​Spreading Light and Hope this digital December

A Christmas feast of online entertainment will bring festive cheer to residents despite the ongoing restrictions on live performances.

Bury, as the first Greater Manchester Town of Culture, became the centre for live entertainment during lockdown when the The Met played host to United We Stream – and now it’s back! The first event is a 2020 virtual reimagining of Ramsbottom’s Heads for the Hills Festival, taking place on Saturday 5 December with a day of exclusive sets and favourite acts from recent years to keep you dancing at home: go to www.headforthehills.org.uk

The Met is also finalising more streaming events including festive folk and a special event on 20 December - watch this space for more details.

Families unable to enjoy The Met’s traditional Christmas show can download a special pack to create their own festive spectacular at home. The show-in-a-box contains cut-out and colour puppets and a set, along with an audio-link and instructions to listen to the story and act along: go to https://themet.org.uk/event/seashell-stew-show-in-a-box/

Bury Hospice will bring communities together on Sunday 6 December with its Light Up A Life service, celebrating loved ones and those who have touched our lives during this year. For more information, visit https://buryhospice.org.uk/support-us/events/

The concepts of light and hope will be explored in an online interfaith discussion, highlighting the importance of these celebrations to different faiths whether it be Diwali, Christmas or Chanukah and Christmas. Go to www.bury.gov.uk/lightandhope at the start of December.

Art connoisseurs should put 18 December in their diary for the launch of the Thank Art film ‘Winter’s Drawing In’, where an Edwardian visitor assistant leads an alternative life drawing performance. If you can’t wait that long, check out Bury Art Museum online for ideas and inspiration, including creative zine-making – www.buryartmuseum.co.uk

Residents and businesses are also being invited to spread hope and light through ‘Bury Stars’ – go to www.bury.gov.uk/burystars. As well as displaying the stars in your window, you can use them to thank the people or groups who have lit up your life in 2020, been a source of hope, or simply someone you want to remember. This could be a person’s name, a photograph or them, the logo of an organisation or your own design.

Share your creations and designs using the hashtag #buryculture and we will feature these throughout December on the Town of Culture social media channels.

Councillor Jane Black, cabinet member for the cultural economy, said: “2020 has been a tough year for many, yet there have been so many shining lights in our communities. As we enter winter we’re keen to showcase these, alongside our creative industries that have shone a light on the vital role that music and the arts play in promoting positive wellbeing.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 30 November 2020.