Songs and poems are set to be the new pick-me-up at a trial ‘song surgery’ next month.
Prescription poems and remedial tunes will be handed out to anyone feeling under par or stressed out at the special surgery being held in the Lake District. Opera singer Bibi Heal will offer drop-ins a customised verse or soothing song for a range of maladies at the new initiative.
Said Bibi’s producer Jane Rice-Bowen: “Whether someone has been made redundant or is feeling the stress of Christmas, Bibi will prescribe a spot of tailored music or poetry and give an intimate performance as an antidote.”
Clinic for the test day on November 9 will be Ambleside Parish Centre, thanks to the Watch This Space project by Great Place: Lakes and Dales (GPLD) which aims to use the arts, culture and heritage to encourage more under 35s to live and work in the area.
Performing arts students from Bradford College will be out and about in the town on the day to promote the event as well as acting as ‘triage’ for personalised performances with Bibi.
The idea, which is also supported by Help Musicians UK, is in its research and development phase.
The Song Surgery will be open for drop-in consultations and prescriptions between 12.30pm and 4.30pm.
Creative consultant with GPLD, Emily Wilson, explained: “Watch This Space invited applications from people with wild ideas that had creativity and culture at their heart for support to stage a 48-hour pop-up showcase to try out their schemes. We also reached out for places which could be used as venues and teamed them up.
“We are really pleased to see artists being allowed to let their imaginations run riot as we offer them a temporary space to try something new. Watch This Space aims to support pilots which can be tried out, evolve and grow into bigger, exciting things.”
