Great Yarmouth’s Circus Story

‘Showtime’, a vibrant exhibition about the history of the circus in Great Yarmouth, opens at the Time and Tide Museum on Saturday 27th March and will run until 31st October.  Items of marvellous memorabilia collected by Peter Jay, owner of Great Yarmouth’s Hippodrome, and Don  Stacey, are included in the exhibition, along with studies by Bruer Tidman and paintings by Katherine Hamilton of the modern day circus .

Amongst the related events at the Time and Tide are Rollo’s Circus Skills Workshops on Mondays between 26th July and 30th August, and Circus Sunday, 8th August, 10.00 -17.00 hrs.   For more information about events visit www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk.

Visitors to the exhibition will receive vouchers for £2.50 of a full price adult seat at the Hippodrome.

The Time and Tide Museum on Blackfriars Road, Great Yarmouth, is open Monday – Sunday, 10.00 – 17.00 hrs.  (Note: Winter opening hours from 2nd November 2010- 31 March 2011 are 10.-16.00 hrs Mon-Friday and 10.00-16.00 hrs Sat. and Sun.) 2010 admission to the Time and Tide museum:  adult  £4.50, concessions £3.80, young person (4-16) £3.30.  Discounts are available for pre-booked groups.  For more information tel: 01493 743930 or visit Norfolk Museums website www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

For full information about all the museums in Great Yarmouth, with admissions times and prices , click here and download the 2010 Great Yarmouth Heritage Quarter Guide.

Mixed Media Painting workshop at Raveningham Centre

Sarah Cannell is running a 2 day mixed media painting workshop at The Ravenous Cafe, Raveningham Centre, near Beccles, on Tuesday 6th & Wednesday 7th April, 10 – 4pm.

Passing on techniques picked up from her time at Central St Martins art school, as well as approaches she uses in her own work, artist Sarah Cannell will show workshop participants how to transfer photographic images onto MDF and “embed” these images in acrylic paintings. Sarah’s own mixed media work can be seen at www.sarahcannell.co.uk

The course is part of the Black Dog Arts Garden Art Trail so the finished works will have the opportunity to be part of the summer exhibition in Bungay. The course is limited to 12 people so book quickly to avoid disappointment. Fees: £60 for the course/ £50 concessions.

If you are interested in signing up for this workshop, or would like to find out more about the gardens project ring Jan on 01986 895227 or Sarah on 01508 548941.

Yarmouth Tango

Not to be missed!  Kate and Tony are experienced teachers of tango who dance a close milonguero style tango which ultimately derives from the crowded dance floors of Buenos Aires – a style of social dancing which suits all ages and levels of dance experience, where the aim is simplicity, musicality, creativity and dailogue. 

Kate and Tony are offering a starter pack of 4 Friday classes, 7.45-9.00 p.m, 26th February – 19th March, 2010 at New Bodies Fitness Centre, King Street.  The fee is £30 for the four sessions.  Booking is essential – contact kate@yarmouthtango.com  or for more information go to www.yarmouthtango.com.

Half-term Events at the Time and Tide

Spring half-term activities at the Time and Tide,  from craft activities to storytelling, there was lots on offer. For further information please contact Jonathon Tooke at Time and Tide on 01493 743930.  Workshops  run from 12.00-16.00 hrs.

Great Yarmouth Mardi Gras

Great Yarmouth’s first Mardi Gras carnival is going to take place in King Street on Tuesday 16th February, starting at 3.30 p.m.  The area between St. George’s Chapel and York Street will be packed with street bands, dance groups, cabaret, traditional games and cooking.  Along with street walkabout acts, there will be a traditional English pancake race as well as a traditional Lithuanian wrestling match – where a fat man fights with a thin one to represent the passage of the seasons.  Drop in workshops from 3.30 p.m. include mask-making, dance and drumming.  From 5.40 p.m. to 6.10 p.m. there will be a small fire show on Unicycles outside St. George’s Theatre amongst other finale wonders and from 6.30 – 8.30 pm the Kings Wine Bar are hosting a Cabaret Night.

Jankie D is delivering a workshop on the 6th February at Martham Sure Start Centre from 10.00-16.00hrs for those who want to get ahead of the game by creating their own carnival heads, wavers, banners, shakers and masks.

The Mardi Gras carnival is organised by SeaChange Arts. For more information go to www.seachangearts.org.uk

Phyllis Adams School of Dance

Based at the Unitarian Church Hall, Yarmouth Way, the Phyllis Adams School of Dance in Great Yarmouth provides students with lessons in a wide assortment of classes in dance and drama. Dance includes ballet, disco, fitness, tap and modern. Classes are available for different types of students and dancing and drama school tuition assistance is also offered.

For more information telephone 01493 843369/667998 or go to the website here.

Gorleston St. Andrew’s Competitive Festival

Now enjoying its 40th year, the Gorleston St. Andrew’s Competitive Festival has become renowned for its friendly atmosphere.  It is run by volunteers and is a registered charity, affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech.

The festival, which takes place at St. Andrew’s Church Chapter House on Church Road in Gorleston, provides a platform for performance of the Arts for amateurs of all ages and abilities.  Classes include instrumentalists, singers, choirs, orchestras and ensembles, speech, drama and compostition.

The dates for this year’s festival are 8th-20th March 2010 and the closing date for entries is January 31st.  Syllabus and entry forms are provided on the website or by phone to 01493 601740, also available at libraries and Allen’s Music Shop.

This year the festival is also celebrating  the 10th anniversary of the Gorleston Millenium Manuscript Poetry Reading Classes with a reading of selected poems from the manuscript.  There will also be  a Folk Workshop and Ceilidh on 12th March 2010, guided by Laura Cannell.

To vew the Gorleston St. Andrew’s Competitive Festival website Click here

Botanical Drawing Workshop

In anticipation of Spring as the days slowly start to lengthen, The Ravenous Cafe at The Raveningham Centre is running an introduction to botanical drawing day, tutored by Ruth Wharrier BA PGCE, on Monday 25th January 2010, 10am – 4pm.

The day will cover an introduction to botany, recognising shape and form and creating light and shade. Ruth Wharrier has painted botanical and natural history subjects since childhood. She works in watercolour, gouache and pen and ink. Ruth is currently completing her studies in botanical illustration at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.

Beginners are welcome and the workshop costs £40 in advance, lunch and refreshments included. Please bring drawing pencils and cartridge paper.

Ravenous Cafe, The Raveningham Centre, Beccles Road , Raveningham, South Norfolk, NR14 6NR, www.ravenouscafe.co.uk

For more info please call Ruth on 07722015847

Public Art Commission, Great Yarmouth Library

The community has been taking part in the consultation process for the public art commission at Great Yarmouth Central Library.  Charlotte Howarth has  delivered workshops with adults and children, in which she has helped them express  ideas through drawing, writing and carving.

For more information about Charlotte and her work click here.

Life Drawing Class

A new life drawing class is being held at Great Yarmouth Library commencing Wednesday 20th January 2010, 6.30-8.30 p.m.  The class is led by Philip Harvey and will run for five weeks.  The fee is £50 (£25 for those with qualifying benefits).  To enroll, call Gt.Yarmouth Library on 0344 800 8002.

Philip is also running a ten week watercolour course starting Monday 4th January, 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.  The fee is £85 (or £43 as above).