Jack Drum Arts is a social enterprise providing creative opportunities for the communities of South West Durham with a specific focus on Crook, Willington, Tow Law and the surrounding villages. 

Central to our mission is to improve the lives of those who are disadvantaged, promoting improved wellbeing and resilience whilst tackling loneliness and isolation. We do this through delivery of high quality, engaging and fun arts activities that improve the mental health and resilience of all those we work with, building skills and confidence, whilst supporting individuals to make a positive contribution to community cohesion, pride and promote social change.

Over the last 36 years we have become the living hub of multiple communities inclusive of young people, families, and the refugee community, co-creating empowering, large-scale outdoor community events such as Crook Winter Light Parade and social action initiatives such as B.O.P Fest that contribute to the ongoing improvement of a left behind area of County Durham.

Crook Winter Light Parade is our flagship event, taking place on the last Sunday in November. Since the first in 2015, we have grown each Parade in scale and ambition, and it has become a highly anticipated cultural event which is very well attended and supported by our local community. The Parade serves as a valuable moment of shared experience, galvanising community spirit for all who are involved with thousands of people coming together to take part and experience it each year.  

This year, despite submitting a number of grant applications to produce the event, we have not been able to secure the funds we need to make it happen.  So, with no time to secure funds to hold the Parade on the last Sunday in November, we have decided to move the date of Crook Winter Light Parade to December 31st. With your help we aim to raise sufficient funds through crowdfunding to produce a spectacular and ambitious New Years Parade for our hometown of Crook and bring professional street theatre peformers, puppeteers, dancers, makers, and local music acts to the streets of Crook for a magical event. As always, we aim to build on the success of previous years and bring local people of all ages and abilities together to celebrate and mark the end of 2022. 

We can only reach our target with your help. 

 “It was a beautiful bright parade, everyone in Crook came out to see it. I have never seen so many people in the street at once. It was lovely how there wasn’t just adults involved, there were plenty of children there enjoying themselves.”

Crook Winter Light Parade – A Carnival of Colours  will celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of our community with a wintertime procession through the streets of Crook. Featuring illuminated puppets, carnival costumes, music, and dance, co-created with our participants, the event will bring people together for a magical evening on New Year’s Eve.

The event will bring local people together to perform alongside professional artists, performers and bands. Participants will collaborate with visual artists creating flags and giant illuminated puppets inspired by themes of diversity. Young people from our outreach programme will co-create dance and circus performance, our community carnival band will co-create new music for performance. Community groups will create lanterns and carnival props for the parade in workshops with guest artists. 

Your donations will help us pay all necessary production costs including road closures, event marshalls, on site first aid, project co-ordination, workshop planning and delivery, materials for our workshops and of course, the incredible street theatre performers and musicians who all contribute towards making the parade a magical event for families to enjoy together.

“There were so many people involved in bringing the whole parade together, all ages and throughout the community. The puppets were amazingly made and the maracatu drumming band and dancers were fantastic. I loved the energy of the parade and that it brought the whole community out together to share in the experience.”

We are very grateful for any donation big or small!  Every little counts so please be a community champion, pledge now and help make great things happen in Crook, County Durham.

“It involves so much of the community around Crook and is amazing as it really brings the town together and gives us a chance to show off what we are about.” 

When and where? If our crowdfunder is successful please come join us on the streets of Crook on Saturday 31st December 2022.