Play comes to library after lottery grant

The Children’s Pop Up Theatre Project will perform the play at several libraries in Nottinghamshire over the summer months, thanks to a National Lottery grant of £82,477.

The show, based on the award-winning book A Boy and A Bear in a Boat, will visit Eastwood library on July 28 at 10.30.

Councillor John Knight, Committee Chairman for Culture at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “The Children’s Pop Up Theatre aims to take stories from the ‘page to the stage’, providing fun and imaginative theatre for young children and their families, while also attracting new audiences to county libraries.

“We are looking forward to what promises to be an action-packed programme of performances across our library network this summer.”

The county council received the National Lottery funding through Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts Libraries Fund to create this unique project.

The play has been commissioned by The Spark Arts for Children.

Director Adel Al-Salloum, said: “It is immensely pleasurable to be working on such a fantastic story. The script, music and design are already taking great shape. I believe we will deliver something truly comic and heart warming for the families of Nottinghamshire. I hope people join us on this nautical journey into the imagination and depths of friendship.”

Peter Knott, area director at Arts Council England, said: “It will be great to see Dave Shelton’s story bought to life in libraries across Nottinghamshire for children and their families to enjoy. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to take part in and enjoy the arts and we’re delighted to be supporting it.”