Closing ceremony for umbrella partnership between Newark Creates and the ADHD Neurodiversity Foundation in the Market Place
A closing ceremony featuring speeches and performances brought to an end a mesmerising umbrella installation in a town centre.
Umbrellas have become the eye-catching centrepiece of Newark Market Place for a month raising awareness and acceptance around neurodivergent conditions.
The display was a partnership between Newark Creates and the ADHD Neurodiversity Foundation.
It formed part of the national Neurodiversity Umbrella Project and was designed to represent the one in five of people who have a neurodevelopmental condition, such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia or Tourette’s syndrome.
Performing outside the town hall for the closing event were young singer Alex Jones, young musician Oscar (Young Musician), two Inspire Choirs, and swing and jive dancers
There was also a welcome and speeches from the deputy mayor.
The final curtain on the project fell on Saturday when Newark Creates had a stall on the market with artists Ally Pally Arts and Emily Cartwright who helped people with their interpretations of the umbrella installation and writing down their thoughts about it.
Cultural programme co-ordinator for Newark Creates, Sarah Bullimore said the event had left us with a positive legacy.
Sara said funding from the Heritage Action Zone had enabled some bold new ideas with Newark Creates deciding the sky was not the limit and could in fact become a canvas of its own.
“As I walked through the Market Place today the umbrellas were coming down, the last string was being removed,” said Sara.
“And I thought to myself ‘where is the colour, where’s the brightness gone?’
“They’ve been such a talking point over the weeks. People have loved them, been inspired by them. They have become a talking point. People have got used to them being there and also the reason for them being there - the message that they convey.“
The better quality umbrellas will become charity donations while the more weathered ones will be given to art groups to be upcycled.
Sara said that the infrastructure would remain so there is now the ability for other installations to follow, again using the sky as the canvas.
“We now put our thinking caps on to determine what comes next,” she said.
To follow what comes next, search for Newark Creates UK online or look them up on Facebook.
