Anastacia and Natasha
Anastacia Ackers and Natasha Borton worked on series of inter-generational creative writing and spoken word performance sessions about the variety and diversity of green spaces across Wrexham County Borough. Their project, Our Hidden Garden, highlighted walled gardens, football pitches, slips of grass, flowers taking over abandoned streets, community gardens and the beautiful landscapes around Wrexham. By pairing young people with older people experiencing isolation, they hoped to bridge the gap locally in provisions of creative expression and provide a creative project that families can work on together. There were in person sessions, as well as online resources to inspire the way we look at natural spaces but also provide opportunities and language for how we talk about natural spaces together in our community.
The project culminated in the creation of a digital anthology of writing, as well as short films by each participant on their chosen space.
Anastacia Ackers is a writer, theatre maker and facilitator from north-east Wales. She is currently chair of National Theatre Wales TEAM panel and has worked as part of National Theatre Wales TEAM Wrexham project since 2019. Natasha Borton is a multi-disciplined creative and workshop facilitator, who uses poetry, spoken word, theatre, and music in her work and facilitation across the UK and who believes in the power of the arts to connect people through Lived Experiences.