Here are some headlines of work that Wren has done over the years

A village history, a neighbourhood's old and young affirming their identity, or a seasonal celebration - all these things and more can make a Wren Community Arts Project.

The Wren team will work with at least two community groups to design a project and then get as many people working together creatively to express the themes in a community concert, pageant or procession, using a variety of artistic forms particularly music and song, but also involving textiles, sculpture, theatre and puppets.

Wren's community arts development programme aims for sustainability, and after our involvement the community is invited to join the Wren network and will receive the newsletter and invitations to training events.

1984 - 1989

Sticklepath Bonfire Show. Music, puppets, fireworks and spectacular bonfire, we laid down the formula for a community arts event that still takes place 25 years on!.

1985

Newtown: Community Arts Week. A series of workshops leading to a community concert with party pieces and specially devised pieces.

1986

The Exwick Busker's Street entertainment from young people.

1987 - 89

The Exwick pantomime This traditional form of theatre allowed all ages to work together.

1988

Exwick Pageant Two nights of processions and street shows, culminating in a Saturday afternoon finalé, with puppets, musicians and traveling stage cart.

1990

The Ballad of Newtown Oral history based community play and radio programme.

1991

"Wot! No Space" - Alphington Community play, a street play about the waves of development which has swamped this village now part of the west of Exeter. The day finished with a ceilidh featuring the local WI singing excerpts from Mrs Beeton's Cook Book!

1991

"Fortune's Wheel" - An open-air processional community play examining the history of Okehampton, staged in Simmons Park.

1992

A Poor Man's House

1993

St James Song Cycle- songs created from the memories of residents -past and present of the area in Exeter. Sandra Kerr wrote "Mrs Joan Lias" as part of this project.

1993

Lantern Magic lanterns and music animated the Mincinglake Valley Park in Exeter, schools and family centres joined in.

1994

Torrington Furze Dance: a reworking and revival of a lost courtship dance, made from young peoples own perceptions of the role of ritual in the town's traditional May Festival.

1994

Honiton Song Pictures A song cycle for Honiton festival, using local memories and folklore to make the songs.

1994

"Voices In Common" a weekly singing group Wrens first regular group

1995

Jitterbug - The Whipton Folk Opera: An open-air finale bringing together parents, school children and retired people. Story and songs based on peoples perceptions of living in this area of Exeter.

1995

Tom Pearse's Legacy. A folklore based project bringing together amateur dramatic group, school children, local crafts workers, investigating the Widecombe Fair myth and how it relates to the village of Sticklepath, where Tom Pearse was benefactor.

1995

Images of Childhood: Bringing together community college students and retired residents to create song cycle in Southway a nineteen sixties built estate on the outskirts of Plymouth.

1996

The Seven Sisters: Procession and mummers play for first Dawlish Folk Festival.

1996 - 1999

Lewdown Michaelmas walk.

1997

Red Spider A community play with songs, our first community link between the folk song collection and the village of Lewdown, where Rev Sabine Baring-Gould was Squire and Parson

1997

Estuary Fanfare Teignmouth A mummers play and procession.

1997

Strawberry opera Combe Martin Street opera, including a duet across the street! An event for the village's annual Strawberry Fair.

1998

Trail Tales South Zeal To celebrate the villages charter of 1298, we devised a series performance which depicted scenes from local history, and performed the around the Charter Trail.

1999

"Lantern Lightship" - community project as part of the Making Waves Public art project. Lantern procession and show on the Lawn at Teignmouth.

2000

Latchley stroll Songs and stories about the village history performed in the landscape.

2000

Wren Folk Orcestra of East Devon (now called Rough Music) a regular weekly music group that had it's first gig before it was started

2000

St Hieritha's pageant, Chittlehampton Open air performance as part of village féte depicting the story of the village Saint Hieritha.

2000

Millennium Celebrations Wonford: A procession with Drumming and performances in the Community hall from all ages.

2000

Kitty Alone: Another Baring-Gould novel dramatised by Tim Laycock, songs and music from the folk song collection.

2001

Barne Barton lantern project: Lanterns at twilight through the estate

2001

Singing Trail: Songs linking the villages of Lifton, Lewdown, Bratton Clovelly and Bridestow.

2002

Pack Horse Trail Songs and stories through the village trail.

2002

Jubilee Celebration Whipton A procession with Drumming and performances in the Community hall from all ages.

2002

St Budeaux Lantern Procession Two processions linking upper St Budeaux with Barne Barton

2002

Whipton winter show: From under fives through to ninety year olds - all ages celebrate the mid-winter.

2003

Summer Music Clubs for 11 - 16 year olds, in Ilfracombe,Okehampton and Wonford (Exeter)

2003

St Budeaux Lantern Procession - two processions linking the Communities of St Budeaux and Barne Barton (Plymouth) in song and Celebration

2003

Wonford Revels - summer carnival/outdoor performance

2003

A Song for Yealmpton, inspired by the village's history - where Old Mother Hubbard was written

2004

Summer Music Clubs for 11 - 16 year olds, in Ilfracombe, Okehampton and Wonford (Exeter)

2003−4

Sure Start - under 5s music in North Devon

2004

Payhembury Community Play, with Exeter University Drama Department

2004

Mosaic Music year-long youth music project in Exeter and Okehampton

2004

Oral History Training for Plymouth Race equality Council, and for South West Lakes Trust

2004

Young Sing Old Songs - Heritage lottery-funded project with Hocus

2004

Stoke Hill First School, Exeter 50th birthday celebrations

2004

Northlew Village Pump Celebrations

2004

Forches project, Barnstaple - developing youth music skills, with Artist in residence creating images, leading to an autumn carnival, plus Creative music making workshops with deaf children

2004-5

Transitions project, Torquay and Honiton, long-term project to develop creative music skills for 11 - 16 year olds

2006

"A Wonderful Alteration" Community Play in Newton Abbott Celebrating the 200th Birthday Of Isanbard Kingdom Brunel. Written By Tim Laycock

2007

River Taw from Moor to Shore project mapping the River Taw writing pieces of music at key points all pieces were written and performed by a junk band from North Devon watch the movie below

2008

"Carnival Capers" a new community play based in Okehampton written by Tim Laycock

2008

Okehampton Song Tales a weekly group thet grew out of the Carnival Capers project writing songs and scripts for performances

Voices in Common and Rough Music are still going strong and Wren now has 2 more "orchestra's" that meet on a weekly basis and young peoples vocal groups in Exeter and Okehampton