A Weekend of Wonderful Creativity

Inverkeithing Arts Initiative were very pleased with the success of our inaugural event, “A Handmade Holiday”, which took place over the weekend of 12th & 13th December 2014 at the Inverkeithing Civic Centre. IAI was introduced to the public with a mixture of literary theatre, arts, crafts, and community participation. Featuring local professional artists and hobbyists, A Handmade Holiday highlighted the variety of home-grown talent living and working in Fife. We were delighted to be supported for this event by Inverkeithing Community Council.

Friday 12th December 2014

A (Very) Live Reading of A Christmas Carol

Inverkeithing Civic Centre, 10 Queen Street, Inverkeithing, Fife

Donna M. DuCarme and Inverkeithing Arts Initiative presented a “Readers Theatre” version of Charles Dickens’ original novella.

This (very) live reading featured Nick Cheales as everybody’s favourite curmudgeon Scrooge. With the voices of Kari Ann Shiff (as the narrator), Liz Banks, Gabz Barker, Roisin Diamond, Andrew Mahady, Joel Mason, Glen McGill and Graeme Shield.

The readers did a superb job of drawing the audience into the story, and taking us along with Scrooge on his journey of self-discovery and re-found love-of-life. And they did this using only their voices and a minimum of actions and props. It was quite wonderful performance art!

It was very well attended, with everyone there appreciating the dedication and passion of all of the actors, as well as Donna DuCarme as writer/director and Michelle Denholm as production assistant. The Inverkeithing Civic Centre was a lovely venue.

Saturday 13th December 2014

The Arts & Crafts Market

Inverkeithing Arts Initiative would just like to express their deep appreciation for how much everyone took this event to heart. With such a collection of creative people showing their work, the event could hardly fail to attract praise, and with all of the visitors who came along, the Civic Centre had a wonderful buzz all day long!

The singing by New Musical Theatre Alliance at 1.30pm was a joy, and helped make the day feel like a real celebration of the season, and, a real celebration of the creativity of all of the people who were gathered together in the hall.

Mary, Michelle, Jane and Donna had a chance to speak to so many people about the aims and plans of Inverkeithing Arts Initiative. Thanks to everyone who wanted to know more, and caught our enthusiasm, and added their names to our fast-growing mailing list. Thanks also to the people who approached us with their ideas of how we can work together. That really is what IAI is all about!

A special thank you to our volunteers, Margaret Robertson, Sue Walker, Rosie Gibson and Sandy Stephen, who added so much to the day, and who are all creative and talented people in their own right. Thanks to Andrew Quinn for his hard work and patience in helping us set everything up and take it back down again. Thanks also to our children, who helped put up and decorate the Christmas tree with such care and dedication!

The Participating Artists and Makers were:

Annsdoodles, Hunter Aromatherapy, Jemstar Jewellery, Kolesnik Krafts, Lainy Allison, Tom Bishop-de-Main, Martine Greig, North Queensferry Crafts, Filo di Lana, Scottish Rocking Horses, Seacycle, Susan McGill Designs, Tartan Hearts, The Friary Knit Group, The Heartfelt Tree, Wee Neuk Ceramics.

And featured the beautiful carol singing of the New Musical Alliance