Community Programme
Durham County Council with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund has created an ongoing and varied programme of community activities to celebrate the re-launch of the Apollo Pavilion.
This programme is intended to engage with local communities so as to reinforce a sense of ownership of the structure and to encourage public debate on the role of the artist and arts programmes. The programme particularly looks to provide opportunities for young people to visit the Apollo Pavilion and the Sunny Blunts estate on a regular basis enjoying positive and creative activities. The programme to date has included the following:
Holiday programmes
During the 2009 summer holiday period we provided artists to work with two key summer play scheme providers, Holidays at Home and Peterlee Out of School Hours Club, augmenting their programmes with artists using the Apollo Pavilion and adjacent green spaces as resources.
With Holidays at Home artist Paul Belcher worked with 40 children, aged between 6 and 16, to make flags, banners, sculptures and a frieze using elements of the Pavilion as inspiration and adding their own perspective and interpretation. Others worked with dancer Bethany Ainsley to create a dance using the banners as a backdrop and performed to an audience of over 120 friends and families.
With the Peterlee Out of School Hours Club Paul Belcher organised plaster of paris modeling where the children made their own impressions of the Pavilion. Organisers of both schemes were delighted with the quality of the work produced and the standard of the workshops.
Conversations with teachers, community workers and young people clearly identify dance and drama as artforms and activities that seize the imagination of the young. During the summer holidays a one-week intensive dance/drama Summer School, with director Philip Hoffmann and choreographer Dora Frankel, was provided for young people from Shotton Hall Comprehensive School’s drama group. They performed an intricate, absorbing promenade piece that considered the spirit of the times that led to the creation of the Pavilion. An invited audience of over 100 friends and relatives came to see the final performance at the Apollo Pavilion.
During the autumn half-term break and working with the Sports Development Officer of Peterlee Town Council and the Pavilion Community Centre there was a three-day dance workout, Beyond Breakdance, with two young dancers from Dora Frankel Dance Company. The workshops finished with a performance for friends and families. These sessions provided activity around the Pavilion at a time when anti-social behaviour was possible and provided information to support other out of schools initiatives in the locality.
Apollo Poetry
This was a series of writing workshops that took place at Easington Social Welfare Centre with the poet Anna Woodford and the Easington Writers Group. They explored seasonal and life changes using the Apollo Pavilion as a stimulus and metaphor. A series of bookmarks featuring some of the poems created during the project will be available shortly.
Exhibition and events
In addition to all this activity there is a small free-standing exhibition providing a brief informative outline of the history of the Apollo Pavilion and Victor Pasmore’s contribution together with a resume of the Pavilion’s restoration. Two boards document the summer activities for young people. The panels have been on display in Peterlee library and the new Pavilion Community Centre.
The exhibition could also be seen at the Peterlee Show, 5-6 September 2009. This is a regular, well-attended community event that takes place in fields adjacent to the Apollo Pavilion. A stall in the Community Life marquee offered visitors the opportunity to explore the website and to view a photographic slideshow of the Pavilion’s restoration on lap top computers. Information packs were distributed and there were guided tours of the Pavilion. Visitors to the stall and exhibition were encouraged to leave comments. Most were positive:
“Absolutely fabulous – superb restoration, totally love it. Fantastic.”
“So pleased to see the Pavilion refurbished, its such an iconic feature”
“The new build looks great – brings some culture to Peterlee”
“Remember it as a kid, now looks great.”
“ So pleased its been revamped and not demolished”
“About time it was restored. Beautiful.”
“Lovely to see it restored, it’s a lovely place now.”
A few highlighted the problems associated with the site:
“No better, kids still climb to the top drink cider and are disruptive.”
The well-publicised Heritage Open Days regularly attract a variety of enquiring visitors who are interested in heritage sites. The exhibition was housed in a marquee by the side of the Apollo Pavilion for the Heritage Open Day on 12 September 2009.
“An excellent way of passing a Sunday morning.”
“A very sympathetic restoration – good to see some investment in 1060’s art and architecture.”
“Nice to see the pavilion restored to its former glory.”
“A good job very well done.’
Anyone wishing to borrow the display should contact the Easington offices of Durham County Council on 0191 527 0501 or email: apollo@durham.gov.uk
Photography Project
We should also mention the work of three photographers, Sally Anne Norman, Chris Holmes and Michelle Allen all of whom worked around the Pavilion while it was being restored. They recorded aspects of the environment, the community and the structure. The project was funded through an Arts Council England grant with financial support from the then District of Easington Council and was primarily concerned to further the professional development of the artists. However it also provided three objective but personal responses to the structure and its environment and focused attention on the Apollo Pavilion during its restoration.
In addition in July 2009 pupils in year 9 took part in photography sessions with Sally Ann Norman and Michele Allen comprising in-school discussion and workshop, a visit to the Pavilion with cameras and a session looking at and discussing the photographs.
With the artists’ permission some of their work was shown as a laptop slide show at the Peterlee Show and Heritage Open Day. Funding is currently being sought to frame some of their work and allow a small touring exhibition.
The restoration of the Pavilion has encouraged many photographers to visit the site. In the Shadow of the Pavilion is a proposal that would engage with a variety of regional and national agencies and engage with the local community. The Apollo Pavilion Community Association is currently working on funding bids to support this.