High Street Duets

Behind the Scenes Podcast!

Annie Rigby interviews co-writers Daniel Bye and Beccy Owen in this special podcast. Listen in and and find out about the inspirations behind the High Street Duets.

The Playlist

Listen to all the tracks!

New Planet City - A song about the kind of future we want to build. About how that future relates to the past.

Shipping - A song about the idea of shipping. About travelling on waves of time, to and from the past and future.

Sunken Boat - A song inspired by Lancaster and North Shields's sunken boats. What is lost beneath the waves? What is impossible to make sail again?

What Do People Want? - A song that brings together a raucous gathering of voices.

Unfolding Theatre · High Street Duets

About the project

Earlier this year, Unfolding Theatre was commissioned by Historic England to co-create High Street Duets with people in North Shields and Lancaster.

Through conversations about their local high streets with people in the two towns, the creative team have co-created four songs. The songs – purposefully written in different musical musical styles – reflect the range of perspectives and emotion that local communities shared. Exploring the impact of shipping - both maritime and Amazon Prime - people's dreams, concerns and memories, the songs take listeners on a journey from soulful sadness, punk energy of resistance, folky resilience and upbeat hope for the future.

The songs were premiered as part of two Beccy Owen’s Pop-Up Choirs events in North Shields and Lancaster. Look out for QR code signage and postcards across North Shields and Lancaster where you can discover the songs too!

What is the High Streets Heritage Action Zone Cultural Programme?

The High Streets Cultural Programme is part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zones scheme, a nationwide initiative designed to secure lasting improvements to our historic high streets for the communities who use them.

The £7.4 million Cultural Programme is part of the £95 million High Streets Heritage Action Zones initiative, which is currently working across 67 English high streets. It is funded with £40 million from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Heritage High Street Fund, £52 million from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Future High Streets Fund, and a further £3 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Cultural Programme will deliver four years of nationwide cultural activity helping to make high streets more attractive, engaging and vibrant places for people to live, work and spend time.

The Cultural Programme has two strands. Firstly, local grants will support the development and production of cultural programmes, and new partnerships on each of the High Street Heritage Action Zone participating in the scheme. Secondly, Historic England is curating a National Commissioning Programme that will engage with artists and creatives to help bring a very special and diverse set of places together

You can find out about all the planned commissions for 2021 here.