Summer holidays are calling and with the school term coming to a close we can be sure that you’re on the lookout for things to do in the coming weeks! We’re excited to share with you this fantastic opportunity for those aged 13-18 who are interested in arts, gaming or heritage. Common Ground is collaborating with theatre-makers Coney for a series of creative playful workshops across heritage sites in East Anglia – including Peckover House & Garden in Wisbech next week, 25-29th July 2022!
Common Ground is a Norfolk and Norwich Festival 250 Project that connects young people with their local cultural and natural heritage through the arts. This Summer, they’re inviting 13 to 18 year olds to join them for workshops in Wisbech, Peterborough, Lowestoft and King’s Lynn for a week of art, gaming and action.
The project, which is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, brings aboard young people from across the East of England as “co-creators” and helps them to discover, define and design heritage in the local area. Common Ground proudly work in partnership with Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the National Trust, the Prince’s Trust, SHARE Museums East, Ipswich & Colchester Museum and Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Explore creating new ways to experience and use local heritage sites inspired by your own interests. The team says: “What if a park visit didn’t have to be a picnic, but a giant scavenger hunt? Could you tour a historic house through an escape room rather than with a guide? How would you like to see your local heritage used?”

Let your imagination run wild, how would you like to use the site? During the upcoming 5-day workshop at the National Trust’s Peckover House & Garden (Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 1JR), attendees will work alongside the artist collective Coney as well as two young community artists on project PlayTest: Peckover.
PlayTest: Peckover is a free creative workshop aimed at those living in the local area and is running next week, Monday 25th to Friday 29th July from 10.30-4.30PM each day. Lunch and travel will also be covered.
Making play to spark change! Coney are a BAFTA award-winning team who will be sharing their methods of creating interactive theatre, games and immersive adventures that blend creativity and playful activism. Workshop goers can expect to learn how to use physical games, digital platforms, storytelling techniques and the Wisbech heritage around them to create new, exciting experiences that connect people to places.
Participants will learn how they can make a change and will discover and share what matters to them and what they are passionate about, which could be the environment, human rights – or even a favourite food.

Taking part in Common Ground is a great opportunity for young people to shape a project from start to finish, to develop some great creative skills, to build confidence and to meet other young people in their local area. They will get to connect with their community and also make a difference to their local heritage.
Whether a regular visitor to Peckover House & Garden or you’ve never heard of it, if you are aged 13-18 you can get involved – no experience required. For an insight into some of the digital games that will be created throughout this Summer’s workshops click here to try one for yourself – using codeword: Playtest!
To book a space and for more information, including accessibility, visit the website and sign-up page here.

You can also head here for details about Common Ground’s other partnerships this Summer including the workshops PlayTest: Flag Fen in Peterborough running from Monday 1st to Friday 5th August, PlayTest: Carlton Marshes in Lowestoft running from Monday 8th to Friday 12th August, and PlayTest: King’s Lynn at Roydon Common running from Monday 15th to Friday 19th August 2022.
What’s more, the project’s portfolio includes Common Ground Leaders which is a community of 18–25 year olds who are interested in learning more about the arts, heritage, creating, producing and changing the world around them. Do you know someone who might be keen to join? Please share this page with them!
Check out the Common Ground website here – and be sure to follow along on Twitter and Instagram too.
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