ARTS DIARY
New arts director appointed:
Anna Turzynski has been appointed as the new arts director at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley. Anna was a senior producer at Leeds 2023 Year of Culture and responsible for some of the year’s most successful events, including The Awakening, The WOW Barn and The Gifting. Born and educated in Sussex, Anna moved to Yorkshire in 2011 to study Theatre and Performance at Leeds University. She succeeds Jane Kay who, in partnership with co-owners William and John Gaunt, established Sunny Bank Mills, and its art gallery, as one of the finest independent art and making spaces in Yorkshire. “It is such an honour and a privilege to take over from Jane at Sunny Bank Mills,” says Anna. “Jane’s are big shoes to fill. The team have taken a cultural organisation and made it a key part of the community, creating a space which has the power to inspire, teach and learn from people who visit it.”
Festival of Youth Dance:
On March
23, Yorkshire Dance will welcome young dancers’ groups from across Yorkshire to take part in FRESH, a one-day festival of youth dance, which this year takes place at Cast, Doncaster. The festival will showcase work created by 21 youth dance groups who will perform live in matinee and evening performances. Ione Barton, Yorkshire Dance’s Youth and Community Manager says: “FRESH showcases not only the variety of dance styles in the region, but also the amazing talent and unique creative perspective of young people from Yorkshire.”
Northern Ballet Sketches: Following the success of its debut last spring, Northern Ballet has announced the return of Sketches, a platform that invites emerging choreographers to delve deep into the artistry of dance. Devised by artistic director Federico Bonelli, Sketches enters its second year with an exploration of the timeless concept of pas de deux. This year’s line-up will include six choreographers from within the ranks of the company, alongside Carlos Pons Guerra, artistic director of DeNada Dance Theatre. Two sharings of Sketches will take place on May 9 & 10 at Northern Ballet’s Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds.