetherness and neighbourhood pride.

‘Today has been fantastic to see communities come together.’
‘I felt very happy that this is on my street.’

With continued support from Clarion Futures, work will continue with the community throughout 2025 on an intergenerational project developed by young people.

St George’s Fayre 2025

Posted on March 2025April 2025 by Lucy Amos

Below, you’ll find our full programme of events, including the infamous St George’s parade.

Make a banner or flag to join the parade – adults only workshop

Join us at Ye Old Griffin Hotel in March on Saturday 26th April, 10am-1pm and get creative by making flags and banners to be carried in the parade the next day.

18+ only

Please book your place as numbers are limited by emailing community@marketplacearts.org.uk

Pilates session – 9am-10am, The Dome

Rise and shine with our energising morning Pilates class with Kathleen! Start your day with purpose as you strengthen your core, improve flexibility, and calm your mind. The expert instructor will guide you through a balanced routine that awakens your body and sets a positive tone for the hours ahead.

Free, no need to book – bring your own mat. 18+ only. All levels welcome.

Drop-in activities in the Dome, 11am – 4pm

Potting and Planting workshop – Learn how to start a herb garden on your windowsill. Discover the pleasures of using home-grown herbs in your cooking while learning about growing your own food.

Wildflower Seed ball creation – Create your own wildflower seed balls. Perfect for enhancing your garden’s biodiversity, supporting community green spaces, or giving as thoughtful, sustainable gifts.

Herbal Tea Tasting – Try a selection of naturally grown herbal teas while learning about their various health benefits. Learn about how these natural remedies can lead to a healthier body and mind.

WiseUp RiseUp DJ Workshop – On-the-day bookable sessions, with 15 slots available on a first-come, first-served basis. Hands-on interactive sessions learning the basic of DJing on industry standard equipment with experienced industry professionals.

Selling vintage fabrics (outside the Dome) – Browse the sustainable fabrics by ‘byKatyMac,’ an eco-conscious designer specialising in slow fashion. Discover unique garments and theatrical costumes crafted from vintage and pre-loved household textiles.

During the Parade – Starting at 10am from Robingoodfellows Lane

Same Sky puppets – An extraordinary procession of magnificent giant puppets! Witness the legendary St George and an enchanting princess puppet come to life in a vibrant community celebration. In the weeks leading up to the Fayre, Same Sky will be hosting local workshops to craft and prepare more extraordinary parade elements with the community for them to proudly display during the parade.

Enchanted Flower Globe – Meet Floris, the joyful flower nymph who lives inside this magical and unique mobile microclimate. Her magical world is filled with butterflies and charm, magic and wonder. The globe will also be at the market place when not performing in the parade – come and meet Floris and the creatures she lives among.

KJ Folk Music – Join us for the vibrant sounds of KJ Folk Music during the parade! Experience authentic ceilidhs, stirring bagpipe performances, and exceptional folk music services – all delivered with energy, quality, and a spark of innovation.

Plus – Look out for the giant March Hare created by local artist Cary Outis!

Centre Stage

Posted on March 2025March 2025 by Lucy Amos

Project Overview

Centre Stage puts the people of Wisbech in the spotlight, celebrating the diversity of the people that call this historic town their home. The project draws inspiration from a remarkable unfinished painting in the Wisbech and Fenland Museum’s collection. This project is a powerful narrative of Wisbech’s living history, bridging past and present by celebrating the community’s rich diversity and ongoing story.

Historical Inspiration

The project is rooted in an unfinished painting by Alfred Balding, depicting Wisbech Market Place during the celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. This artwork features many of the town’s residents within a still-recognisable market place backdrop, with many locals having paid for the privilege of being featured.

Contemporary Vision

CentreStage aims to capture a contemporary snapshot of Wisbech through photographic portraits representing the diverse communities that make up the town. These portraits will be housed within a unique, theatre set-inspired model that reimagines the market place for the 21st century.

Community Collaboration

The project will be created through a collaborative effort involving the community of Wisbech, lead artists Electric Egg, and a professional set designer.

Exhibition Details

The final interactive installation will be shared and displayed at the Wisbech & Fenland Museum in October 2025, featuring the new portraits alongside the original 1887 painting.

Want to get involved or find out more?

Email us at hello@marketplacearts.org.uk

Fuse Wisbech

Posted on January 2025January 2025 by Lucy Amos

MarketPlace is partnering with Collusion to bring an exciting creative opportunity to Wisbech! We’re looking for young creatives aged 16-30 to help create an innovative augmented reality (AR) art project celebrating our town and its unique Fenland landscape.

What’s on Offer:

Free monthly workshops on Tuesday evenings
Pizza at every session
Opportunities for career development throughout
Socialise with fellow creatives

About the Project

The project will create a town-wide AR trail, transforming Wisbech’s landmarks into digital artworks. No previous experience needed – just a willingness to create, learn and grow with like minded creatives. Each month the creative offer changes, with opportunities for career development throughout.

Key Details:

Location: Wisbech Library
Schedule: Monthly Tuesday evening sessions 4:30 – 6:40pm
Starting: February
Cost: Free
Age range: 16-30 years

Ready to Join?

Visit the Collusion website to view all workshop dates and register for the Wisbech programme – sign up today

Light Up The Town

Posted on January 2025April 2025 by Lucy Amos

The Light Up The Town project successfully brought communities together across Fenland and West Suffolk, transforming local towns with stunning light projection art during early 2025. Collaborating with SDNA Moving Image, the project illuminated public spaces and historic buildings, creating magical evenings that brought residents together during the transition from winter to spring.

We saw over 1,500 of you visit the light shows that lit up buildings in Chatteris, March, Wisbech, Whittlesey, Brandon, Mildenhall, and Newmarket in early 2025.

West Suffolk Light Shows

The West Suffolk leg of the project featured three captivating evenings:

Brandon came alive on Tuesday, 25th February at the Town Council’s Old School House on Market Hill
Mildenhall was beautifully illuminated on Wednesday, 26th February at St. Mary’s Church
Newmarket concluded the West Suffolk shows on Thursday, 27th February at St. Mary’s Church

Fenland Light Celebrations

The Fenland towns followed with their own spectacular light displays:

Wisbech kicked off on Monday, 3rd March at Museum Square
March hosted its event on Wednesday, 5th March at the Town Hall
Chatteris shone brightly on Thursday, 6th March at the Church of St Peter & St Paul
Whittlesey concluded the series on Friday, 7th March at Saint Mary’s Church

“I didn’t know that music and light could be so overwhelming to make you feel better. It’s so healing.” – Attendee

Community Response

The free, family-friendly events drew significant community participation. Residents enjoyed the experiencing the mesmerising light projections that transformed familiar local landmarks into canvases of artistic expression.

“Being part of the community panel gave me some insight into the process of developing a community art project. I felt that my perspective was valued which was reassuring as I was less experienced than the other panel members. Being involved in the panel pushed me to consider my future career in the creative industries and helped me in my studies by giving me information and experience.” -Yve Ward, Community Panelist

The project successfully achieved its goal of reconnecting communities, offering a unique and uplifting cultural experience that celebrated local heritage and creativity.

Mildenhall Art Trail

Posted on September 2024January 2025 by Lucy Amos

The trail featured 50 works of art, created by Mildenhall residents during Art Road Trip; a MarketPlace project in partnership with The National Gallery and Mildenhall Museum celebrating the 90th anniversary of The Great Air Race from Mildenhall to Melbourne in 1934.

There were artworks created by the local community in five different locations around Mildenhall such as collage, painting and Van Gogh inspired pieces.

Community launch – the community launch event was held where goodies were handed out to walkers who completed the trail. MarketPlace met with members of the Mildenhall community and local residents to share ideas about future creative projects.

Visitors were able to take a closer look at the buildings and locations, immerse themselves in art, and uncover fascinating facts about The Great Air Race along the way.

“We’ve really enjoyed the trail and the kids have really enjoyed it as well. It’s been nice to have the map to see where we need to go. The artwork has been lovely to look at and the historical pieces of information along the way have been really good to learn about.”

MarketPlace expressed gratitude to Mildenhall Museum, the National Gallery, and all of the brilliant artists who created the artwork that was discovered during the trail.

“I was excited to find that it was happening on our doorstep”

“The Art Road Trip and Trail are so important to the community of Mildenhall as it brought the community together to either experience something new or build on an existing interest in art. The artwork from the trail is still displayed at Mildenhall Hub and it is lovely to see visitors stopping to have a look and discuss the art.” – Michelle Slater, Assistant Facilities Manager at The Hub, Mildenhall

Click here to view the digital trail map

FenCreators

Posted on July 2024August 2024 by Lucy Amos

Create, connect, calm: mindfulness and friendship through art

15 weeks of free, inspiring workshops in your Fenland community. From sewing to filmmaking, there’s a range of activities for all skill levels, guided by professional artists. Enjoy a welcoming, sociable atmosphere that fosters new friendships and community connections. Come as you are, work at your own rhythm, and let your creativity flourish in a safe and supportive space.

The workshops are open to individuals aged 18 and above and cater to all skill levels, from complete beginners to enthusiasts. Regular participants will have the opportunity to shape the programme, exhibit their work locally, and help run creative activities at local events.

The project has blossomed from the successful pilot of quilting workshops in Chatteris which we introduced, following requests from the local community. This is a Creative Lives Know Your Neighbourhood Project funded by UK Government and Arts Council England.

Sessions run from September to December 2024.

We’d love people to attend as many sessions as possible, but workshops will also work as standalone sessions, so don’t worry if you can’t make them all or if you’re only interested in particular sessions.

Chatteris workshops

Wisbech workshops

Whittlesey workshops

Wisbech Rose Fair

Posted on June 2024November 2024 by Lucy Amos

We returned to Rose Fair, with lots of creativity and fun for everyone to get involved with in and around the town centre.

We reunited with the brilliant Mandinga Arts who took part in the parade and performed their brand new show ‘Pansy Postal Service’ at in the church gardens, complete with human flowers. Their bright and imaginative costumes were the perfect addition to the parade.

Artist Karin Forman held drop-in creative sessions in the sensory garden where people could make their own intricate paper flowers to take home.

Plus, we unveiled our street art sculpture which was installed in Horse Fair shopping centre, designed and spray-painted by the local community in our public workshops with Artist and Illustrator Nick Shove.

Rose Fair spraypainting workshops