As part of our core programme for 2026 we are thrilled to be developing and producing Flotsam, an opera made with and for very young children. Last year you helped us raise funds for a series of co-creative workshops, bringing the voices of children from schools on the Isle of Wight into the very heart of the piece. Led by the extraordinary creative voice of Dr Kerry Andrew, it’s now time to bring this work off the page and onto the stage! David Wiesner’s much-loved picture book, Flotsam, will be brought to life in words and music, in partnership with Half Moon Theatre, reaching young children and their families across the UK. Building on our reputation for creating “spell-binding, magical, inventive theatre for children and their parents” (A View from Behind the Arras), help us bring this beautiful story of discovery and underwater adventures to life in words and music.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Opera remains under-represented in the music curriculum, despite the National Plan for Music Education’s aims (ACE, 2024). Early arts exposure increases lifelong participation (ACE, 2022), yet many teachers lack the skills and resources to integrate music into their teaching (SCMP, 2024). Many Isle of Wight and Solent primary schools face limited live arts access and lack music specialists, and show high demand for creative, diverse arts in rural, underserved areas (SCMP 2024).
Touring Flotsam to primary schools across the Isle of Wight and Solent region will promote equal access to high-quality opera experiences for children, their teachers and families, increasing exposure to the arts for communities in underserved areas. Our evaluation will support the development of the Early Years music curriculum, inform music teaching strategies and skills development, and wider co-creative arts practice with children.
