Drive-in experience and streamed theatre show among Lyth Arts Centre's festive highlights
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A drive-in experience and a special streamed version of a favourite Christmas theatre show are among the attractions in a busy festive programme unveiled by Lyth Arts Centre (LAC).
The centre says it will provide much-needed paid work for artists in the Highlands after a difficult year for many working in the creative industries because of Covid-19, while also supporting the community.
The first project will be a new festive activity booklet on the theme of Caithness Under the Christmas Tree – following on from LAC's successful lockdown activity book, Caithness, Through My Window. This time the centre commissioned 12 local artists, all either from or based in Caithness, to design a dozen creative Christmas activities.
Education and outreach coordinator Helen Moore said: "The aim is to get the booklet out to every child in Caithness. We’re distributing it through schools, nurseries and community groups and it is also available free for anyone to order from the arts centre website.”
The book is suitable for all ages and includes a range of activities from colouring-in to making to your own wrapping paper.
A new projection-mapping installation will explore the county's winter and Christmas history through a special drive-in experience called Caithness, Through Your Windscreen. Projected onto the LAC Artists' House, it will use archive material, animation and oral history recordings to creative a "magical festive film".
It has been created in collaboration with Moray-based production company wildbird and features footage and photographs from the Wick Society, Nucleus and Castletown Heritage Society. Alongside heritage footage depicting key moments in the winter history of Caithness, such as Operation Snowdrop in 1955, the installation includes contemporary community recordings of Christmas memories.
With audiences able to joy the installation from their own vehicles, the event will be Covid-secure and follow strict Scottish Government guidelines. Caithness Pizza, which proved a hit for the arts centre over the summer, will be supplying festive-themed, Italian-inspired snacks, delivered straight to the car doors.
The event opens on Monday, December 14, and runs for a week until Sunday, December 20. Tickets are free but booking is essential.
In normal times, LAC would be hosting a new family-friendly festive theatre show for children and schools over Christmas. Instead there will be an innovative digital event with White – a popular children’s Christmas show by award-winning Scottish theatre company Catherine Wheels – being beamed into every primary school in Caithness, at no cost to schools or pupils.
Schools in north Sutherland have also taken up the offer with Tongue and Farr primaries signed up.
Some schools are using the LAC cinema screen to show the theatre film. Schools will also receive a resource pack for classes to explore themes and respond creatively to the show.
Co-director Tom Barnes said: "We know this winter period will be different, and likely difficult for many in our community, so we wanted to ensure we could host some positive, creative activities for people in Caithness to enjoy together.
"The programme supports local artists while still bringing some of Scotland’s internationally renowned theatre to the county. While it’s not our usual festive offer, the pandemic has forced us to think in new and engaging ways and we think our Christmas programme this year will be one of the best yet."
The projects have been funded through the Scottish Government’s Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund. For more information on all the projects, go to www.lytharts.org.uk
