Cloud Cuckoo Land

Say Happy 10th Birthday to us by getting yourself a unique, cheap ‘n’ cheerful child-friendly gift from our shop in our Big Birthday Sale!! We can’t BELIEVE it’s been TEN YEARS since we started making interactive music theatre for and with young audiences all over Birmingham and beyond! This clip was shot ten years ago this month! We’re celebrating a whole decade of sensory storytelling by discounting a big old bundle of classic Cuckoo merchandise for your delectation. So hop on over to our shop right now to bag yourself one of these bargain beauties: designed for children, loved by grown-ups, they’re perfect wholesome entertainment for the summer holidays! SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP: / Share with your friends! #memorylane #nostalgia #PriceDrop #sale #familyfun

We are horrified and deeply saddened by the disgusting outbreaks of racist and Islamophobic violence causing pain and fear in communities across the UK. We’re thinking of everyone who’s been affected, whether directly or simply by being made to feel afraid - both children and adults. As we work mainly with children, we’re especially thinking about how they’re affected. We wonder whether the attackers have considered the impact of their riots on children in the communities they’re terrorising. We wonder whether they’ve actually paused for one second to think about the terror they’re causing the children living in hotels as they firebomb them, or sitting in the cars they stop at traffic lights. They say they care about children: but we wonder if they actually care about children at all. Every child has the right to feel safe — in their homes, in their streets, and in their beds as they sleep. To any child feeling scared this week, or isolated, or like a second class citizen, we say: You are the very best of us. Every single day we are wowed by your creativity, your intelligence, and your amazing talents. Our society is made much richer by the varied cultural influences you bring to your friendships and your ideas, to your work and to your play. Simply by being your brilliant selves, you hold the rest of us to a higher standard. Thank you so much for making us better people and making this country a better place to live in. We’re really sorry that we haven’t done more to challenge the same old stories that fascists have always told, throughout history — the same old phrases that fascists always use, to trick some people into blaming the wrong people (good people) for their problems. We do not condone any kind of violent retaliation, which can only cause more pain and fear. We hope instead that everyone now sees these few influential voices for who they really are — and that together we will stand strongly against them, for the sake of all our children.

Last weekend we marked Windrush Day by supporting amazing ND writer Stefanie Reynolds' development process for a new play for young audiences. Stefanie is developing an original musical adaptation of a well-known Jamaican folk tale about a giant bird, Mancrow, who's blocking out the light across the land. Stefanie got together with composer Tyriq Baker, puppeteer Lori Hopkins, and our director Katerina, to play with ideas for how music and puppetry could bring her brilliant ideas to life. Script extracts written by Stefanie Reynolds, music improvised by Tyriq Baker, puppet ideas improvised by Lori Hopkins. The R&D was part of Stefanie's Developing Your Creative Practice process funded by Arts Council England. @ty_lo_lace @lorihopkinspuppeteer #Theatre #Music #YoungAudiences #WindrushDay

We’re celebrating Autism Acceptance Month by sharing this brilliant blog written by some of our autistic artists about their experiences: /2024/04/16/nd-unmasked-autism/ ‘ND Unmasked: Autism’ is the first in our new series of in-depth blog posts, where people who’ve got lived experience reveal a few things that you might not know about life beyond the label. ND Unmasked is a new programme of training, artist/sector development and commissioning designed to increase neurodivergent inclusion in the arts. Visit /nd-unmasked to find out more… #NDunmasked #neurodivergence #ND #arts #inclusion

We’re really looking forward to some underwater music-making at Moseley School of Art tomorrow! We're really looking forward to creating some subaquatic soundscapes in Balsall Heath tomorrow! Come along between 12 noon and 3pm on Saturday 4th November to discover Submarine, a unique sonic landscape where your sounds, words, songs and stories mingle with other people's to create an ocean of shared experience. This family-friendly, interactive sensory music experience is free and everyone is welcome! Submarine is part of Moseley Road Baths CIO's Exchange Festival. This free 2-day event invites people from Balsall Heath and Birmingham to explore, share and connect all weekend. Why not check out all the other exciting events at https://ow.ly/fvMw50Q3sxU #Free #Family #Fun #BalsallHeath #halfterm #arts #music #sensory #children

HOOPLA SUMMER WELCOME AFTERNOON: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BIRMINGHAM SETTLEMENT 2-5pm, Tuesday 15th August Everybody’s welcome to join us and @birminghamsettlement1899 for an afternoon of gentle, creative family fun celebrating, welcoming & connecting Birmingham’s brilliant sanctuary-seeking and migrant communities. STALLS – MUSIC – FAMILY FUN – CRAFTS – SONGS – GAMES – NATURE – REFRESHMENTS - INFORMATION All activities are Pay What You Feel / Donation only so everyone can join in. At : Birmingham Settlement Nature and Wellbeing Centre at Edgbaston Reservoir, Selwyn Road, B16 0SL, by Edgbaston Reservoir, Birmingham. This outdoor event has inside spaces if the weather lets us down. Accessible toilet available - see website for Access Info: /workshops/summer-welcome-afternoon We’re looking for volunteers to help out on the day: dm if you’d like to get involved!

Come along to The Barber Institute of Fine Arts this Saturday 5th August 11-3pm, to create your very own creepy-crawly, scritchy-scratchy alien insects with our in-hive band of glittery critters! We've got lots of music, drama and crafty fun on offer free of charge as part of the brilliant #barberfamilyfestival - for more details and access info check out their website: .uk/events/family-festival-insect-planet-with-cloud-cuckoo-land-theatre/ #arts #families #birmingham #holidays #summer #music #crafts #fun #FREE

SUMMER VOLUNTEER CALL-OUT! We’re looking for volunteers to support our Hoopla! nature-based music & drama project, working with lovely local refugee and migrant families in B16. So far we’ve had two really beautiful sessions full of singing, dancing, sharing, playing and whooping! We’re trying to find: - A couple of people to help out during lunchtime / afternoon on Wednesday 26th July and Tuesdays 1st + 8th August (any or all of them) - Several volunteers for some or all of the day on Tuesday 15th August 9.30-6pm You’ll always be working with team members from Cloud Cuckoo Land or one of our partner organisations. To get involved email [email protected] or text/whatsapp/call 07376 020819. We’ll be so grateful to anyone who can give a little time to support Hoopla! There’s more information at /about/join-us/

We're so excited about heading down to Highbury Orchard in Kings Heath this Sunday 16th for Kharnival, where there's tonnes of family-friendly fun and performances on offer from 12 noon until 5pm! Including us... 1.30pm: We're playing an interactive, family-friendly set of songs celebrating nature & creativity with lots of chances to join in the fun 3pm: Come and make up some brand new music with us at our family jam session 1-4pm: Our Insect Planet musical walkabout performers will be roving around the park looking for creepy crawly alien critters to buzz about with! There's plenty of shelter if things get drizzly, but we're hoping to play the rainclouds away! All activities Pay What You Feel / donation only 😊

We’re looking for a musician, artist or performer living in Birmingham who has experienced migration, to train as a creative workshop leader for children on our Hoopla project this summer! Freelance training role with artist development coaching. Paid £15/hr. Apply by 5pm Wednesday 21st June. Questions? Email [email protected] or ring 07376 020819. Please share, & head to the link in our bio for more info! #Birmingham #arts #music #theatre #job

Looking for some FREE family fun in your area? Come down to Small Heath’s beautiful Eco Park nature reserve on Hob Moor Lane this Saturday for some interactive family theatre. Join our team of specialist Spell Coders to help Fresh, Float and Fidget complete the FLEX dimensions, defeat the Final Boss and unlock Treasure Kingdom 🪄🕹🎉 The play is designed for 6-10s but all ages will enjoy it - it’s full of music and movement and chances to join in, so there’s no time to get bored! This performance will be BSL interpreted and is outdoors so clinically vulnerable families can join in too. For access info see website. Saturday 17th September, 3pm Get tickets on the door or book here: https://bit.ly/3TWc7OY #paywhatyoucan #september #outdoors #family #arts #free #fun

Children make the magic in #FLEXshow! Thanks so much to the families who came along to our open rehearsal to help us shape this original musical story for young audiences - first three dates in our Preview Tour bookable now 🪄🕹🎉 Small Heath and Edgbaston: https://bit.ly/3TptxmP Moseley: /events/paperbacktheatre/730420 Description: Video shows children and grown-ups sitting on the grass watching an open air theatre performance. #theatre #family #fun #free #arts #summer #birmingham