RITUAL EXCHANGES?

Ritual Exchanges is a  multi media investigation into autonomous vernacular creativity and traditional celebration in 3 coastal towns.
In partnership with archivists and local participants, four artists (and others, hopefully) will collaborate, argue and produce audio visual pieces, multiples, text and soundworks for broadcast and installation in public realm spaces.
We will explore recurrent themes and the motives and investment of participants. We will examine the longevity of practices, games and events and the importance of key sites in maintaining the cycles of expression, celebration and liminality in each town.
In recent projects we have engaged with grass roots events in Cumbria and Yorkshire as artists, supporters and critical friends. We have made contacts within cultural industries, broadcasting, autonomous music and arts scenes and with folk archivists and performers.
At the same time, old alliances have been rekindled with people who can work together, see where an idea is coming from and where it might go.

These have provided access to a wealth of traditional and vernacular material. We want to make new work exploring that material, reflecting and contributing to the traditions and motivating forces behind it.

We'll begin  in 1963. We'll be going back a bit further, but 1963 will do for now.

Mid 1970's Photo from the Whitby Horngarth ceremony, supplied by Richard Harland.