A stunning artwork will be projected onto the north entrance of The Harecastle Tunnel on the Kidsgrove stretch of the Trent & Mersey canal this Saturday.
Students from The King’s Church of England Academy in Kidsgrove have worked with artists Illuminos to create the projection inspired by tales of magical creatures and fantastic beasts.
The captivating artwork, called Down the Rabbit Hole, will welcome audiences for one night only, on Saturday 26 March from 7pm to 9pm.
The project has been delivered in a partnership between Appetite and the Canal & River Trust in their first year working together. Adding a further touch of sparkle to the evening, the route along the canal to Down the Rabbit Hole will be lit by a trail of lanterns decorated with intricate paper cuts. Appetite has worked with B-Arts to deliver this trail, funded by the European Regional Development Fund and HM Government through Welcome Back funds. Decorated shop windows will also link the town to the canal alongside the trail.
Appetite Director Gemma Thomas said: “The historic and mysterious Harecastle Tunnel is the perfect place to let your imagination run wild so was calling out to inspire a projection exploring just what could be inside. We’ve worked with Illuminos for Light Night Stoke-on-Trent in 2019 and other projects, so we were excited to be able to work with them on Down the Rabbit Hole.
“For Down the Rabbit Hole we were lucky enough to be able to work with iMedia students at The King’s School, who spent time with Illuminos: experienced their projection as part of Christmas at Trentham; and spent a day devising and creating their own creatures which now feature in the projection. We’ve had a brilliant first year of creating work in Kidsgrove trialling approaches and developing projects shaped by the community and can’t wait to see it grow.”
Nicola Lewis-Smith from Canal & River Trust said: “Harecastle Tunnel is the perfect location to hold this event as peering into the dark canal tunnel really is like looking down a rabbit hole. It is dark and mysterious and you can only venture through the tunnel by boat.
“Harecastle Tunnel does have a bit of a spooky past with boaters saying they’ve been terrorised by a boggart haunting the tunnel. Hopefully the only things we’ll see from the tunnel will be the stunning artwork as it is projected onto the tunnel entrance.”
The past year has seen three themed Appetite projects take place within Kidsgrove.
Journeys by We Are Culla saw a mural created from the local community sharing their experiences of living in the area. The mural is now in place on the train station car park.
Meanwhile artist in residence Rebecca Huxley has been offering Open Observatory sessions on the canalside since the New Year. Welcoming local residents and students from The King’s Academy she has been encouraging them to see and hear the canal in new ways, using special equipment to listen underneath the water.
Finally Kidsgrove Scavengers by Letting in the Light was a series of events that saw the community join a photography walk around the area, capturing what inspired them through the lens. The photographs taken have gone on to inspire bright flags and carved clay stacks which will be placed along the canalside through Kidsgrove giving everyone a warm welcome, encouraging them to enjoy the canal and celebrate the area.
Tickets for Down the Rabbit Hole are available to book in advance through Eventbrite here. Showings will be in 20 minute slots beginning at 7pm with the last slot at 8.40pm
Appetite is always keen to work with partners to help deliver activity, ensuring resources go as far as possible by working with other organisations and community groups. Appetite are pleased to now be working with Canal & River Trust and Realise Charity as partners to help support their work in Kidsgrove, where they already work with Consortium partners GoKidsgrove. Appetite are have been supported by Realise Charity in their work with The King’s Academy.
For media enquiries
Contact Heather Dowler, Appetite General Manager, heather@appetite.org.uk , 07951357404
