Miss Baines was a place-based project working with Ryelands school and the Ryelands estate community through consultation, collaboration and creativity, using the show to improve wellbeing by levelling up access to publicly funded art.

A consultation process with the local school and resident association uncovered the thoughts and feelings of Ryelands residents and the hope for improving the life experiences for the children growing up on the estate. As culture can positively impact the lives of people in all sorts of ways, the project has been developed to have a positive impact on the community so it might contribute to post pandemic regeneration.

Miss Baines started out in care homes where residents and primary school children were invited to join in and build relationships with one another to lessen feelings of isolation for older people through a creative vintage themed performance and activities.

Ludus Dance invited Louise to reimagine the work on the Ryelands estate (where the real-life character of the show Miss Baines worked in the 30s) with the people who currently live and work there as a tool to improve wellbeing by levelling up access to publicly funded art.

Louise consulted with residents of Ryelands Estate including children, families, older people, and Ryelands School staff, to consider how the existing dance performance might serve the community and help people in the school and surrounding council estate to get creative. As a result, the current Miss Baines project provides accessible opportunities for children, families and older people, who don’t usually access publicly funded arts, to get creative through workshops and a performance on the estate.

Lead artist Louise Gibbons spent a year long residency in Ryelands school  as Miss Baines, a character based on a council worker in Lancaster in the 1930/40s. The residency engaged key stage 2 children in creative activity exploring themes from the show culminating in a performance involving Miss Baines alongside the children for their families and friends from the Ryelands Estate on Ryelands School grounds.  

A beautiful project that joyfully brought together the school, the young people and the families from the Ryelands estate for a sunny afternoon full of smiles, dancing and most importantly tea and biscuits!