[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":795},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-mining-towns-creative-heartbeat-animating-ashington":3},{"title":4,"summary":5,"primaryImage":6,"heroImage":25,"heroTagline":35,"newsTags":36,"postDate":51,"location":52,"author":10,"authorLink":53,"intro":55,"slices5":64,"presentedBy":231,"partners":236,"withRelatedNews":240,"relatedNews":241,"tags":791,"id":793,"publishedDate":794},"How Animating Ashington restarted a mining town’s creative heartbeat","Ashington will see more arts events in its future, as year long public art programme injects sense of pride in community.",{"dimensions":7,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":11,"id":12,"edit":13,"meta":17},{"width":8,"height":9},4000,3000,null,"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C0%2C3201%2C2401&w=4000&h=3000","aShIwnNYClf9niqW",{"x":14,"y":14,"zoom":15,"background":16},0,1.0001041341247525,"transparent",{"dimensions":18,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":21,"id":12,"edit":22},{"width":19,"height":20},1200,630,"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C20%2C3600%2C1890&w=1200&h=630",{"x":14,"y":23,"zoom":24,"background":16},20,1,{"dimensions":26,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":28,"id":12,"edit":29,"portrait":30},{"width":8,"height":27},2850,"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C0%2C3370%2C2401&w=4000&h=2850",{"x":14,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},{"dimensions":31,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":32,"id":12,"edit":33},{"width":27,"height":8},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=969%2C0%2C1711%2C2401&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":34,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},969,[],[37],{"newsTag":38},{"id":39,"type":40,"tags":41,"lang":42,"slug":43,"first_publication_date":44,"last_publication_date":44,"uid":45,"data":46,"link_type":48,"key":49,"isBroken":50},"ZkNP1REAAGGCbnuR","newsTag",[],"en-gb","-","2024-05-14T11:49:44+0000","press-release",{"title":47},"Press Release","Document","a4b3ffe3-8f41-4252-9852-57ea88d0ba68",false,"2025-11-27T12:00:00+0000","Ashington, Northumberland",{"link_type":54},"Any",[56],{"type":57,"text":58,"spans":59,"direction":63},"paragraph","Ashington will see more arts events in its future, as year long public art programme injects sense of pride in Northumberland town",[60],{"start":14,"end":61,"type":62},130,"strong","ltr",[65,112,149,203],{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":68,"primary":69,"id":110,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},"default","initial",[],{"heading":10,"body":70},[71,74,77,80,87,90,93,98,104,107],{"type":57,"text":72,"spans":73,"direction":63},"A new arts fund to support the local arts community, and an investment in arts-led events to bring the town together, are key parts of the legacy of Animating Ashington.",[],{"type":57,"text":75,"spans":76,"direction":63},"The year-long cultural programme in the former Northumberland mining town has changed its perception of itself, says organisers. Animating Ashington, which was funded by Northumberland Council and delivered by Walk the Plank, saw 10 events in the public realm run from November 2024 until summer 2025.",[],{"type":57,"text":78,"spans":79,"direction":63},"From a Toy Procession to a Feast of Fire, a major land-art commission by artist James Brunt in the public park, street art, theatre and performance, the streets and parks in Ashington became a landscape for free to access arts activity.",[],{"type":57,"text":81,"spans":82,"direction":63},"The cultural investment of £390,000, part of a £35m Regeneration Programme, was designed to engage with 12,000 residents and visitors in Ashington (just under half of the town’s 28k population), to bring a sense of civic pride and to deliver 10 events with “colour and excitement” to Ashington Town Centre.",[83],{"start":84,"end":85,"type":86},257,280,"em",{"type":57,"text":88,"spans":89,"direction":63},"In numbers, hospitality venues reported a 15-20% trading increase on event days, and both rail travel and footfall saw an increase. Over 30,000 attended the events. For every £1 invested, it saw a £2.31 return in value.",[],{"type":57,"text":91,"spans":92,"direction":63},"Yet for organisers it was the impact on the town and its residents that has had a profound effect.",[],{"type":57,"text":94,"spans":95,"direction":63},"“This is the best thing that has ever happened in Ashington, in my entire life”, said one retired resident.",[96],{"start":14,"end":97,"type":86},79,{"type":57,"text":99,"spans":100,"direction":63},"In the 19th century, Ashington was dubbed “the world’s largest coal mining village,” built around the Grand Station Road shopping district and powered by the collective energy of local miners.",[101],{"start":102,"end":103,"type":86},42,83,{"type":57,"text":105,"spans":106,"direction":63},"The town’s rich industrial heritage, including the internationally renowned Pitmen Painters, gave way to economic hardship since the decline of the coal industry in the 1970s and 1980s. While major land reclamation projects, such as the creation of QEII Country Park and the establishment of Woodhorn Museum on a former pit site, have preserved critical aspects of Ashington’s history, the town centre has struggled with vacancy, underinvestment, and low footfall.",[],{"type":57,"text":108,"spans":109,"direction":63},"Ashington’s children live in a local authority where about 1 in 6 children are below the poverty line before housing costs. Over half of Ashington households experience at least one form of deprivation (e.g., low pay, long-term illness, overcrowding). The North East has some of the highest child-poverty rates in England (circa 31% after housing costs), driven by both high living costs and low regional wages.",[],"text_block$8fbd5156-ef3f-442d-9926-c3b2b84ffbe2","text_block",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":113,"primary":146,"id":147,"slice_type":148,"slice_label":10},[114,122,130,138],{"image":115,"caption":10},{"dimensions":116,"alt":117,"copyright":10,"url":118,"id":119,"edit":120},{"width":8,"height":27},"A performer in a red top and green tutu dances down the street flanked by two performers dressed as Christmas Crackers","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aBsnPydWJ-7kRsyZ_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-6-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=127,0,3683,2624&w=4000&h=2850","aBsnPydWJ-7kRsyZ",{"x":121,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},127,{"image":123,"caption":10},{"dimensions":124,"alt":125,"copyright":10,"url":126,"id":127,"edit":128},{"width":8,"height":27},"A pattern of concentric circles all containing symbols associated with Ashington, in white paint across a large field seen from above","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aBsmoSdWJ-7kRsyG_AnimatingAshington%2CSeedingtheFuture%2CWalkthePlank%2CDroneStudioNorthEast-5-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=0,47,2500,1781&w=4000&h=2850","aBsmoSdWJ-7kRsyG",{"x":14,"y":129,"zoom":24,"background":16},47,{"image":131,"caption":10},{"dimensions":132,"alt":133,"copyright":10,"url":134,"id":135,"edit":136},{"width":8,"height":27},"A crowd of people walking in a procession through a park all carrying fire torches","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aBslVidWJ-7kRswx_AnimatingAshington%2CPrideofAshingtonTorchlitParade%2CWalkthePlank%2CMarkSavage%2C2025-111-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=57,0,1686,1201&w=4000&h=2850","aBslVidWJ-7kRswx",{"x":137,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},57,{"image":139,"caption":10},{"dimensions":140,"alt":141,"copyright":10,"url":142,"id":143,"edit":144},{"width":8,"height":27},"A crowd of people walking through a metal archway that is lit with fire","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aBsjQidWJ-7kRsva_IMG_5087.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=58,0,1684,1200&w=4000&h=2850","aBsjQidWJ-7kRsva",{"x":145,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},58,{},"image_carousel_block$4c9885ac-140c-4ad1-874a-076bf0676e26","image_carousel_block",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":150,"primary":151,"id":202,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":152},[153,156,161,164,169,172,178,181,184,189,194,199],{"type":57,"text":154,"spans":155,"direction":63},"Bev Ayre is the Producer at Walk the Plank, who managed and delivered the ten events. Walk the Plank are the UK’s leading outdoor arts specialists with over 30 years of experience in pioneering creative placemaking.",[],{"type":57,"text":157,"spans":158,"direction":63},"“It was vital we put the art in the public realm. We proactively created theatre, performances, processions and workshops that made the audience participants, as opposed to passively watching.”",[159],{"start":14,"end":160,"type":86},193,{"type":57,"text":162,"spans":163,"direction":63},"Bev, who has worked in outdoor art and festival delivery across the North West and North of England, says it requires a different approach when you are working with a community that has lost a muscle memory when it comes to arts participation.",[],{"type":57,"text":165,"spans":166,"direction":63},"“In cities and large towns where there is regular arts activity, even if it reduces in volume, there is still a low level understanding of what your role as an audience member is. In Ashington, and in towns that have suffered from longstanding underinvestment, you lose that muscle memory, the confidence to be creative, to engage creatively and to be part of any arts activity isn’t taught, it isn’t instinctive. So you have to bring it to someone’s front door, you have to hold out your hand and invite them to get stuck in.”",[167],{"start":14,"end":168,"type":86},527,{"type":57,"text":170,"spans":171,"direction":63},"The free arts events ran alongside workshops, engagement programmes with local businesses and shoppers, and the development of a core 30 strong group of supporters in the town who shared news about the programme and encouraged people to get involved.",[],{"type":57,"text":173,"spans":174,"direction":63},"Art can have a real impact on a town. It can shape our sense of self and how we build a relationship with our past, present and future, says Bev. “We work with communities who think art isn’t for them. It isn’t that it isn’t accessible, it doesn’t exist. If we are going to make those communities who are under-served imagine a new future for their town, we need to go back to basics, and help them discover what art is and what it can do”.",[175],{"start":176,"end":177,"type":86},146,439,{"type":57,"text":179,"spans":180,"direction":63},"42% of expenditure was retained in Ashington and nearby communities through contracts with local artists, suppliers, caterers, accommodation providers and crew. This ensured that regeneration funding stayed within the local economy and aligned with HM Treasury’s Green Book principle of local additionality.",[],{"type":57,"text":182,"spans":183,"direction":63},"Caroline Ball is Councillor and Town Councillor for Ashington Central Ward.",[],{"type":57,"text":185,"spans":186,"direction":63},"\"It was fantastic to see world class cultural events in Ashington and I hope this is the start of many opportunities for the people of Ashington.",[187],{"start":14,"end":188,"type":86},145,{"type":57,"text":190,"spans":191,"direction":63},"Arts open up a world of opportunities and experiences beyond the everyday and walk the plank brought magic to everyone young and not so young from the town and it was a joy to see residents’ eyes light up when they seen a dancing robot on the main street, or drummers in the colliery rows and the excitement from school children who took part in the parades across the program.\"",[192],{"start":14,"end":193,"type":86},378,{"type":57,"text":195,"spans":196,"direction":63},"“This programme has marked an unprecedented outpouring of community development and support in Ashington for an incoming arts collective”, says a local artist.",[197],{"start":14,"end":198,"type":86},137,{"type":57,"text":200,"spans":201,"direction":63},"Ashington has brought in a town arts and culture fund to support local arts and community groups. It is also investing in a programme of smaller scale events, produced by local arts organisations, including a Christmas lights switch on.",[],"text_block$28fa26e4-b66b-445b-a731-ce3bec9ae0d7",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":204,"primary":205,"id":229,"slice_type":230,"slice_label":10},[],{"videoUrl":206,"caption":210},{"embed_url":207,"type":208,"version":209,"title":210,"author_name":211,"author_url":212,"provider_name":213,"provider_url":214,"thumbnail_url":215,"thumbnail_width":216,"thumbnail_height":217,"html":218,"is_plus":219,"account_type":220,"width":221,"height":222,"duration":223,"description":224,"thumbnail_url_with_play_button":225,"upload_date":226,"video_id":227,"uri":228},"https://vimeo.com/1130893714?fl=pl&fe=sh","video","1.0","Animating Ashington Programme","Walk the Plank","https://vimeo.com/walktheplank","Vimeo","https://vimeo.com/","https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/2075291423-ee4a0ee3c9e39a23999d7de77a97ab28c5decf30ec5f7374a6df883a505d6c18-d_295x166?region=us",295,166,"\u003Ciframe src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/1130893714?app_id=122963\" width=\"426\" height=\"240\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" title=\"Animating Ashington Programme\">\u003C/iframe>","0","pro",426,240,314,"Animating Ashington is a cultural regeneration programme funded by UKSPF and NECA, delivered by Walk the Plank on behalf of Northumberland County Council, as part of a wider programme of town centre regeneration which includes the construction of a new cinema, train station and the opening of a new train service connecting Ashington to Newcastle.","https://i.vimeocdn.com/filter/overlay?src0=https%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F2075291423-ee4a0ee3c9e39a23999d7de77a97ab28c5decf30ec5f7374a6df883a505d6c18-d_295x166%3Fregion%3Dus&src1=http%3A%2F%2Ff.vimeocdn.com%2Fp%2Fimages%2Fcrawler_play.png","2025-10-27 08:52:19",1130893714,"/videos/1130893714","video_block$88edda52-00b4-4986-bd02-8f1fe5f8e7d7","video_block",[232],{"link":233,"label":10,"logo":235},{"link_type":234},"Web",{},[237],{"link":238,"label":10,"logo":239},{"link_type":54},{},true,[242,362,461,602],{"id":243,"postDate":244,"type":245,"uid":246,"author":247,"presentedBy":248,"heroTagline":252,"authorLink":256,"slices5":265,"withRelatedNews":50,"title":305,"relatedNews":306,"primaryImage":324,"summary":337,"heroImage":338,"location":349,"partners":350,"newsTags":354},"aMrczBAAACUAt2bt","2025-10-28T00:00:00+0000","news","nothing-about-us-without-us","Bev Ayre",[249],{"link":250,"label":10,"logo":251},{"link_type":234},{},[253],{"type":57,"text":254,"spans":255,"direction":63},"Having produced ten inspiring events in Ashington over ten months, Bev reflects on the challenges, collaborations and moments of magic that made the programme a success. ",[],{"id":257,"type":258,"tags":259,"lang":42,"slug":260,"first_publication_date":261,"last_publication_date":262,"uid":263,"link_type":48,"key":264,"isBroken":50},"ZKU5MhAAACAArhi-","team",[],"bev-ayre","2023-07-05T15:52:03+0000","2025-05-07T10:16:01+0000","senior-producer","22fd28e4-9df5-4ee2-a7d7-7d49cbecc5cf",[266,277,285],{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":267,"primary":268,"id":276,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":269},[270,273],{"type":57,"text":271,"spans":272,"direction":63},"\"Ashington stirred like never before, its streets were humming with anticipation, shopkeepers paused mid-trade, neighbours leaned out of their windows in awe of what was coming. In every conversation and curious footstep, you could feel the town itself reaching out to greet the artists who had arrived on its doorstep. From the first moment the team began the Toy Procession, they were met by warm smiles, car horns and enthusiastic waving. Local children followed on their bikes; café owners felt a sense of hope on the otherwise empty high street and community groups lined up to take part. It was as if the entire town had chosen Walk the Plank to deliver Animating Ashington, with a feeling of - “We’ve been waiting for you”.\"",[],{"type":57,"text":274,"spans":275,"direction":63},"So begins the formal evaluation written by Reemer Bailey, commissioner of an arts and cultural regeneration programme delivered by Walk the Plank on behalf of Northumberland Council and the Combined Authority. Our brief was to create a programme of events to raise awareness of forthcoming significant town centre regeneration, to drive footfall to the high street, increase spend and bring colour and excitement to the town. A town that has been systematically neglected and in decline for the past 40 years.",[],"text_block$181a9911-eb07-4387-a570-ff799b56715a",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":278,"primary":279,"id":284,"slice_type":230,"slice_label":10},[],{"videoUrl":280,"caption":210},{"embed_url":207,"type":208,"version":209,"title":210,"author_name":211,"author_url":212,"provider_name":213,"provider_url":214,"thumbnail_url":281,"thumbnail_width":216,"thumbnail_height":217,"html":218,"is_plus":219,"account_type":220,"width":221,"height":222,"duration":223,"description":282,"thumbnail_url_with_play_button":283,"upload_date":226,"video_id":227,"uri":228},"https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/2074719447-2257b52ac639b0f8768f875648cf76d9ac551d540513350fa9df1dad0a52777d-d_295x166?region=us","","https://i.vimeocdn.com/filter/overlay?src0=https%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F2074719447-2257b52ac639b0f8768f875648cf76d9ac551d540513350fa9df1dad0a52777d-d_295x166%3Fregion%3Dus&src1=http%3A%2F%2Ff.vimeocdn.com%2Fp%2Fimages%2Fcrawler_play.png","video_block$7179acbb-7783-48f2-b0fd-742093486278",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":286,"primary":287,"id":304,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":288},[289,292,295,298,301],{"type":57,"text":290,"spans":291,"direction":63},"It was on these neglected streets that Gareth, our Head of Production and I stood before the delivery of our first simple but joyous event. The culmination of a tortuous and drawn out tender process which had reduced the proposed delivery time from eighteen to ten months and required an ambitious ten events. We were both fearful that as outsiders, our team and programme may not be welcomed by a community previously starved of investment, marginalised and by many, written off. ",[],{"type":57,"text":293,"spans":294,"direction":63},"The empty high street, Station Road -ironically named as at the time of tendering no trains had visited Ashington for over 50 years, was almost devoid of useful retail outlets. Unless purchasing a second hand sewing machine, pet reptile, tattoo or Greggs sausage roll was on the shopping list. Although there was a local family butchers, newsagents and hardware store crying out for business and the adjacent street, Poundland Avenue, boasted a Weatherspoon’s and Asda. We realised immediately that merely driving footfall to the High Street would not meet anybody’s targets -12,000 audiences and £45 per head spend for the funders and bringing joy, civic pride and the health and wellbeing benefits to residents for us.",[],{"type":57,"text":296,"spans":297,"direction":63},"It seemed an almost impossible task in the limited timescale, given a community for whom it became clear would insist on an ethos of “nothing about us without us”. ",[],{"type":57,"text":299,"spans":300,"direction":63},"We spent the first 3 months embedding ourselves in the town. We met with key stakeholders, community groups and leaders, presenting and amending our ideas and developing a group of “positive friends” to act as a touchstone for programme development and community buy in. We gained the support of the Civic Lead, Head of the Miners Welfare Centre, Local MP, County and Town councillors, charities, youth providers, Head Teachers and College Principles. It felt at times, like a herculean task, a massive leap of faith in our creative programming, skilled event and production managers, marketing and delivery teams. But most of all in our “positive friends” and their ability to engage and include. But as Reemer Bailey summed up, it certainly paid off… ",[],{"type":57,"text":302,"spans":303,"direction":63},"“That first event in November 2024, on a cold, day, bathed in grey clouds felt almost mythical. With a single song, the air ignited, faces glowed, voices rose in cheers, and for the next 10 months Animating Ashington and Walk the Plank found not just an audience... but a family. Ashington didn’t merely host a series of events, it claimed them. Neighbours became collaborators, people became apprentices, and the town’s everyday places were transformed into spaces of wonder. “ And as for the funders targets, economic targets were achieved and an astonishing 30,000 people engaged. ",[],"text_block$9f4fb83a-2888-4d49-9e51-81555cb7d1ae","Nothing about us without us",[307,316],{"entry":308},{"id":309,"type":245,"tags":310,"lang":42,"slug":311,"first_publication_date":312,"last_publication_date":313,"uid":314,"link_type":48,"key":315,"isBroken":50},"aIdztBAAACMADlHR",[],"animating-communities-the-art-and-impact-of-choreography","2025-07-30T10:45:51+0000","2025-08-01T14:27:06+0000","animating-communities","77712655-c5d6-4447-9a3e-bda380a67360",{"entry":317},{"id":318,"type":245,"tags":319,"lang":42,"slug":320,"first_publication_date":321,"last_publication_date":322,"uid":320,"link_type":48,"key":323,"isBroken":50},"aFrHcBIAACYADjUr",[],"hope-and-celebration-in-a-time-of-uncertainty","2025-06-24T15:45:18+0000","2025-12-16T15:19:50+0000","711fd224-46bc-4067-ab8b-984f515a9685",{"dimensions":325,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":326,"id":327,"edit":328,"meta":332},{"width":8,"height":9},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aP9oRrpReVYa3tIA_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-15-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=1592%2C474%2C3956%2C2967&w=4000&h=3000","aP9oRrpReVYa3tIA",{"x":329,"y":330,"zoom":331,"background":16},1592,474,1.29,{"dimensions":333,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":334,"id":327,"edit":335},{"width":19,"height":20},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aP9oRrpReVYa3tIA_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-15-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C425%2C5741%2C3014&w=1200&h=630",{"x":14,"y":336,"zoom":24,"background":16},425,"Having produced ten inspiring events in Ashington over ten months, Producer Bev Ayre reflects on the challenges, collaborations and moments of magic that made the programme a success. ",{"dimensions":339,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":340,"id":341,"edit":342,"portrait":344},{"width":8,"height":27},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aP9oa7pReVYa3tIO_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-105-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=225,0,6557,4672&w=4000&h=2850","aP9oa7pReVYa3tIO",{"x":343,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},225,{"dimensions":345,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":346,"id":341,"edit":347},{"width":27,"height":8},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aP9oa7pReVYa3tIO_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-105-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=1840,0,3329,4672&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":348,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},1840,"Ashington, Northumberland, England",[351],{"link":352,"label":10,"logo":353},{"link_type":54},{},[355],{"newsTag":356},{"id":357,"type":40,"tags":358,"lang":42,"slug":359,"first_publication_date":360,"last_publication_date":360,"uid":359,"link_type":48,"key":361,"isBroken":50},"ZICbOhAAACEAg-h0",[],"thoughts","2023-06-07T14:59:09+0000","fe89e494-5c5b-4849-a87a-9935edc2348f",{"id":318,"postDate":363,"type":245,"uid":320,"author":364,"presentedBy":365,"authorLink":369,"slices5":376,"intro":397,"withRelatedNews":50,"title":401,"relatedNews":402,"primaryImage":421,"summary":433,"heroImage":434,"location":444,"partners":445,"newsTags":449},"2025-06-23T23:00:00+0000","Charlie Morrison",[366],{"link":367,"label":10,"logo":368},{"link_type":234},{},{"id":370,"type":258,"tags":371,"lang":42,"slug":372,"first_publication_date":373,"last_publication_date":374,"uid":372,"link_type":48,"key":375,"isBroken":50},"ZJAZEhAAAGMcvoCK",[],"charlie-morrison","2023-06-19T09:01:58+0000","2025-05-07T09:56:52+0000","478e391c-1bbe-46ec-945a-f7e053bbb097",[377],{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":378,"primary":379,"id":396,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":380},[381,384,387,390,393],{"type":57,"text":382,"spans":383,"direction":63},"My brief for this piece was to talk about our approach to the new NPO application round, but in light of that being derailed by changes to ACE’s schedule – as a result of the spending review, the regional devolution review, and the Baroness Hodge review of ACE itself – it feels as if uncertainty is the only certainty. The relative stability and predictability of the pre-COVID era seem distant.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":385,"spans":386,"direction":63},"We have to create that stability somehow, and our business planning continues in earnest. Where we want to get to, how we get there, and what we may have to overcome. For the last of these, our PESTEL Analysis (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal) seems to define some of the biggest challenges we face, whereas in the past it has given us a sense of the background over which we operate.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":388,"spans":389,"direction":63},"From swings in political attitudes towards the arts - in education, national policy and in many of the areas we work in, to wage increases struggling to keep our staff in the black due to the cost of living crisis, AI creeping into job applications and elsewhere, rafts of new legal requirements from HR to Charity financial regs, not to mention the multifaceted challenges in the face of the climate crisis… we try to do what we can.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":391,"spans":392,"direction":63},"What a dark picture I’m painting! Of course, at Walk the Plank, we are optimists and resilient, and we work hard to weather all this stuff so that we can make incredible culture and art with people across the country. Thankfully, there are many organisations and councils who are still keen to invest in cultural activity for their residents, as the return on investment – social and economic – is now proven and understood. Our work does bring change, for people and places, transforming somewhere in the moment and planting seeds for long-term change.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":394,"spans":395,"direction":63},"Sometimes we need to acknowledge that, as an organisation, we may be suffering from ‘Headline Stress Disorder’. The world seems in turmoil on the face of it, but what is actually important is to connect with people and communities again and again to remind ourselves, them, and everyone that overwhelmingly, at the core of people there is hope, generosity, kindness and a desire to look around and celebrate, and that is where we want to get to. ",[],"text_block$5cf600f6-1990-43ca-8c40-2ffddee25f38",[398],{"type":57,"text":399,"spans":400,"direction":63},"We all got used to managing the unmanageable during COVID, periods of dramatic uncertainty day to day, and at best, a cloudy horizon, combined with micromanagement at a new level.  ",[],"Hope and Celebration in a Time of Uncertainty ",[403,412],{"entry":404},{"id":405,"type":245,"tags":406,"lang":42,"slug":407,"first_publication_date":408,"last_publication_date":409,"uid":410,"link_type":48,"key":411,"isBroken":50},"aAi1QhAAACIAiuFq",[],"reimagining-cities","2025-04-24T09:22:52+0000","2025-05-01T13:00:22+0000","reimaging-cities","480c580a-a079-4389-92a0-062c96937a62",{"entry":413},{"id":414,"type":245,"tags":415,"lang":42,"slug":416,"first_publication_date":417,"last_publication_date":418,"uid":419,"link_type":48,"key":420,"isBroken":50},"aDXF3xAAACAAymzr",[],"tread-lightly---moving-towards-our-new-sustainability-action-plan-and-our-target-for-2025-and-2026","2025-05-27T14:02:10+0000","2025-05-29T10:07:39+0000","tread-lightly-sustainability","f38de92a-a93f-40a5-9ee8-df1b834079e7",{"dimensions":422,"alt":423,"copyright":10,"url":424,"id":425,"edit":426,"meta":428},{"width":8,"height":9},"A group of people of all ages joying and taking photos with their phones of a outdoor performance.","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDXKfidWJ-7kSljn_IMG_5409.JPG?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=624%2C0%2C4992%2C3744&w=4000&h=3000","aDXKfidWJ-7kSljn",{"x":427,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},624,{"dimensions":429,"alt":423,"copyright":10,"url":430,"id":425,"edit":431},{"width":19,"height":20},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDXKfidWJ-7kSljn_IMG_5409.JPG?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C796%2C5616%2C2948&w=1200&h=630",{"x":14,"y":432,"zoom":24,"background":16},796,"Walk the Plank's Executive Director Charlie Morrison shares his thoughts on on finding hope and a desire to celebrate in times of uncertainty.",{"dimensions":435,"alt":423,"copyright":10,"url":436,"id":425,"edit":437,"portrait":439},{"width":8,"height":27},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDXKfidWJ-7kSljn_IMG_5409.JPG?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=361%2C0%2C5255%2C3744&w=4000&h=2850",{"x":438,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},361,{"dimensions":440,"alt":423,"copyright":10,"url":441,"id":425,"edit":442},{"width":27,"height":8},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDXKfidWJ-7kSljn_IMG_5409.JPG?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=2062%2C0%2C2668%2C3744&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":443,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},2062,"Cobden Works, Salford, UK",[446],{"link":447,"label":10,"logo":448},{"link_type":54},{},[450,457],{"newsTag":451},{"id":452,"type":40,"tags":453,"lang":42,"slug":454,"first_publication_date":455,"last_publication_date":455,"uid":454,"link_type":48,"key":456,"isBroken":50},"ZICaxhAAACEAg-Y1",[],"views","2023-06-07T14:57:27+0000","1b13c5fb-d4d6-498f-97c1-4fb629414ef2",{"newsTag":458},{"id":357,"type":40,"tags":459,"lang":42,"slug":359,"first_publication_date":360,"last_publication_date":360,"uid":359,"link_type":48,"key":460,"isBroken":50},[],"3a74fc50-3c6b-4956-9c35-2bb758f7d3c5",{"id":462,"postDate":463,"type":245,"uid":464,"author":465,"presentedBy":466,"authorLink":470,"slices5":477,"intro":552,"withRelatedNews":240,"title":556,"relatedNews":557,"primaryImage":571,"summary":582,"heroImage":583,"partners":593,"newsTags":597},"aKdHDhEAACoA-TBy","2025-08-27T23:00:00+0000","access-in-the-outdoor-arts","Alice Carter",[467],{"link":468,"label":10,"logo":469},{"link_type":234},{},{"id":471,"type":258,"tags":472,"lang":42,"slug":473,"first_publication_date":474,"last_publication_date":475,"uid":473,"link_type":48,"key":476,"isBroken":50},"Zco-5BEAALRjFi3A",[],"alice-carter","2024-02-12T15:54:27+0000","2025-05-07T10:19:28+0000","8681941a-1031-4e87-b334-d5c682c33fc8",[478,501,529],{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":479,"primary":480,"id":500,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":481},[482,485,488,491,494,497],{"type":57,"text":483,"spans":484,"direction":63},"These could range from physical, geographical, socio-economic barriers to non-visible community specific barriers.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":486,"spans":487,"direction":63},"Celebrating and championing access to the arts, especially for underrepresented demographics, is something I am particularly passionate about and, throughout my career, I have found myself drawn to projects and artists that hold inclusivity and accessibility as a central pillar of their practice. This has included, during covid, producing and touring a ‘sort of dance’ show centring fat masculine and non-binary bodies and working with Unlimited and ND artist Byron Vincent to develop the UK’s first neurodiverse accessible rave - Disco Neurotica.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":489,"spans":490,"direction":63},"It was my desire to continue developing innovative creative projects with an accessible minded ethos that appealed to me about Walk the Plank, and since joining the team just over 18 months ago I have seen exactly how Walk the Plank works to embed access into each project we deliver.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":492,"spans":493,"direction":63},"Most recently within Walk the Plank’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Working Group we have been discussing how access intersects with the different areas of our work. ",[],{"type":57,"text":495,"spans":496,"direction":63},"There is an immediate freedom that comes from working outdoors, untethered by the physical constraints of a building, that is exciting. The scope of what you can dream up feels wider and taller, with no building regulations or faulty lifts to prevent people from accessing the work you dream up.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":498,"spans":499,"direction":63},"Access will look different from project to project. Regardless, I have found it crucial to think about access during the planning stage of a project and embed it into every step of that project’s creation, delivery and evaluation. This ranges from budget creation, to the artists we decide to work with, the conversations we have with those artists to understand both their individual needs and communicate the project’s creative approach, to how we collaborate with the communities we’re working in to better understand and address their specific needs.  ",[],"text_block$59d791dc-a99e-4dcf-bf01-270b3dc945bc",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":502,"primary":527,"id":528,"slice_type":148,"slice_label":10},[503,511,518],{"image":504,"caption":10},{"dimensions":505,"alt":506,"copyright":10,"url":507,"id":508,"edit":509},{"width":8,"height":27},"Three performers wearing a pink, purple and blue outfit and holding drums","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/a3c38743-b500-44ea-bcae-264f36e22287_MWjun22-298639.jpeg?auto=format,compress&rect=112,0,3276,2334&w=4000&h=2850","ZHcrhhAAACYAkjJW",{"x":510,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},112,{"image":512,"caption":10},{"dimensions":513,"alt":514,"copyright":10,"url":515,"id":516,"edit":517},{"width":8,"height":27},"A close up images of a drummer smiling in the sunshine with colourful eye makeup and colour on","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aCHWdydWJ-7kR7MF_ManchesterDayOnHoliday%2CMarkWaugh-62-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=145,0,4211,3000&w=4000&h=2850","aCHWdydWJ-7kR7MF",{"x":188,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},{"image":519,"caption":10},{"dimensions":520,"alt":521,"copyright":522,"url":523,"id":524,"edit":525},{"width":8,"height":27},"A group of children dressed up and smiling into the camera","Mark Waugh, Manchester Day 2010","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/d59b4f77-fce6-4168-b1be-d4e6aae743e6_Manchester+Day+Parade.+WTP.MCC+%28c%29Mark+Waugh.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=181,0,5255,3744&w=4000&h=2850","ZNyeCxEAADsYx8_Z",{"x":526,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},181,{},"image_carousel_block$01e5b8fe-ea61-43b3-be1b-318ad4dd62ca",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":530,"primary":531,"id":551,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":532},[533,536,539,542,545,548],{"type":57,"text":534,"spans":535,"direction":63},"As a Producer, I have found the most success when I am honest with myself and the people I am working with about the resources available and what we can realistically achieve. In my experience, this may mean identifying one or maybe two barriers to focus on and using your resources to effectively put in place funds and initiatives to support the community most affected by those barriers. One of the worst things you can do at the project planning stage with regards to access is overpromise and underdeliver.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":537,"spans":538,"direction":63},"I feel strongly that best practice should be to work collaboratively with people with lived experience of the access needs you are addressing. It is also helpful to research what work is already happening in the area you’re working in and look to support rather than ignore that work. Partnering with local organisations or individuals within the community allows you to contribute to the ongoing ecology of the area, enhancing initiatives and agendas that last beyond the immediate scope of your project. ",[],{"type":57,"text":540,"spans":541,"direction":63},"Recently myself and some of the Walk the Plank team were lucky enough to attend Graeae Theatre’s Beyond Artist Showcase, spotlighting work from Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent artists.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":543,"spans":544,"direction":63},"As part of the day, we chatted to the Graeae leadership team about the organisations work around and use of Access Riders, discussing their increasing prevalence within the culture industries and best practice for supporting artists, collaborators and audiences’ with access needs.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":546,"spans":547,"direction":63},"The result is that in DEIB we have begun to examine whether a formalised access rider could be a useful tool in supporting Walk the Plank’s communication with artists and audiences. It’s an ongoing process which, as all good conversations should, raises more questions than answers, opening up new areas for exploration and allows Walk the Plank and myself to continue developing and embedding access at the heart of our creative practice.  ",[],{"type":57,"text":549,"spans":550,"direction":63},"Ultimately, we feel that culture is vital for a healthy and rich society but that is only meaningful if we realise that dream for all and not just some. ",[],"text_block$b4b3c99a-db1e-4c88-a62e-80139673c36f",[553],{"type":57,"text":554,"spans":555,"direction":63},"Access is a term that can be defined in many ways. For me, it simply means removing barriers that exist for artists to create work and audiences to engage with that work.",[],"Alice – On Access in the Arts",[558,562],{"entry":559},{"id":309,"type":245,"tags":560,"lang":42,"slug":311,"first_publication_date":312,"last_publication_date":313,"uid":314,"link_type":48,"key":561,"isBroken":50},[],"91e77800-dfa6-4d08-abb7-7f4767bfd83b",{"entry":563},{"id":564,"type":245,"tags":565,"lang":42,"slug":566,"first_publication_date":567,"last_publication_date":568,"uid":569,"link_type":48,"key":570,"isBroken":50},"ZktV0xEAACMAqisT",[],"diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-journey---production-and-producing","2024-05-20T15:07:01+0000","2024-05-20T15:22:25+0000","deib-production-and-producing","4750e25a-e942-43c0-af5e-895d9ef566de",{"dimensions":572,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":573,"id":574,"edit":575,"meta":577},{"width":8,"height":9},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aLAo7WGNHVfTOZeL_ManchesterDay2022%2CMarkWaugh-8-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=194,0,3112,2334&w=4000&h=3000","aLAo7WGNHVfTOZeL",{"x":576,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},194,{"dimensions":578,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":579,"id":574,"edit":580},{"width":19,"height":20},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aLAo7WGNHVfTOZeL_ManchesterDay2022%2CMarkWaugh-8-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,248,3500,1838&w=1200&h=630",{"x":14,"y":581,"zoom":24,"background":16},248,"Walk the Plank Producer Alice Carter on her thoughts about championing access in the outdoor Arts industry.",{"dimensions":584,"alt":585,"copyright":10,"url":586,"id":574,"edit":587,"portrait":588},{"width":8,"height":27},"Three people dressed in pink, purple and pink costumes, with face paint, smiling, holding drums. ","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aLAo7WGNHVfTOZeL_ManchesterDay2022%2CMarkWaugh-8-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=112,0,3276,2334&w=4000&h=2850",{"x":510,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},{"dimensions":589,"alt":585,"copyright":10,"url":590,"id":574,"edit":591},{"width":27,"height":8},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aLAo7WGNHVfTOZeL_ManchesterDay2022%2CMarkWaugh-8-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=919,0,1663,2334&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":592,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},919,[594],{"link":595,"label":10,"logo":596},{"link_type":54},{},[598],{"newsTag":599},{"id":357,"type":40,"tags":600,"lang":42,"slug":359,"first_publication_date":360,"last_publication_date":360,"uid":359,"link_type":48,"key":601,"isBroken":50},[],"ed7b4dfb-f605-4310-879d-9591baeb6e9d",{"id":414,"postDate":603,"type":245,"uid":419,"author":604,"presentedBy":605,"authorLink":609,"slices5":616,"intro":742,"withRelatedNews":50,"title":746,"relatedNews":747,"primaryImage":761,"summary":773,"heroImage":774,"partners":784,"newsTags":788},"2025-05-26T23:00:00+0000","Gareth Hughes",[606],{"link":607,"label":10,"logo":608},{"link_type":234},{},{"id":610,"type":258,"tags":611,"lang":42,"slug":612,"first_publication_date":613,"last_publication_date":614,"uid":612,"link_type":48,"key":615,"isBroken":50},"Zco9vxEAAO9jFiwS",[],"gareth-hughes","2024-02-12T15:51:05+0000","2025-05-07T10:13:53+0000","7292557e-b20f-45a1-82ae-27939fe3d729",[617,648,682,702,730],{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":618,"primary":619,"id":647,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":620},[621,631,644],{"type":57,"text":622,"spans":623,"direction":63},"Conversely, since my taking up the role of Head of Production in 2024, I’ve been looking at how we minimise impact, how we tread lightly and where possible leave no trace. I’ve been leading on developing a new Sustainability Action Plan and Strategy, working across the organisation in looking how we continue our great work in the field. At times it has had me scratching my head, juggling the contrary journey of how we as outdoor arts professionals make a big impact for audiences and places, whilst ensuring our collective impact to the planet is as low as possible.",[624],{"start":625,"end":626,"type":627,"data":628},210,249,"hyperlink",{"link_type":234,"url":629,"target":630},"https://walktheplank.cdn.prismic.io/walktheplank/Z9RITjiBA97Gif_X_SustainabilityPolicy2025-Compressed.pdf","_self",{"type":57,"text":632,"spans":633,"direction":63},"My first steps were to dig into the abundance of great work we already do. Our sustainable practice is a key organisation thread; its prevalence sits alongside health and safety and our diversity, inclusion and equity priorities. I’ve been fortunate to have at my disposal a wealth of metrics, information and data; from our waste streams at Cobden Works to our fuel usage at the many Fire Gardens. This has enabled a deep dive into trends that add up to one of our key sustainability indicators, the organisations carbon equivalent footprint.",[634],{"start":635,"end":636,"type":627,"data":637},384,397,{"id":638,"type":639,"tags":640,"lang":42,"slug":641,"first_publication_date":642,"last_publication_date":643,"uid":641,"link_type":48,"isBroken":50},"ZJgwKhEAACEAoyDZ","project",[],"fire-garden","2023-06-26T08:07:39+0000","2026-04-14T11:13:09+0000",{"type":57,"text":645,"spans":646,"direction":63},"From the start of this process, I’ve been doing a lot of asking; asking our production and freelance team about how best to deal with workshop waste, how we account for propane, how we make better use of storage so we can easily reuse makes from historical projects. I’ve asked our communications team about the impact of digital and AI carbon contributions and how this informs our thinking for future action planning. I’ve worked closely with our central team about how best we measure our impacts and how this can be further improved. I’ve sought advice from colleagues and friends from within our sector (and from outside) about their experiences and pulled on their knowledge.",[],"text_block$87eb259c-744d-4b9d-b424-78f95c4ef1cf",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":649,"primary":680,"id":681,"slice_type":148,"slice_label":10},[650,657,666,673],{"image":651,"caption":10},{"dimensions":652,"alt":653,"copyright":10,"url":654,"id":655,"edit":656},{"width":8,"height":27},"A procession of people dressed in colourful outfits drumming in front of a crowd of onlookers with their phones out, taking photos","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aCHWgSdWJ-7kR7MK_ManchesterDayOnHoliday%2CMarkWaugh-150-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=145,0,4211,3000&w=4000&h=2850","aCHWgSdWJ-7kR7MK",{"x":188,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},{"image":658,"caption":10},{"dimensions":659,"alt":660,"copyright":661,"url":662,"id":663,"edit":664},{"width":8,"height":27},"A large blue face being paraded above the crowd along a busy road","Manchester Day, 2019, Mark Waugh","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/f8561151-7f65-40a6-b364-7c053ebab1b7_Manchester+Day+2019_+Mark+Waugh+%2847%29.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=80,0,2340,1667&w=4000&h=2850","ZL-3vBEAAB4AMU9h",{"x":665,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},80,{"image":667,"caption":10},{"dimensions":668,"alt":669,"copyright":10,"url":670,"id":671,"edit":672},{"width":8,"height":27},"A large colourful parade full of community groups, watched by thousands of people","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDXFFCdWJ-7kSlel_ManchesterDay2022%2CMarkWaugh-186-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=112,0,3276,2334&w=4000&h=2850","aDXFFCdWJ-7kSlel",{"x":510,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},{"image":674,"caption":10},{"dimensions":675,"alt":676,"copyright":10,"url":677,"id":678,"edit":679},{"width":8,"height":27},"A person dressed in blue and white stripes, with a red neck scarf on a gondola float.","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/03f979b2-b057-4f13-bf36-057a07b81adb_MWjly23-484559.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=145,0,4211,3000&w=4000&h=2850","ZO37-xAAACAA_sJp",{"x":188,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},{},"image_carousel_block$882d7d23-7fdf-4874-a1a8-49750a3033ce",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":683,"primary":684,"id":701,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":685,"body":686},"A few thoughts and conclusions gained on the journey so far:",[687,690,698],{"type":57,"text":688,"spans":689,"direction":63},"As an organisation we are dialled in, enthusiastic and knowledgeable for all things we can be doing to lessen our impact on the planet.  I’ve not needed to think about buy-in as we collectively know the importance of sustainability in all we do, but rather I’ve needed to dig deeper into priorities and weigh them up to our core activities as a business and arts organisation.",[],{"type":57,"text":691,"spans":692,"direction":63},"Understanding a whole life cycle approach for our processes has been key for my understanding and dealing with potential pressures on our work and the impacts on our sustainability. This includes looking at the life span of work, commissions, makes and fabrication projects. Through a process of ‘creation to deconstruction’ we are highlighting the knock-on demands of storage, maintenance and reuse of materials. As ever I’m always asking questions and help from our incredibly knowledgeable friends (big shout to GMAST and Emerge!).",[693],{"start":694,"end":695,"type":627,"data":696},515,520,{"link_type":234,"url":697,"target":630},"https://www.g-mast.org/",{"type":57,"text":699,"spans":700,"direction":63},"Thinking long term and being specific for short to medium term. Our action plan is a starting point that has also started the ball rolling on longer term ambitions for our work. Firstly, came knowledge of our challenges (most will hear my grumblings about the skip), then a look at how we adapt some of our process led work to address these challenges, and then through conversations and wider input how we continue to be innovators in the field. It is early days still, but I have confidence that this approach helps us have an eye on future challenges, such as environmental costs of AI usage and input into our data collection of our digital carbon footprint, through to the energy play off from recycling lithium batteries vs energy saved through their usage in our work, and whilst also seeking innovations in the materials we use most often.",[],"text_block$dba8860e-8a09-40e5-883b-4b10634c604b",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":703,"primary":728,"id":729,"slice_type":148,"slice_label":10},[704,712,720],{"image":705,"caption":10},{"dimensions":706,"alt":707,"copyright":10,"url":708,"id":709,"edit":710},{"width":8,"height":27},"A group of people in a outdoor installation lit in red playing with bubbles ","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/65ba6562615e73009ec4275a_BODYBeakerheadFestival2023,NeilMcElmon-45-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=66,0,1916,1365&w=4000&h=2850","ZbplYmFecwCexCda",{"x":711,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},66,{"image":713,"caption":10},{"dimensions":714,"alt":715,"copyright":716,"url":717,"id":718,"edit":719},{"width":8,"height":27},"A person in a dark woodland area looking up at a giant blue lighting installation.","Body, Dublin Science Week, Science Foundation Ireland, 2022, Naoise Culhane","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/98bfbcd3-c4af-4b2a-8f45-30305d248ae1_Body_+Dublin+2022%2C+Science+Week%2C+Science+Foundation+Ireland+-+image+by+Naoise+Culhane+%2829%29.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=112,0,3276,2334&w=4000&h=2850","ZL-XcBEAAB4AMLeU",{"x":510,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},{"image":721,"caption":10},{"dimensions":722,"alt":723,"copyright":10,"url":724,"id":725,"edit":726},{"width":8,"height":27},"A person with blonde hair look in wonder at a fighting installation","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/f7ac5bfc-fb44-41fb-bf27-616fce9da544_Body_+Dublin+2022%2C+Science+Week%2C+Science+Foundation+Ireland+-+image+by+Naoise+Culhane+%2875%29.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=113,0,3274,2333&w=4000&h=2850","ZJ7JwBEAACAAvty2",{"x":727,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},113,{},"image_carousel_block$a535462e-ae15-406d-9fef-d12c9eacf210",{"variation":66,"version":67,"items":731,"primary":732,"id":741,"slice_type":111,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":733,"body":734},"The mission:",[735,738],{"type":57,"text":736,"spans":737,"direction":63},"We will drop our carbon emissions by 20% by the end of 2026 (based on 2024 levels). In 2024, our overall C02 equivalent was 166t, so we are aiming to find savings of 33.2tonnes (about 4.15 fully grown Tyrannosaurus Rex's). We will do this in a variety of ways from improving our waste monitoring and decreasing our mixed waste output to increasing our solar energy generation and investigating how we use that same energy in our shows. The new 2025 to 2026 Action Plan roadmaps the way and hopes to deliver us to this ambitious destination.",[],{"type":57,"text":739,"spans":740,"direction":63},"And a final thought, gleaned over the past few months; there is a tendency to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task at hand; protecting our planet for future generations. I’ve found that as a sector we inherently care about our impact, be that to create truly life affirming creative work, whilst also ensuring we are treading lightly and leaving only a sense of wonder as we go.",[],"text_block$7234d412-a63d-4a91-b167-3a1e5f9f8e41",[743],{"type":57,"text":744,"spans":745,"direction":63},"Our work at Walk the Plank is underpinned by several key threads. We are creatively ambitious, people driven, diverse in our attitudes to place and place making and most of our work aims to have a huge impact; bringing spectacle, imagination and the all-important WOW wherever we go.",[],"Tread Lightly - moving towards our new Sustainability Action Plan and our target for 2025 and 2026",[748,757],{"entry":749},{"id":750,"type":245,"tags":751,"lang":42,"slug":752,"first_publication_date":753,"last_publication_date":754,"uid":755,"link_type":48,"key":756,"isBroken":50},"Z7R2-RIAACEA3QsT",[],"international-touring-and-environmental-responsibility","2025-02-18T14:48:10+0000","2025-05-12T10:38:56+0000","international-touring-environmental-responsibility","6531d748-3be5-405b-945c-1a0b340a762b",{"entry":758},{"id":405,"type":245,"tags":759,"lang":42,"slug":407,"first_publication_date":408,"last_publication_date":409,"uid":410,"link_type":48,"key":760,"isBroken":50},[],"af6f6043-aab0-46c6-8537-fd56528790f7",{"dimensions":762,"alt":763,"copyright":10,"url":764,"id":765,"edit":766,"meta":768},{"width":8,"height":9},"A person in a green cap and black hoodie with a orange skull and cross bones on it looking at a body of water with a dragon's head artwork on.","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=174,0,3661,2746&w=4000&h=3000","aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v",{"x":767,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},174,{"dimensions":769,"alt":763,"copyright":10,"url":770,"id":765,"edit":771},{"width":19,"height":20},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,320,4010,2105&w=1200&h=630",{"x":14,"y":772,"zoom":24,"background":16},320,"Gareth Hughes, Walk the Plank's Head of Production reflects on our sustainability and creativity ambitions for 2025 and 2026.",{"dimensions":775,"alt":763,"copyright":10,"url":776,"id":765,"edit":777,"portrait":779},{"width":8,"height":27},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=78,0,3854,2746&w=4000&h=2850",{"x":778,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},78,{"dimensions":780,"alt":763,"copyright":10,"url":781,"id":765,"edit":782},{"width":27,"height":8},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=1027,0,1957,2746&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":783,"y":14,"zoom":24,"background":16},1027,[785],{"link":786,"label":10,"logo":787},{"link_type":54},{},[789],{"newsTag":790},{"link_type":48},[792],{"id":39,"postDate":44,"type":40,"uid":45,"title":47},"aSgtFxIAACMA6a92","2025-11-27T11:15:14+0000",1784902692409]