BURNTWOOD COMMUNITY REVITALISED BY NEWEST ARTS OFFERING: CREATIVE BURNTWOOD—AND THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
thanks to almost £300,000 National Lottery funding through Arts Council England’s Place Partnership programme, in collaboration with Lichfield Garrick Theatre, Lichfield District Council, and Burntwood Town Council. It doesn’t end there; the incredible offering of an eclectic array of live performances & events in Burntwood across the year puts Burntwood on the map as a hub of entertainment, learning, and collaboration.
A former mining town sitting approximately four miles west of Lichfield, Burntwood homes areas such as Chase Terrace, Chasetown, Boney Hay & Burntwood. Its current name originates from the 13th century ‘Brendewode’— derived from the burning of woodland to clear land for agricultural use. Now, locations including Chase Terrace Community Centre, St Anne’s Church, Burntwood Library, Burntwood Rugby Club, St John’s Community Church, Burntwood Leisure Centre, Burntwood Memorial Institute, and The Ashmole Social Club & Bowling Green offer spaces to sing, dance, create, play, grow, and connect.
Excitingly, the new year coincides with the launch of Creative Burntwood’s first offering of live performances and workshops (all coming in at £5 or less), there really is something for everyone! Keep the little ones inspired with some interactive storytelling through movement with The Story Detectives; have a hand in some puppetry family fun with the Puppet Petting Farm; get inspired by something magical with The Great Baldini’s magician act at Burntwood Memorial Institute. There’s something for the adults too... Sink your teeth into some thrilling drama with Sherlock Holmes: The Death and Life, or step into the heart of one of the most iconic sci-fi stories ever written with Gav Cross’ War of the Worlds. For the music lovers, ever seen a 6-foot recorder? Look no further as Palisander perform unique compositions on these larger-than-life instruments. Or why not come for a spot of tea with Joyce Grenfell as Nicola Keen transports us back to the 40s and 50s with her interpretation of one of Britain’s best-loved comediennes. Alongside this, Burntwood Memorial Institute becomes Manford’s Comedy Club for one night only before the effervescent Jonny Cole makes his Burntwood debut with Armagudd’n in two premium shows coming in at a slightly higher price.
With community engagement at the heart of the project, Creative Burntwood is already hitting the high notes with its initial Creative Burntwood Community Choir taster sessions. Including over sixty participants, the infectious energy at St John’s Community Church has taken the community by storm. At the helm, Ashley Mellor, leads “uplifting, happy and supportive” free weekly sessions (every Monday) where attendees can relish in creating sweet harmonies all whilst learning new skills. Burntwood Community Choir is more than just about harmony; it’s a place to connect and unveil just what we are capable of when the Burntwood community comes together as one.
Also raising their voices are Young Garrick Burntwood: Creative Burntwood’s offering of a free Youth Theatre for young people who live or go to school in Burntwood. The close of 2025 has already seen outstanding performances at Chase Terrace Community Centre—giving young people the opportunity to connect through the arts & creative avenues of expression. Despite still being in its infancy, Creative Burntwood has already seen some its members perform at events such as Burntwood Wakes Festival. As the young people grow in confidence, Young Garrick Burntwood goes from strength-to-strength, and Creative Burntwood inspires the next generation to dream bigger.
For the team at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre, outreach has always been integral. As pantomime season sweeps across Staffordshire, Creative Burntwood has also seen the offering of a one-off workshop with renowned panto veteran Joe Feeney in ‘An Introduction to Pantomime’. This free workshop gave young people in Burntwood the incredible opportunity to work alongside an industry professional in an “educational and fun” workshop designed to inspire, nurture talent, and engage young people in the theatre industry. And this is only the beginning for the offerings entailed in Creative Burntwood... We’ll have to do it again then won’t we!
This project isn’t just about putting on events; it’s about improving the cultural offer in Burntwood. We want to build something that lasts, using creative skills, community confidence, and local cultural leaders who can carry this work forward long after the three years are up.
Daniel Buckroyd, CEO & Artistic Director of Lichfield Garrick Theatre, said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to have worked with Burntwood Town Council & Lichfield District Council to secure this funding from Arts Council England to deliver Creative Burntwood. Burntwood is a brilliant community, full of untapped creativity and potential, and this project is about opening doors for people of all ages to get involved, try something new, and feel part of something special. During our community consultation, 64% of respondents told us they don’t currently take part in any creative activities. We have been very humbled and encouraged by the positive response from Burntwood residents so far, and we are so excited to see how the community flourishes.”
This incredible work would also not be possible without the supported funding of Arts Council England, who aim to ensure that everyone has access to a remarkable range of high-quality creative and cultural experiences. Liz Johnson, Midlands Area Director, Arts Council England, said:
"It's great to see such a fantastic programme of events and activities coming together for the people of Burntwood and the surroundin areas to enjoy. We know that creative and cultural activities can help us to feel happier and proud of the place that we live. Creative Burntwood is funded through Arts Council England’s Place Partnership programme, which uses money from the National Lottery. It aims to make a real step change in the area, helping more people to experience, connect and take part in creativity and culture on their own doorsteps.”
As a three-year-project, this action-packed schedule comprises only one third of what we plan to achieve. As we put the local community in the driving seat through our official Steering Group, we simply cannot wait to see how this project unfolds across the next couple of years. Denise Orton Brown, Creative Burntwood Project Manager said:
“Creative Burntwood is such an exciting project – and it has been great to meet with so many organisations and members of the community to explore the plans for the first year. Everyone has been so receptive, and the people of Burntwood really want to create opportunities that are welcoming and accessible. This project is being shaped by local voices and local spaces – and the ripple effect means that we have even more ideas for what people want. The arts and being creative is about connection — bringing people together, building confidence, and giving everyone a voice, no matter their background or experience.”
As we welcome in a new year, Creative Burntwood also welcomes in new opportunities for local people to get involved, have their say, and contribute to a rapidly growing arts initiative with an official launch event taking place at Chase Terrace Community Centre on Wednesday 14th January from 14:30 - 21:30. This is only the beginning of a growing community project that will revitalise the local community and bring something new to the already thriving Burntwood community. If you’d like to get involved or have your say, don’t hesitate to get in touch at
hello@creativeburntwood.com. If you’d like to book onto one of the many shows we have on offer in our initial programme of events, contact the Lichfield Garrick Box Office on 01543412121. You can also find out more on
creativeburntwood.com or follow along with the story via Facebook and Instagram @creativeburntwood.
About Arts Council England
*Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Our vision, set out in our strategy Let’s Create, is that by 2030, we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish, and where every one of us has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. Between 2023 and 2026 we will have invested over £467million of public money from Government, alongside an estimated £250 million each year from The National Lottery, to help ensure that people in every part of the country have access to culture and creativity in the places where they live. Visit
our website to learn more about our work.
Press Release Courtesy of Lichfield Garrick Theatre & Studio
