Sizewell Creative brings together hundreds of Suffolk residents for King Arthur Reimagined

• Show is second major community opera delivered through Sizewell Creative 
• Performances produced by First Light Festival CIC in partnership with Britten Pears Arts
• Celebrates the culmination of six months of creative community engagement

Over a thousand people from across Suffolk and East Anglia came together, as Sizewell Creative, an initiative from Sizewell C, presented King Arthur Reimagined at Snape Maltings Concert Hall, home of Britten Pears Arts.

Produced by First Light Festival CIC in partnership with Britten Pears Arts, the ambitious community production reimagined Henry Purcell’s King Arthur through the voices, stories, and creativity of people from across East Suffolk.

Award-winning soprano Anna Dennis, recipient of the 2023 Royal Philharmonic Society Singer Award, joined the production alongside three fellow soloists, providing continuity from last year’s Aldeburgh Festival production of King Arthur while helping bring new voices and participants into the event.

The performances, held on Wednesday 8^th July, marked the culmination of six months of creative engagement delivered through Sizewell Creative, bringing together local communities, schools, colleges, universities, cultural organisations, the Sizewell C workforce, and professional artists in a shared cultural experience celebrating Suffolk’s traditions of music, craft and storytelling.

Participants took part in a wide range of workshops in the lead-up to the performances, including willow weaving, sustainable costume and set design, creative writing, photography, folk music, movement, singing and performance. The project also created professional development opportunities for students and emerging artists while involving community groups, local schools and partners including HMP Hollesley Bay and HMP Warren Hill.

Rosalind Parker, Creative Director of Sizewell Creative, said: “Seeing King Arthur Reimagined come to life has been incredibly special. What began as an ambitious creative idea became something that truly belonged to the community, with people of all ages and backgrounds bringing their own stories, energy, and imagination to the production.

“Standing alongside professional artists, local participants showed that great art can be both ambitious and accessible. We hope everyone who took part, and everyone who joined us in the audience, leaves feeling they have been part of something that celebrates the creativity, identity, and spirit of East Suffolk.”

Conducted by Tim Brown, former Director of Music at Clare College, Cambridge, the performances featured the Norwich Baroque orchestra, soloists, dancers and a community chorus, alongside partners including Aldeburgh Music Club, DanceEast, and Vanhulle Dance Theatre.

The day of the show itself began with a community procession through Snape Maltings before concluding with a folk-inspired finale that brought performers and audiences together outdoors.

Gecko Theatre also performed its acclaimed outdoor show, From Here On, at Hepworth Lawn. Developed in collaboration with Good Chance, this international piece of physical theatre explored displacement, movement and being forced to find a new home. Furthermore, the Sizewell Creative art exhibition was displayed at the Dovecote Studio featuring artwork from both the Sizewell workforce and local communities.

Andrew Comben, CEO of Britten Pears Arts, said: “We were delighted to welcome such a vibrant mix of artists, organisations, and community groups from across Suffolk to Snape Maltings. This project captured what Britten Pears Arts stands for, and that’s a place where everyone can make music, whether they’re world-class professionals, young and emerging artists, or members of our local community.

“King Arthur Reimagined celebrated creativity at every level, and it was wonderful to see Snape alive with that shared spirit of participation and imagination.”

Nigel Cann, CEO of Sizewell C, said: “This performance was a great example of how our project can bring together communities that live and work alongside each other here in Suffolk.

“It was another big success for our Sizewell Creative initiative – and I want to thank all the people involved in the production, from local schools and partners to professional artists, performers, and our own workforce.

“With Sizewell Creative, we want to continue to create new opportunities in the arts for people in this area, raise aspirations for young people here, and create meaningful experiences in Suffolk for years to come.”

The production was the second major community opera delivered through Sizewell Creative, following Noye’s Fludde at Thorington Theatre in 2024, and demonstrated how creative participation, professional development, and high-quality artistic performance can be delivered together.

The project forms part of Sizewell Creative’s wider programme supporting workforce wellbeing, community engagement and raising aspirations across Suffolk. The partnerships, skills and relationships developed through King Arthur Reimagined will continue through future programmes involving schools, community organisations, cultural partners and the Sizewell C workforce.

The production forms part of a wider ambition to create a lasting cultural legacy for Suffolk through the new Community Interest Company (CIC), which will invest in environmental, social and cultural projects long after the final curtain falls. By supporting initiatives that bring people together, celebrate local identity and create new opportunities to participate in the arts, the CIC aims to ensure the benefits of Sizewell C are felt across communities for generations to come.