North East musician launches celebration of Northumberland heroes
Singer-songwriter Bridie Jackson is helping launch a celebration of the heroes of Northumberland communities - with a multimedia art and music project called Unsung Heroes.
A North East singer songwriter is helping launch a celebration of the heroes of Northumberland communities - with a multimedia art and music project called Unsung Heroes.
Back in 2020 Bridie Jackson was commissioned by the Queen's Hall Arts in Hexham, along with international multimedia artists Davy and Kristin McGuire, to highlight the amazing work of people around Northumberland.
Bridie worked with local communities to collect the stories about the people nominated - and turned them into new songs.
A line-up of local musicians then recorded their own bespoke arrangement of each song, including Kate Gessey, Carol and Gary Bowden, Aukestra with Lesley Roley, Leon Fussell and Ian Brown.
Bridie tells us how she feels ahead of the launch:
“Unsung Heroes honours those who perhaps have not always had the recognition they deserve in our society.
"Folk songs have always been a fantastic medium for revealing untold stories and sharing different lived experiences in a way that’s relatable.
"I feel very honoured to have been trusted with this project, telling other people’s stories through songs, and I can’t wait to share them with a live audience at the Queen’s Hall.”
The Heroes
The songs celebrate a range of people including Northumberland musician Kathryn Davidson, who was nominated by members of Tynedale Community Choir.
Local volunteers and community workers including Russ Greig, Joyce Watts, Stephen Hope, Rosie Robson, Rosie Gilchrist, Jean Day and Nancy Potts.
The shop workers of Stocksfield, who were nominated by many residents of the village.
LGBT+ activist and author Casper Baldwin, who was nominated for this project by Darren Irvine-Duffy, the chair of Northumberland Pride.
Vita Collins, coordinator of the Cumbrian branch of the crafting charity, LINUS.
The Show
Now - on the 21st of July, a celebration launch event will take place at the Queen's Hall Arts Centre - where each musician will perform their version of Bridie Jackson's songs, along with augmented reality artwork created by Kristin and Davy's work.
For Unsung Heroes, the McGuires have combined augmented reality technology with original music composition to create interactive artwork which will be available to collect as postcards at the event.
Bridie Jackson tells us she hopes audiences will be inspired:
"Inspired by the use of music and art to tell stories, because obviously culture is so important to all of us,
"But also inspired by these incredible people who just roll up their sleeves and do amazing things for no reason other than they feel like it's the right thing to do."
Queen's Hall Arts Centre in Hexham is one of several venues around the North East working to make theatre and culture accessible for everyone.
This show, like many of their other performances, is priced as Pay What You Feel - people can book a free ticket in advance, and then choose how much they can and want to pay after the show.
Unsung Heroes is part of Here and Now, a national and local celebration of culture within communities.
40 projects in and around 40 arts centres across the country, led by artists and co-created with local people.
The project is supported by Arts Council England and Future Arts Centres, marking The National Lottery’s 25th birthday.
You can find out how to get tickets here.