Refrain

Richmond, St Helen’s, Newhaven, UK

Artist Verity Standen

Client Situations (in collaboration with English Heritage, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Heart of Glass)

My Role Lead Producer for Situations

Date Spring/summer 2017, temporary

Delve Deeper Watch a short film

Photo: Paul Blakemore Courtesy Situations

The project

In Spring 2017 Verity worked with public art producers Situations to create Refrain – a unique choral work, devised with groups of volunteer male singers at three remarkable sites, each with a unique history to tell.

Richmond Castle, North Yorkshire, 7-9^th April 2017 (Partner – English Heritage)
The streets of St Helens, Merseyside, 20- 21^st May 2017 (Partner, Heart of Glass)
Newhaven Fort, East Sussex, 9-11^th June 2017 (Partner, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts)

Refrain was inspired by stories of conscientious objectors in the First World War. And each of these sites has a particular connection to those stories – they are places where men who refused to fight lived, were imprisoned or faced court martial. Local male untrained singers were drawn from the local communities around each site. They worked with Verity and her team of collaborators to fill these spaces with sound, from rousing choruses to intimate duets. Audiences were invited to ‘follow the song’ and weave their own journey through these spaces of historic significance, bringing their stories to life through song.

Audiences following the song at Newhaven Fort, East Sussex. Photo: Paul Blakemore Courtesy Situations

The artist

Photo: Volunteer male singers on site in St Helens, Merseyside. Photo: Paul Blakemore Courtesy Situations

Verity Standen is a composer, director, performer and choir leader. Her work focuses on the human voice – gathering people together to sing, and exploring different ways that people can experience music. Verity’s performances have been staged in theatres and concert venues, galleries and museums, dance festivals and live art programmes, castles and cafes. Wherever her work is performed, music is always at the heart of the experience

Refrain conveyed the emotion and layers of cultural memory of WWI as it still resonates 100 years later.

Richmond audience

My Role

Georgina worked as Lead Producer of Refrain for Situations in collaboration with the wider creative team. As a complex multi-site and partner project taking place at various locations across the UK, this project demanded a diverse set of skills and producing experience, including: creative development & artist liaison; high level partnership management; looking after over 100 male volunteer singers across the three UK locations, as well as Producing accessible live events with participating audiences at challenging urban and heritage sites.

Georgina worked on the engagement material around the project, working with Lighttrap Films to produce a short film about the project journey.

With Thanks

REFRAIN was produced by Situations with Verity Standen Projects, in partnership with English Heritage, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts and Heart of Glass, St. Helens. With special thanks to professional performers Edward Wren, Harry Humberstone, Robin Paley York and XXXX. alongside all of our fantastic volunteer singers who became part of the Refrain family and story.

The project was funded by Arts Council England, the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, The Space and Heritage Lottery Fund.

Photo: Paul Blakemore Courtesy Situations