A GROUP of Barnsley College students have been working with professional artists as part of an 18-month-long project that has resulted in their work being displayed at the Civic.

Performing arts students at the town centre venue have taken part in the collaboration between the college, arts charity LUNG Theatre and Barnsley Council.

The project saw students collecting stories from people within the borough, before hiring professional actors to recount their tales.

Recordings were collected and until May all 30 are available to listen to via a red telephone box that is on display at the Civic in town centre.

Paul Atkins, performing arts course leader, told the Chronicle: “The council contacted us and said that they were looking to potentially collaborate with the college on this project.

“They weren’t sure what shape it would take, but the idea was built around the theme of ‘calling Barnsley’ that’s all to do with looking at people’s voices, particularly young people’s voices, on the state of the town and what Barnsley means to them.

“Over the last year these students have interviewed people in the local area as well as each other and through those interviews they’ve created this collaborative art piece.”

Originally 12 students took part, however after two graduated there are only ten who remain at the college until the project’s conclusion in May.

Those involved were given access to the professional casting system Spotlight, which acts as a digital directory for working actors who share their portfolios and CVs to potential casting directors.

After the casting process, students worked over weekends to help the actors record the monologues that shared people’s thoughts on the town and were supported by the team from LUNG throughout.

“It’s called verbatim theatre, so it’s pretty much accurate to what people said right there and then,” Paul added.

“The work was classed as a live brief, so it’s a chance to work with industry professionals.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for them, but it also kind of solidifies what we teach them as well it’s one thing having your teacher say X, Y and Z, but it cements it when someone from the industry confirms it.”

According to Paul, the project also helped students improve their perspective on the town.

“In that initial workshop a lot of their perspectives on town were quite negative.

“But the fact that a lot of the monologues were far more positive have made them realise that yes we have got a traditional mining and glass blowing heritage, and politically we’ve had rough times, but that’s part of our heritage and we continue to move forward.

“We’ve got this new bridge, we’ve got the fantastic Glassworks in town, and so I think sometimes having that chance to reflect can change perspectives.”

The group have now been nominated at this year’s Young Champions awards for their professional work that has helped preserve people’s perspectives on the town.

Paul said: “It’s amazing the way they’ve gone above and beyond just to find these stories.

“A lot of young people struggle perhaps to reach out and talk to people of other ages, ethnicities, races and religions so for them to go and put themselves out there is amazing.

“As a lecturer and a teacher I know a lot of the time students can be quite insular, they’re attached to their phones and social media, so to go out physically and get other people’s viewpoints, I think, is superb.”