The Big Mix

FROME’S creative learning disabled community will be bringing their talents front and centre at The Big Mix: Frome’s Big Disability Diversity Day.

Funded by Frome Town Council and delivered by Openstorytellers, The Big Mix  is a free event that will take over the HUBnub Centre on Whittox Lane on Sunday 29th October from 12.00pm until 5.00pm and will bring you the cream of the creative crop of local disabled, autistic and learning disabled artists and performers.

Artwork by local disabled artists will be on display in the pop-up art gallery including Robin Meader who has recently been commissioned by the NHS to illustrate their ‘Transforming Care’ materials, artists from Art Box Frome will be showing their beautiful work. There will be photography from Colliers Court and the entries from an art competition at Critchill School.

Alongside the art exhibition, The Big Mix will be hosting a mini film festival including the premiere of a new film by The Cheeky Film Makers Club, a chance to watch the latest show by the Enterprise Players, lots of amazing work from Howard Vause at Frome Media Arts, as well as a selection of films made by Opesntorytellers.

The Rye Bakery will be home to live performance, local creative group FMU will be premiering a new song, Big Mac Brad and DJ Alex will be bringing their unique hip-hop sounds and Clemma Fleet will be reading her poetry. Local disability hero, Brian Marshall, who recently released his biography about his journey from institutions to independence, will be reading from his book.

The Big Mix has Talent will be shining a light on people with extraordinary talents. Openstorytellers will be telling stories about historical legends and characters with disabilities that can tell us a lot about living with disability today. There will also be a special storytelling dome with a workshop by Jane Flood and a chance for everyone to share their own stories with the Storysharing Cafe. Keith Stuart, bestselling author of A Boy Made of Blocks will be the special guest, reading from and answering questions about his novel that brings to life the story of a man who learns to connect with his autistic son through the popular game Minecraft.

The main hall will host a fabulous drumming workshop by Drum It Up, an accessible music tech workshop from Loops Music Project, an art workshop by Art Box, Craft Unit selling curated craft by disabled makers from all over the UK, and a selection of produce made by Critchill School’s Post-16 pupils.  There will also be information for families, games from Extra Life video games bar, Gateway and Mencap groups and the Pod Youth Club, as well as a campaign by Changing Spaces Frome. To end the festivities, local DJ school Loops Disco’s DJs with Learning Disabilities will give us all something to dance about.

Ben Waller, The Big Mix project manager says, “Thanks to funding from Frome Town Council’s participatory budgeting scheme, The Big Mix is going to be a great day out for everyone in Frome. This is not just an event for people with learning disabilities, it’s an event that celebrates their phenomenal achievements and abilities. It’s about time that this amazing community of creative people had the chance to be in the spotlight. There will be so much to see and do that I don’t think there will be a dull moment all day.”

The Big Mix is open to the whole of Frome and will be free all day. Come and see what the learning disabled community in Frome can offer.