'Portraits of Tibshelf', an innovative community based project funded by Bolsover District Council through their Planning Policy for Public Art, will come to a conclusion at a celebratory concert on March 18th, broadcast live over the internet.

The event will be the culmination of a project started in early 2016 in collaboration with the renowned iPad artist Mik Godley, composers Philip Sparke and Jonathan Bates, percussionist Simone Rebello and Black Dyke Band.

Partnership

The public art initiative is linked to a new local Keep Moat housing development in Tibshelf, with the partnership celebrating the unique history of the area by involving the pupils of the nearby Tibshelf Infant and Nursery Schools, Tibshelf Junior School and Tibshelf Community School.

It has also seen Mik, an art lecturer at Chesterfield College, produce a remarkable catalogue of stunning works — from landscapes to personal portraits, which will be featured in the concert as an emerging time-lapse film, accompanied by Black Dyke performing a special score composed by Jonathan Bates.

During the performance the local children will add a percussion feature, led by Simone Rebello, Director of Percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

New and exciting avenues

Mik told 4BR: "As an artist I've always looked to be able to express my work in different ways — but the arrival of the iPad in 2010 opened up new and exciting avenues to do just that.

I was initially given one and soon got hooked on the creative arts programmes. As the iPads developed, so did the sophistication of the software, and I was able to explore the different ways it could be used."

Special score

In addition, a second film was commissioned led by former Desford player Martyn Harris of Absolute Video which will feature a special score written by Philip Sparke.

Entitled, 'A Tibshelf Tale' it will also be performed by Black Dyke on the night, and will feature a poetic narrative line written by Matt Black, a former Derbyshire Poet Laureate, spoken by BBC Radio 2 presenter and compere, Frank Renton.

Ground breaking

Black Dyke Director of Music, Prof Nicholas Childs added: "This is another wonderful partnership Black Dyke is thrilled to be part of.

The innovative way in which the local community schools have been involved with professional artists and musicians — all having input into a celebration of local history is ground breaking. Add to that the superb music and art and it will be evening to remember for sure."

The live broadcast funded by the First Art organisation will commence at 6.00pm on Saturday 18th March with interviews with those who helped create the project and who will be performing on the night, before the concert itself will start at 7.00pm at Tibshelf Community School.

Viewers can access the live stream by logging onto the First Art Broadcast page: www.firstart.org.uk/broadcast

a remarkable catalogue of stunning works — from landscapes to personal portraits, which will be featured in the concert as an emerging time-lapse film, accompanied by Black Dyke performing a special score composed by Jonathan Bates4BR

Film taster:

To enjoy a taster of the film, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFary9bQ6nk

Tickets:

There are only a handful of tickets left for the event at: www.tinyurl.com/PortraitsOfTibshelf