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PAIRING ARTISTS WITH PLACES AND ISSUES THAT MATTER

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The Glossop Creates Pairings Programme enters its second phase this year, kick starting 2023 with two brand new Pairings launching this month.  

The Pairings Programme, curated by Glossop Creates, takes an action-research approach, inviting artists to develop ideas and creative methodologies, whilst creating high quality, locally relevant work that increases engagement with our culture and local environment. It is our hope that the Pairing commissions form the basis for larger projects and support sustainable artistic practices; contributing to the cultural landscape of our place and highlighting alternative viewpoints of where we live.  

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As part of the Pairings programme, Glossop Creates has commissioned award-winning radio journalist, podcast presenter and aural storyteller Clare Savory. Clare runs her company A Small Furry Bear Productions out of the KIN.DER studios in Glossop. Clare has been paired with the Peak District National Park to explore, research, and celebrate the nature on our very doorstep; its distinctive characteristics; heritage and communities.  

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"At Longdendale Environment Centre, run by the National Park with support from United Utilities, our team are always looking for ways to connect local communities with this special place. We‚Äôre really looking forward to working with Clare to host workshops, and inspire people to explore the fantastic landscape on their doorstep. We hope that this project will create a resource that will enable many more people to discover the special qualities that the Longdendale Valley has to offer." - Matthew Ross, Communities & Young People Ranger, Peak District National Park Authority.  

From whispering chimneys, plane crash survivors to UFOs, Clare is taking a deeper look into the lesser known stories of the Longdendale Reservoirs.  

"Not many people know the chain of five reservoirs were a first of their kind in the world, and the now trail-disused-railway was another first too - Britain's first all electric mainline. Say the Peak District National Park and most people would say 'Kinder Scout' or a Bakewell tart over the Longdendale valley." - Clare Savory.  

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But this important section, "which teeters on the park's border", is a pot of gold in its rich tapestry of mill history, aviation, farming and environmental championing storylines.   Glossop Creates' artist in residence Clare Savory celebrates such tales using soundscapes and aural storytelling to capture the truth of what Glossop's waterways really mean to its people - past and present.  

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"It's really exciting to be involved with a project that will shine a light on the special qualities of the Longdendale Valley. The area maybe isn‚Äôt as famous as other parts of the Peak District National Park, but it is rich in wildlife, natural beauty, history and folklore. This wild landscape is also a complex and fragile one that requires protection; it is full of secrets to discover!" - Matthew Ross.  

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Community Call Out!  

We would like you, the public, to share any photos or stories that you may have about the reservoirs.  

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Clare would like to receive: Photos of day trips on the train to Woodhead when you were kids, wildlife photos you've taken on walks, stories from people who used to go to Woodhead Chapel or those who have worked on the railways, poetry or music that's been written about the reservoirs... Anything goes!

Clare may wish to contact you regarding content submitted, to delve deeper into the history of the reservoirs and our local histories.  

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To submit your photos, writing, sound or music please send any relevant documentation to Clare Savory, asfbproductions@gmail.com.  

If you have any other questions about Pairings Residencies, ideas for future projects or how to get involved in current ones, then get in touch at hello@glossopcreates.com