South Tyneside Parade - a 'massive celebration of creativity'
Fun spun out of recyclables
The season of carnivals and parades is upon us and something is stirring in an industrial unit in South Shields – and this is not a reference to the busy laundry next door.
In these particular council-owned premises, adjacent to the towels and sheets, is evidence of a different sort of activity.
Is that a giant bee? And surely that’s a turtle over there?
I’ve been invited here by Claire Finlay, projects officer for The Cultural Spring – an organisation “committed”, so its website explains, “to making arts and culture an accepted and expected part of people’s lives in Sunderland and South Tyneside.”
It has been pursuing this aim for the past 14 years, a period which has seen political upheaval and a pandemic, and the success of its parades, in particular, can be seen within these brick walls.
Artists commissioned to work with community groups across South Tyneside venture forth and then bring the results of their various workshops back here for the final stages of construction.
“We’ve been involved for the past three years, working with artists and different community groups who work on the various structures and floats for the parade,” says Claire.
“We stepped in when the council’s events team asked if we could help out and we always try to get new groups involved. It’s about trying to make it bigger and brighter.”
Several artists have been working with groups in the run-up to this year’s summer parade, including Lulu Jowett, from Newcastle, who was one of several interviewed for a two-month placement.
There have been summer and winter parades, with thousands taking part and lining the streets to watch, and while the relics of past triumphs have ended up here, nothing goes to waste.
“We recycle a lot of stuff,” says Claire. “We take structures that have been used before and turn them into something else.
“The theme of the last winter parade was Winter Wonderland and it involved animals. We’ll be using some of them again but perhaps making them a bit more colourful.”
She points out the large and currently wingless bird, a carnival creation she made – for Claire’s an artist, too – for the winter parade.
A robin back then, it is being repurposed as a phoenix for this year’s summer parade whose title is Wild and Wonderful: Colours of our Community.
The bird will be escorted along the route by colourfully clad troupers coached by local dance instructor India Adams who has been working with Newcastle-based musician Rapasa.
Matching talent with talent is The Cultural Spring’s speciality, whether they be professionals or citizens eager to get creative however they can.
Suddenly artist Laura Marley emerges from the bowels of the large structure taking up much of the available floor space in this carnival workshop.
It’s a highland cow… or will be. The head and horns are recognisable and the body is taking shape.
“He’s not upholstered yet so you have to use your imagination,” says Laura.
“Imagine his neck covered up so you can’t see me inside.”
Laura has been working with groups from South Tyneside Young Carers and Route2Work which provides training for young people with special educational needs.
She explains that both have connections with Jarrow Hall where, until recently, she was artist-in-residence.
“They got a new highland cow, Laddie, while I was there so it was a natural mesh. The Route2Work group love a cow and they help to look after them.”
This carnival cow started taking shape after Laura spotted some dismantled plastic goalposts behind a friend’s shed. Lightweight but durable, she saw potential with her artist’s eye.
“Cows are typically cuboid so I thought they would do for the body.
“Then I remembered that ages ago I’d bought a pattern for a cow mask for a completely different project.
“We had all these cardboard boxes and other recycled stuff lying around, so we got to work. The whole thing will be covered in camouflage netting.”
Laura says her artistic practice has previously focused on ceramics, often using ‘wild clay’ dug straight from the ground.
“Generally I make tiny things but then this happened, the polar opposite of what I’d been trained to do. I’m fairly new to the game but I love it and especially the recycling aspect.
“I can’t go past a skip without having a look. You can get inspiration from stuff that’s been chucked out.”
Following the cow will be members of her groups sporting bovine regalia and she shows how their tails and horns have been fashioned from unused PPE (personal protective equipment) left over from the pandemic.
Laura lives in Cullercoats but often works south of the river.
“There’s such an appetite for creative projects in South Tyneside,” she enthuses.
“There are so many well connected community groups and people are up for anything.”
She sees enormous benefits in the summer parade and all that leads up to it.
“It’s like a massive celebration of everybody’s creativity. Whatever contribution anyone can make is represented and it’s lovely.
“For lots of people I’ve worked with it’s an excuse to sit down for an hour or two when their only job in the world is to have fun making something.
“Young carers especially have a lot to do outside school and to see their joy in painting something orange or glittering something or attacking something with glue is great.”
Also present is Claire Darcy, events coordinator for South Tyneside Council, and for her the work starts long before the first parade participants appear.
“We have many meetings in advance – with highways, police and fire safety.
“Just because we’re the council doesn’t mean we’re allowed to do what we want. We have to get permission.”
And before any of that, as far as the parade weekend is concerned, there’s the all-important funding application to Arts Council England which enables it to happen.
A lack of funding means no winter parade this year so arguably the summer version is even more important.
“I think the pandemic showed what really matters to people,” says Claire.
“Art and craft and coming together when you can and being joyful and making stuff.”
Claire Finlay agrees: “It’s so important to the area. It just brings us all together as a community.”
South Tyneside Summer Parade is just the start of it, a spectacular event heralding a weekend of festival fun.
On Saturday, July 11 at 1pm the parade will begin to wend its way from Market Square to Bents Park via King Street and Ocean Road, making steady progress as participants stop for impromptu performances.
Thousands will line the route and many will follow.
In the park more entertainment awaits for what the council is calling “a fun-filled, family-friendly afternoon”.
And that’s not the end of this summer parade weekend for the next day Proms in the Park will be the attraction in Bents Park, with music performed by the South Tyneside Orchestra and guest singers, and the seafront will come alive with the attractions of Entertainment by the Sea.
“On the Saturday it’s more about local artists and on the Sunday it’s about things we haven’t seen before in the North East,” explains Claire Darcy.
“We’ve got a flower shop where you can craft your own flowers, performances, a giant skeleton and all sorts of crazy things.
“I was trying to think of things that remind me of South Tyneside so I’ve got a lifeboat which people can get in but it’s an art piece. We’ve got a land train to take people on little trips.”
If the weather plays ball, a memorable weekend lies in store. You’ll find details of this and more on the Visit South Tyneside website.