Pound Arts Announces More Artists Joining Blue Sky and Beyond Digital Festival, Plus Three New Public Art Commissions

THE brilliant Lefty Scum will join Blue Sky & Beyond via live stream, set-up in partnership with Cosmic Shambles.

Following sell-out tours Lefty Scum (made up of Josie Long, Grace Petrie and Jonny & the Baptists) are back for an evening of music, comedy and ‘revolutionary socialism’ for one night only. Join three of the UK’s most joyfully rabble-rousing acts on Wednesday 10 June, 8.30pm for a riotous evening.

Tuesday 9 June, Mark Thomas presents a special livestream of ‘Showtime from the Frontline’. A defiant piece of theatre about setting up a comedy club in a refugee camp in Palestine. Mark is joined by Faisal Abu Alhayjaa and Alaa Shehada, followed by Q&A.

Also joining the festival line-up are the wonderful Roustabout Theatre who will delight all the family with their brand-new comedy, (It’s not all) Zoom & Gloom, which celebratesthe wonderful creativity that so many have shown during lockdown, and highlights the nonsense that comes with any attempt to communicate online.

In Partnership with Corsham Town Council, Pound Arts is also delighted to announce three new public artworks that will bring colour to the streets during the festival, created by artists that use recycled materials.

Multi-disciplinary street artist Duncan McKellar creates bright yellow sculptures out of foam tubes usually found around scaffolding. In the past, these bright, bold sculptures have taken the form of stars, palm trees, mermaids and even a giant pineapple in Bristol’s city centre.

Duncan will bring a series of monkeys and stars, which will take over Corsham town. Keep an eye out along the High Street for some yellow street art.

Anya Beaumont creates sculptural works using paper, metal and plastic. She exhibits regularly in galleries in Wiltshire and Bath including at The Pound Arts centre. Anya will create three colourful flower pieces using plastic that would otherwise be thrown away or recycled.

Upholsterer and sculptor Clare Winnan is one of Pound Arts’ resident artists, with a studio based at the arts centre. Her work combines traditional and modern techniques to create bold sculptures and furniture. A colourful chair planter filled with flowers inspired by the beautiful rainbows in windows will be temporarily installed on the streets of Corsham.

Corsham Town Council said, “Social distancing measures and not knowing when nurseries would reopen meant we had to make a decision early on in the crisis to cancel our hanging basket scheme this year, and we can’t plant up the flower poles as we would do normally. We hoped The Pound would be able to bring some fun and colour to the town centre and give us all something to smile about and they have certainly done that. We’re particularly excited to see monkeys in the High Street!”

These updates sit among a wonderful line-up of comedy, music, spoken word, theatre, visual arts and workshops, featuring Big Fish Little Fish, Chloe Foy, Emily Barker, John Hegley, Molly Naylor, Patrica Volk, Rachael Dadd, Rob Auton, Rozi Plain, Shlomo, Tiny Ruins, plus many more.

Blue Sky and Beyond events are all available for free but with donations set up via text message going to the Pound Arts Comeback Fund. Text BLUESKY to 70191 to give £10 or to 70970 to give £5.

Blue Sky and Beyond is brewing. You folks all ready?

For the full line-up of events and activities please head to blueskyfestival.org.uk