The Whistlers is an outdoor arts project that engages people with our connection to nature, through the creation of a fictional culture of people – The Whistlers – who have a close symbiotic relationship with birds, live deep in the woods, far away from the modern world and communicate by whistling.
The Whistlers was commissioned by Green Carpet – a consortium of 4 arts organisations: Le Citron Jaune in the Camargue, Cirque Jules Verne in Picardie (both in France) Activate in Dorset and Chassepierre Festival in Wallonia (Belgium).
The project has the most impact when the show sits at the end of an outreach process – encouraging people to take part and become creative about the fictitious world of The Whistlers – to appreciate more deeply the natural environments around them and to consider ideas about environmental migration.
How to people take part?
A local woodland is identified as a place where Whistlers have recently set up home and our experts – Lynne, Eva and Felicity and Robin – are on hand to share their enthusiasm and knowledge about these extraordinary people.
The public can encounter the Whistler Conservation Society through a workshop or a presentation and through a bespoke version of our Whistler Spotting expedition in the woods.
The project includes a range of activities that cover a range of interests and budgets
Community Participation
- Workshops in Whistler language & culture and nature connection
- Training to become a WCS volunteer, supporting the story online and in character
Performances
- An Evening with the Whistler Conservation Society – a humorous take on a charity event with live music and film clips which can double as a volunteer/steward recruitment drive.
- An hour long Whistler Spotting show provides a sensitive, creative and humorous opportunity to observe Whistlers in their temporary woodland homes.
Technical Requirements
Workshops
For our 2 hour Schools Workshop, we need access to a big screen or projector. The workshop includes a session outside – in a playground or natural outdoor space. The rest of the workshop happens in the classroom.
We can run Public Workshops in an outdoor space, sharing information about the Whistlers, demonstrating Whistler language and music and teaching ridiculous practical skills. The workshops work well as audience development tools for shows. We need access to a gazebo (3m x 3m), 2 tables and 2 benches.
Performances
An Evening with the Whistler Conservation Society can take place in a village hall or similar community space and normally plays to an audience of around 50 people. The show works well as volunteer recruitment opportunity, to engage volunteer stewards for Whistler Spotting shows. We need access to a projector.
The Whistler Spotting show is designed to take place in an expansive woodland space, with a walking route of approximately 20 minutes. We require a gazebo (3m x 3m) – placed in a flat and sheltered spot. We provide all the set dressing, information boards and Whistler artefacts. We also need access to a dressing room, including charging facilities for our electrical equipment.
For more information please contact us: kim@redherringproductions.co.uk