C&T and The Monday Night Club secure major national funding for ground-breaking Worcester arts project: Elgar at the Asylum
Two of Worcester’s leading creative and community organisations, C&T and The Monday Night Club, are celebrating today after securing significant funding from both the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England for a landmark new project, Elgar at the Asylum. Elgar at the Asylum is an ambitious year-long participatory arts programme that will place learning- disabled adults from across Worcester at the heart of a major creative reimagining of the city’s heritage.
Drawing inspiration from Edward Elgar’s lesser-known connection with Powick Asylum, the project will explore this history through the eyes, experiences, and artistic leadership of learning-disabled people today. As a young composer, Elgar worked at the former Powick Asylum for several years, writing music for the hospital’s band — an early and formative chapter in his creative life.
The project will empower participants to work as composers, choreographers, performers, designers, and digital storytellers. Workshops in accessible music-making, movement, verbatim theatre, visual art, and interactive digital performance will give learning-disabled adults unprecedented opportunities to shape the artistic vision and creative direction of a major new work inspired by Worcester’s cultural past.
Paul Sutton, Artistic Director of C&T, said: “This funding allows us to place learning-disabled creatives at the centre of a powerful re-telling of Worcester’s heritage. It is a chance for the city to hear new voices, challenge old narratives, and celebrate the talent and imagination of our local community. We’re looking forward to folding our award-winning arts platform Prospero into this mix.”
Laura Gill, Founder of The Monday Night Club, added: “At The Monday Night Club, we know how much talent, imagination, and joy our members bring to every creative project. Elgar at the Asylum gives learning-disabled adults the chance to lead, to be seen, and to shape a major artwork that belongs to Worcester. We’re thrilled to be part of something so bold and empowering.”
The project will culminate in a public immersive performance in 2026, developed and performed with learning-disabled adults from Worcester. Digital installations, interactive storytelling, and co-created artworks will share their perspectives on Elgar’s history in bold new ways. Elgar at the Asylum begins in early 2026.
