Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle : April 2023

BOOK FESTIVAL – 2023!

Our first ever Kirkgate Book Festival last month, bringing writers and book lovers together, was a great success. Planning for a two-day event next year is already under way.

Chloe Maitland, Kirkgate’s Community Projects Officer, said: ‘We had a really lively day with seven authors and two special guests, broadcasters Fiona Armstrong from ITV Border, and Jonathan Blake, a BBC political correspondent based at Westminster, who knows us because his mum happens to live in Brigham and is one of our customers!’

There was some very encouraging feedback from audience members about how much they enjoyed hearing about topics such as novel-writing, Cumbria-based detective fiction, self-publishing, local history and the (sometimes very funny) ups and downs of being an art gallery owner in Cockermouth. The New Bookshop on Main Street held a pop-up shop in our community hall while visitors mingled with the authors and enjoyed the usual delicious home-bakes at our pop-up café.

Festival Chair Marion Bowman is our volunteer of the month and The New Bookshop’s Louise Heaton is our business-owner of the month. Read their articles below.

UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS

We have two extraordinarily contrasting creative events for you in the next few days.

The Great Puzz Pubble Hunt
Saturday 15 April, 7pm (Doors 6pm)
This is an unmissable night’s entertainment invented by Kirkgate’s own fiendish Quiz Master Toby Gaffney.  It’s a head-scratching, mind-bending, light bulb-inducing evening’s fun made for people who love puzzles, competitions, escape rooms and quizzes. Teams of 6 will battle it out to be the first to follow the clues and puzzles to reveal the password of victory.

‘Highway Cello’ and ‘Celloop’
Tuesday 18 April, 8:00pm (Doors 7:00 pm)
Two stunning approaches to the cello. ‘Highway Cello’ presents the culmination of a unique music tour. Kenneth Wilson cycled from Hadrian’s Wall to Rome with his cello on the back of his bike, aiming to perform at every opportunity on the way. What would happen? No-one would know until he cycled into town and opened his cello case…
‘Celloop’ is a creative musical concept combining violoncello and looping. A graduate in Composition from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Christian Grosselfinger, is one of Brazil’s most promising cellists. Christian has played in orchestras all over the world.

PARISH NOTICES

Book early
Kirkgate’s Operations Manager, Katie Gentry, says ‘Please book early’. It’s not just customers risking disappointment if, late in the day, they find that tickets might have sold out when they get round to buying theirs. It’s really important for venues such as Kirkgate to know early on that an event will at least break even on ticket sales, otherwise it might have to be cancelled well before the date to avoid serious losses.

Says Katie: ‘Please, if there’s something you fancy, do book early. Be sure of a ticket and help us avoid cancelling. If you are a member of our Friends organisation, you will be eligible for ticket exchanges if you then find you can’t come.’
https://thekirkgate.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows

KIRKGATE HISTORY AND HERITAGE

Town Trail Goes Digital

This month our local history article is about the self-guided Town Trail round Cockermouth Conservation Area that was introduced by the local Civic Trust 23 years ago.

The trail organisers reached a significant milestone of their own last month with the launch of an app. People can now get the inside track on their smart phones. First stop on the trail is The Kirkgate Centre (which is why we claim that the history of Cockermouth starts with us!). Phil Campbell of the Cockermouth and District Civic Trust tells us all about it.

‘The idea of the trail when we first created it in 2000 was to provide information about our town to visitors and to enable local residents to take pride in where they live. As readers of Gloria Edwards’ regular articles in the KQC will know, Cockermouth has a rich history stretching from medieval times through the Georgian period to the present day, and much of the architectural side of this history remains protected within the town centre Conservation Area. Cockermouth Conservation Area was first designated in 1967 and is the area of the town that has been legally identified as being of special architectural or historic interest considered to merit extra safeguards.

The trail starts at The Kirkgate Centre where the first of 19 numbered plaques can be found. All 19 are at key points of interest along the 2 kilometre route (1.25 miles). The trail visits some of the notable historic buildings of the town but also yards, courts and back streets that even locals do not regularly visit, if ever.
This year, Cumbria Archive Service teamed up with us to produce the new app that automatically provides verbal commentaries and photographs at all of the way points along the trail. All you have to do is first buy a Town Trail leaflet (£2) then scan the QR code in the leaflet into your smartphone, and the commentary and photograph for each spot will be provided on arrival at the locations.

The Town Trail is numbered from the Kirkgate Centre but can be easily started from anywhere along what is a circular route. The trail is mostly on the flat and accessible to all abilities. However, the descent from the Kirkbank viewpoint is down steps then a steep slope to the Quaker foot bridge. It can be missed out by cutting through from Kirkgate’s Georgian square (location 3), past All Saints Church, and circling round the Town Hall to the footbridge. Copies of the Town Trail leaflet can be bought at the Tourism Information Centre (TIC) in the Library, the New Bookshop and the Toy Shop, all on Main Street.

The Town Trail app and the revised Town Trail leaflet were launched in March jointly by Cumbria Archive Service and Cockermouth and District Civic Trust. The app uses software kindly supported by North West Sound Heritage.’

@HOME@KIRKGATE

This regular slot features people, businesses, voluntary groups and others who hire the Kirkgate to put on their own activities, shows and public events. There was a full house and great atmosphere in our theatre when Sandy Smith recently booked her show celebrating all-time British favourite Cilla Black. Here’s more about Sandy and her life in music:

‘I’ve been singing and performing to audiences for most of my life. My first public performance was when I was only 5, at Castle Howard, near Leeds, then when I was 9 I took the role of Annie at Newcastle Royal Theatre as a professional entertainer.

When I was 18, I moved from the North East of England to work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and I was able to follow my dream there. I continued performing, including at some top stages in the West End such as the London Palladium. I’ve had leading roles including Sandy in Grease, Narrator in Joseph, and Mabel in Pirates of Penzance.

I took a long break from singing to bring my children up and focus on them, especially after my son had a serious accident but throughout this time I never lost my passion. I started a successful Performing Arts School, Adlib, which focuses on confidence-boosting and self-esteem of students, producing 2 shows a year in theatres.

I was coaxed into auditioning for a wedding band and became their lead singer which reignited my passion for performing live myself and I now have a solo career which brought me to Kirkgate. I have over 800 songs in my repertoire and can adapt to most styles from Rock to Opera, Cheesy Pop to Disco, Swing & Jazz, Musical Theatre to Showstoppers.

Where do I start when I think about my night at Kirkgate? From first entering the building and being greeted, I felt at home.  I was welcomed with open arms and all aspects of the preparation for my show were as required.  The team seemed to go above and beyond and I would recommend the performance space.  It’s a small quirky theatre that I loved. A massive thank you to the audience too, they were amazing and I loved every minute of it.  I can’t wait to return.’

You can find Sandy online here- www.sandzentertainment.co.uk
www.facebook.com/sandysmithsinger

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Kirkgate is a real community organisation with a strong volunteer contingent working alongside our small staff. After 28 years, and especially following the challenges of the Covid-19 era, we staff and volunteers are more determined than ever to keep developing, stay relevant and provide Cockermouth and West Cumbria with great entertainment and cultural activities.

The volunteer this month telling us more about her involvement with Kirkgate is Marion Bowman:

‘I was born and brought up in Maryport, and went to the old Cockermouth Grammar School. When I was living in London and working in television, I was very impressed to hear about the campaign to set up an arts centre at the old All Saints school in Cockermouth. So when I came back to live in the area, I started coming to films and gigs at the Kirkgate. In my teenage years I used to go to the folk club in the Black Bull pub on Main Street, so it was great to see professional musicians in the Kirkgate’s intimate theatre. Musicians say the acoustic is great!

From starting as a customer, I eventually joined the Board as a trustee, and then I was Chair for six years. I stepped down last year after we got going again following the end of the Covid lockdowns and Emma Heys, General Manager, and Chloe Maitland, Community Projects Officer, joined the staff. Another Maryport girl also now living in Cockermouth, Sue Moses, took over as Chair. I went to school with Sue!

I really enjoy being part of Kirkgate. I’ve made new friends, enjoyed a lot of shows and activities, and been involved in some significant decision-making. I’m still volunteering, mainly behind the scenes as a member of the Communications Group which deals with marketing, publicity and things like news releases for the local media. I’m also sometimes called on to perform, but only in an MC kind of role as at the Book Festival last month, or occasionally doing an interview on behalf of Kirkgate for BBC Radio Cumbria.

Community life has been very important to me ever since my childhood in Maryport which had strong traditions of mutual support, amateur singing and entertainment, and youth clubs. Having venues such as Kirkgate where people can come together and celebrate their own community’s talents and history as well as learn about the wider world is vital for our small West Cumbrian towns.

Kirkgate Arts and Heritage currently has vacancies for new trustees – there are lots of opportunities to influence the future of the organisation when you’re on the Board, and that also means influencing what kind of town Cockermouth is, and what it offers to local residents and visitors of all ages. I’d recommend becoming a trustee to anyone, so if you are interested in helping out and being part of something really important, do join the team!’

OUR COCKERMOUTH

Louise Howard, who recently took over at The New Bookshop on Main Street, tells us all about her new life, which recently involved a busy day at the Kirkgate Book Festival.

‘As new owners of The New Bookshop in Cockermouth, we were very happy to be asked to be part of the Book Festival at the Kirkgate Centre this March. We were well looked after by the staff and volunteers and had an enjoyable and successful day. The festival was an opportunity for people to meet several of our local authors and to hear about their writing experience. The New Bookshop had a pop up stall at the centre where visitors could purchase books and then have them signed by the authors. There is a real appetite and enthusiasm for more literary events and we certainly hope that the festival will be become a regular part of the town’s calendar.

We have lived in Cockermouth for 21 years with our three children. When the New Bookshop recently came on the market it was an opportunity that we did not want to miss. As an English teacher I have spent my career encouraging young people to read widely, critically and, most importantly, to read for pleasure. I feel extremely lucky to start a new career where I can continue to be surrounded by books and to be part of other people’s love of reading.