Wesco Anixter Supports Youth-Led Animation Initiative for Bolsover’s Bright Winter Nights
Wesco Anixter Supports Youth-Led Animation Initiative for Bolsover’s Bright Winter Nights
Chesterfield’s Wesco Anixter is funding a new art project that has enabled young people in Bolsover to turn their special interests and imaginations into digital artwork, which will be projected inside Bolsover Castle next month. This sponsorship is made possible by Wesco Cares, the company’s corporate philanthropic program that aims to support communities where employees live, work and deliver.
The art piece, titled Our Digital Tapestry, was commissioned by Junction Arts and will feature at this year’s Bright Winter Nights event. The piece showcases the ideas and inspiration of students from Stubbin Wood School and families attending Neurohub, a welcoming local space for neurodivergent youth.
Over eight workshops, 43 young participants collaborated with Junction Arts to create visuals using light drawing photography, surreal collages, and acetate drawings. At the same time, sound artist Tim Baker led audio sessions with Stubbin Wood students, blending traditional instruments like drums and guitars with creative sound-makers such as rice tubes, foil, and rain sticks to explore tone, tempo and melody. Visual artist Will Lindley then transformed these creative outputs into Our Digital Tapestry, a digital animation celebrating young people’s passions and identities, which will be projected at Bolsover Castle’s Riding School.
Our Digital Tapestry will be one of three new artworks at this year’s Bright Winter Nights event. Now in its third year, the Junction Arts event showcases unheard voices through large-scale projections, soundscapes, and interactive artworks, transforming the castle into a glowing canvas of community spirit and creativity.
This year’s theme, “Hear My Voice,” ensures that all artworks are co-created with young people from Bolsover, including students from Shirebrook Academy and members of Boza Youth.
Junction Arts Project Manager Kylie North said: “Our Digital Tapestry is a youth-led animation professionally produced to create a beautiful and immersive film for The Riding School at Bolsover Castle. Visitors will experience artwork that stimulates the senses through sight and sound.”
“We are proud to support our local community by sponsoring Bright Winter Nights, an amazing event that celebrates Bolsover’s history and its future, added Sophie Whitfield, Sustainability Leader EES EMEA from Wesco Anixter. “The young people involved have been incredible, sharing their creativity and interests, which form the heart of this exciting new artwork. We are excited to see it displayed next month.”
Bright Winter Nights will take place on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 November, 4.30 p.m.to 7.30 p.m., with a dedicated quiet session from 4.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.. Tickets cost £3 for adults, £2 for children and under 5s are free. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on the English Heritage website.