Sharon Richards #RUOSTURNS10
Tell us how you were/are involved in Right Up Our Street. Tell us about your experience.
I joined “Right up our street” project from the start when approached by Catherine, one of the art support workers dedicated to Rossington! She literally rang me and said “you are an artist/choir leader can we have a chat?! So she came for a cuppa and I was involved! Already being a facilitator and a professional singer all my adult life I was ready to use my talent and skills in a different direction. My first project was “Song for Rossington” where I was commissioned to write an original piece with input from the community, I was asked to collaborate with Jason Singh a fantastic beat boxer from Manchester. It was interesting to say the least! I then helped to create the team for Rossington for Right up our Street and became Chairman.
I then was commissioned in many other projects involving large Choirs, composing songs for events, taking part in all the DN weekends and meeting some lifelong friends within the arts.
What was your most memorable Right Up Our Street moment?
My most memorable moment was without doubt “ The Great Big Donco” project where I was commissioned to write a song with all the Right up our street areas in mind with a little bit of Doncaster history and folklore tales were featured. A fantastic beast was made and singers, dancers, actors even a basketball team helped transport a giant being!! during a fantastic performance on the finishing line of the “Tour de Yorkshire”. It was fantastically fun and spectacular in equal measures! One of my proudest moments hearing the song done so wonderfully.
Am I allowed another?! Singing in the Doncaster Minster under a giant moon was pretty special! “The great Bentley Songbook” was also a very proud moment and where I met a lifelong friends and partners in crime , playwright and Dramaturg Richard Hurford, and Director and outdoor arts expert Andrew Loretto.
Has your involvement in the project changed your approach to working in the arts?
100% without doubt I work differently now, much more inclusive as in, diversity is such an important part of any project I am involved in. It has without doubt developed my creativity and I’ve taken such a backseat as a performer and most of my energy is creating for others, although sometimes I still love to sing! Only now have I realised how much I have taken part and facilitated with and for “Right up our Street” since the start. I have made lasting working relationships through this project to which I’m so grateful and now also take commissions in other areas of the country.
In your opinion, how does having a project like Right Up Our Street benefit the borough of Doncaster?
Massively, it has made “The arts” accessible and people have taken part in projects they would never have thought they would be interested in! Quite a few of the projects over the years have left a long lasting legacy and projects born from the beginnings of “Right up our Street” are going strong today. The project was in fantastic hands from the start with Andrew Loretto taking years into development and then passing the reins to Sally Lockey who also had the vision to develop and nurture the project.
