International graffiti artist inspires pupils for Spilsby Light Night display

Mohammed Ali from Soul City Arts in Birmingham recently shared some of his creative skills and passions with children at Spilsby Primary Academy and set them and local scouts a challenge to make their own billboard poster designs.

The artist took time out from creating a three-storey mural in London for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games as part of the final preparations for the third Spilsby Light Night.

He chatted to Year 5 and 6 children from Spilsby and the surrounding area and was delighted to be able to reach children in a rural area in a way that he isn’t normally able to do.

The pupils' creations These will be shown on a screen inside the Methodist Church.

Local schools and community groups, including the 2nd Spilsby Scouts, have also been working on a series of artistic installations that will help illuminate the town.

Lumo Workshop has been in Spilsby and Stickney to create more than 100 Houses of Light that will be displayed around the churchyard of St James’ Church, with a soundtrack of young people’s voices sharing their thoughts about their town and

their lives.

This display has been made by Grubby Kneez, a children’s youth theatre group that is run from the Sessions House.

There will also be an exhibition of digital images created by pupils from Woodlands Academy, projected inside St James’ Church.

Other artists confirmed for the Light Night line-up include Barret Hodgson from Vent Media, who will be projecting onto the front of the Sessions House as a silent disco takes place; a dance performance called ‘Preppers’ by Casson and Friends, a VR experience by Leicester-based tech company MBD, a projection by local digital artist Simon le Boggit, legendary street artists

Artizani with their amazing Illuminated Bees as well as Earth Bound Misfits and Altered States who will be bringing the incredible illuminated Invisible Man to the streets of Spilsby.

Spilsby Light Night is produced by The Sessions House CIC in partnership with Different Light, a creative collective of local artists, technicians and producers.

Organisers will also be providing a range of other illuminations and interactive activities including Digital Graffiti, the Shadow Stage and the Marvellous Mechanical Musical Machine, which was

originally commissioned for East Lindsey’s Festive Fabuloso project last December.

The free event has been organised by Spilsby Sessions House & the Different Light Collective and takes place on Saturday, March 26, from 6pm to 9pm.

Refreshments available at both St James’ Church and the Methodist Church.

The Light Night has been made possible by a grant from Arts Council England along with additional financial support from East Lindsey District Council and Spilsby Town Council, as well

as from local businesses Tongs Engineering, Sills & Betteridge and J&A with extra support from Magna Vitae and the SO Festival too.

The organisers are still looking for a number of local volunteers to help make the night runb smoothly and if you are interested, please email Bruce Knight [email protected]

Although the event is free, the team will be asking for donations from the public, no matter how small, to contribute to the overall costs and to ensure that future similar creative projects can take place.

Spilsby High Street will be closed from 3pm to 10pm and the two ELDC car parks in the centre of town will be closed all day Saturday.

For more details visit www.different-light.co.uk.