Merry Elwin: The Adventurous Elf

Delivered with Derby LIVE, Derby Museums and QUAD, Merry Elwin the Adventurous Elf was a large-scale co-creation project engaging schools, libraries and community groups across Derbyshire, including priority places in the Derbyshire Dales. I worked with participants aged 5 to 12, 12 to 16 (including SEND), and 60+ through free workshops, exploring global Christmas folk traditions.

The programme reached 800 participants, plus 12 students, through a virtual school. It offered workshops in storytelling and creative writing, music, art, mask-making, set and prop design, and drama, delivered by a team of professional practitioners and me. It successfully engaged groups from culturally deprived areas with little or no previous arts involvement.

Public outcomes included a live theatre production and multi-art exhibition at Chapel Street Arts Centre, Derby, created collaboratively by participants and professionals, plus a children’s book featuring participants’ work. The theatre production reached over 1,100 people, and the exhibition was extended by a week due to demand, welcoming over 4,000 visitors.

I created this project to explore how other nations and their peoples celebrate Christmas. I wanted to create a festive, feel-good show for young children, where they learned new things in a fun way. Elwin the Elf, suffering a midlife crisis, was born. He and human girl Holly took us all on a journey around the world, meeting lots of different people and ultimately learning what Christmas means. We had great fun making this show, through clowning, song, and heartfelt humour.