PROJECTION & PERFORMANCE
Wednesday March 27th 2024. 7pm – 10pm
Coventry Canal Basin
This March, Ludic Rooms will be inviting people to Coventry Canal Basin for one special night of light, projection and performance. We will be sharing new Ludic Rooms work as well as some past pieces generated across our 15 years of leading arts and technology projects in the city. For the first time we’ll be performing a work-in-progress of our new collaboration with Highly Sprung Performance Company and Mercia Canoe Club “Paddling Light: The Diviners”, we’ll also be hosting an Open Projections event in Coventry Canal Warehouse, and our lovely friends at The Tin will be opening the Coal Vaults for drinks and general good vibes.
OPEN PROJECTIONS
Coventry Canal Warehouse is the second largest Grade II listed building in the city. Built in three stages between the 1790s and the 1910s it is comprised of studio spaces across 5 floors and several multi-storey bays overhanging the water.
The building was sensitively restored in the 1980s by the Coventry Canal Basin Trust, who are still custodians of this important local heritage asset. The building is home to dozens of artists, designers and community groups, including Ludic Rooms and Mercia Canoe Club.
For BEACON, we will be filling the Bay spaces with projection and light, sharing moving image work from LR’s back catalogue as well as a curated selection of work from other local artists, animators, illustrators and filmmakers that explore our collective relationship with the water.
PADDLING LIGHT: THE DIVINERS
In 2019, as part of Coventry’s period as European City of Sport, LR worked with Mercia Canoe Club to experiment with how creative technology might transform the public’s experiences of the canal at night. We called these experiments “Paddling Light”.
For the last few months, with support from Arts Council England and the Canal & River Trust, we have been working with MCC and our incredible friends at Highly Sprung Performance Company to develop a new night time show to be performed from canoes and kayaks using some of our learning from 2019.
Following reports of a strange energy emitting from the canal, a group of misfits arrive to discover the truth. In search for answers, The Diviners delve deep into the darkest depths of possible histories and folklore. Uncovering what lurks beneath the curious happenings.
For BEACON, we will be sharing an early version of this exciting new outdoor arts performance for the very first time. Expect an interactive adventure of mysterious storytelling, physical theatre and illuminated watercraft.
Find out more about THE DIVINERS by visiting their website
The Beacon event has been funded by Arts Council England Project Grants and Canal & River Trust.
Paddling Light: The Diviners is a Ludic Rooms production in association with Highly Sprung Performance Company with generous support from Mercia Canoe Club and Coventry Canal Basin Trust.
FAQ
BEACON is the umbrella name for a collection of events taking place in and around Coventry Canal Basin on the evening of Wednesday 27th March.
You can attend for free (or make a voluntary contribution) but you need to book tickets for each element separately:
Paddling Light: The Diviners
There will be two performances of Paddling Light: The Diviners. This is the first work in progress performance of this new piece, sharing the outcomes of recent research and development and something that we hope to develop into a touring show in the future.
Highly Sprung performers and Mercia Canoe Club members will perform from canoes on the water in the middle of the canal. Audiences view from the public spaces in the Canal Basin outside the shops.
These performances take place at 7.30pm & 9.00pm. The show runs for approximately 20 minutes. This event is suitable for all ages, including children.
Open Projections
An ongoing show of artists’ films will be projected in the four bays of the Canal Warehouse on Leicester Row from 7.00-9.30pm.
A one way system will be in place and tickets are allocated with time slots so we can keep queuing to a minimum. The entrance will be at the top of Leicester Row, close to Bridge no. 1.
SmartPhones
Paddling Light: The Diviners has an additional element that can be experienced by accessing a website using a smartphone. You will be directed to the website by stewards, on your arrival. However, this is an additional feature and not essential to enjoying the show. You do not need to install anything or connect to any special network.
You will also be able to use your smartphone to see information about the artists sharing work in Open Projections.
How to get there
For Paddling Light: The Diviners and the Tin Music & Arts Coal Vaults venue – Canal Basin, St Nicholas Street CV14LY, What3Words ///towns.locked.skins
For Open Projections: Canal Warehouse, Leicester Row CV1 4LH, What3Words ///punch.wing.earth
On Foot
If travelling from the city centre, you can get to the Canal Basin either by crossing the pedestrian bridge at the top of Bishop Street (What3Words ///finely.deed.zones), or via the pedestrian crossings under the ring road from Upper Well Street (What3Words ///loving.hungry.fetch).
By Bus
Routes 20 and 148 stop on Foleshill Road, adjacent to the towpath at the Leicester Row bus stop opposite Halfords, just a short step-free walk from the Canal Basin. Both routes pick up in the City Centre from Trinity Street, and run as far away as Longford, Bedworth and Nuneaton.
By Car
We recommend that you park at Pay & Display car parks on Tower Street or Belgrade Plaza. Parking information here. There is some roadside metered parking available on St Nicholas Street, Leicester Row, Draper’s Fields and some non-metered residential streets nearby.
What about the weather?
This is an outdoor event, at night, by water, in March. There’s a good chance it’ll be cold and possibly even raining. Please make sure that you dress in warm waterproof clothing suitable for standing outside, but no large golf umbrellas please.
In the event of severe weather conditions, we may have to cancel the event – ticket holders will be notified.
Toilets
There are toilets inside the Tin Music & Arts, which will be available for the duration of the event, including an accessible toilet. The nearest Changing Places toilet is at Asda Abbey Park (https://storelocator.asda.com/west-midlands/coventry/abbey-park-north-london-road and is open until 11pm.
SEATING
We are able to provide some limited seating for people who need it. Please speak to a steward upon arrival. Otherwise Paddling Light: The Diviners is a standing show, lasting approximately 20 minutes and Open Projections is an exhibition which you can travel through at your own pace. We expect this to take a maximum of approximately 30 minutes.
REFRESHMENTS
The Tin will be open, selling hot and cold drinks until at least 10.00pm.
Goretys will be open, selling Portuguese hot and cold drinks and food until 8.00pm.
Please do feel free to bring your own food and drink – we recommend a hot drink!
Access
The Canal Warehouse is a Grade II listed building and whilst the canalside for viewing the Open Projections is mostly level, it does have some steps and narrow sections, for which we will provide temporary ramps where feasible. The widest wheelchair that the building can accommodate would be 68 cm.
Paddling Light: The Diviners is on level ground and we will do our best to keep front row space available for those using a wheelchair or seat.
During Paddling Light: The Diviners, the action is likely to take place a minimum of approximately 4 metres away from the audience and performers will not be wearing microphones.
We will have a limited number of large print scripts available for you to follow along or read beforehand if this is something that you would find useful.
Both experiences will be taking place in low light and close to the Canal waters edge. Please be careful when navigating these.
A number of ear defenders will be available to borrow.
A breakout space will be available during the course of the event for those who might need it. This will be at the Tin Music and Arts Community Space and will be signposted on the night. Please speak to a steward on arrival if you think you might like to make use of this space during the course of the evening.
Film and Photography
Please note that filming/photography will be taking place at the event for promotional and archival purposes. If you would prefer not to be photographed please let the photographer/filmmaker or another member of staff know.
LUDIC ROOMS
Ludic Rooms were founded in Coventry in 2009. We are a socially engaged arts organisation that use technology and play to help investigate, interrogate and illuminate the stories of people and places. We work in real-world settings, supported by digital media to allow artists, workshop participants and audiences a space to make a difference in the world around them.
For the last five years we’ve been focussing our time on projects that improve Coventry residents access to, and relationship with, the canal. You might have visited our night time event Random String in 2021 or one of our many summer daytime events in the Canal Basin Roam+Dwell, the Waterways Festival or Canal Basin Play Day.
We also ran Open Citizens in 2017 (with burping bins and CanCan dancing) as well as years of playful family activities at Godiva Festival in the ExperiTent.
LUDIC ROOMS
Ludic Rooms were founded in Coventry in 2009. We are a socially engaged arts organisation that use technology and play to help investigate, interrogate and illuminate the stories of people and places. We work in real-world settings, supported by digital media to allow artists, workshop participants and audiences a space to make a difference in the world around them.
For the last five years we’ve been focussing our time on projects that improve Coventry residents access to, and relationship with, the canal. You might have visited our night time event Random String in 2021 or one of our many summer daytime events in the Canal Basin Roam+Dwell, the Waterways Festival or Canal Basin Play Day.
We also ran Open Citizens in 2017 (with burping bins and CanCan dancing) as well as years of playful family activities at Godiva Festival in the ExperiTent.