‘Imaginary beasts pass ocean liners, an ancient rock splits to become a boat for a puppet crew, sea creatures mingle with rabbits and birds, coloured silks unfurl into waves, a choir sings, aerialists spin overhead…’
Francois Matarasso
In the 1970s, John Fox and Sue Gill were the creative force at the heart of a Pennine Lancashire artist residency like no other. Welfare State International set up camp in 1972 at the Heasandford former council tip, now home to Burnley Youth Theatre. Invited to Burnley by MPA, they stayed for six years and developed a unique body of work that has since been hugely influential around the world.
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The WSI family tree is a huge, elaborate construct of connections and influences that continue to spread, forty years on.
More locally, around our towns and Pendleside villages, there will be many individuals who still recall an experience of a strange, other worldly troupe appearing from nowhere and demanding their participation in some weird and wonderful, improvised street show. New Year processions through Barrowford, Parliament in Flames at Fulledge Rec, The Life and Adventures of Lancelot Quail, and countless more.
‘Their work encompassed street theatre, intimate ceremonial, huge public spectacles and everyday community art. But if each piece was different, it was always, unmistakably, the expression of a singular artistic vision and aesthetic. Its roots were deep in the tradition of English art. Blake’s prophetic vision, Hogarth’s political dyspepsia, Dickens’ exuberant fecundity and Spencer’s sacred everyday are evident, but so is music hall, commercial art and folk practice. This art was highly original, but its originality was partly in its reinvention of existing, often neglected ideas, forms, practices and traditions.’
Francois Matarasso, A Restless Art
‘Ragged around the edges, chaotic, unfinished and untamed, all the wobbly bits are in plain view. But it is so full of invention and puppetry, it makes The Lion King look cheap and dowdy.’
Lyn Gardner
For Pendle Radicals
In May 2022 we invited Sue Gill & WSI associate Chris Coates, for an ‘in conversation’ event to mark her book, In All My Born Days, which reflects on four decades of WSI.
In September 2022 we held a reunion event for some of the WSI family, celebrating some of the extraordinary music created for their shows. The event took place at Burnley Youth Theatre, which was built on the site of their former home. The event was convened by former WSI Music Director, Pete Moser and included John Fox & Sue Gill. A packed and delighted audience were treated to a joyful evening of songs and stories.
In October 2022 we invited Pete Moser back again along with Sasha Mitchell, daughter of Adrian Mitchell, for a celebration of Adrian’s poetry. Adrian wrote shows for WSI. The event, Love Songs of WW3, featured a selection of songs and poetry celebrating the life and work of one of the finest, best-loved, funny, passionate and political poets.
Explore Further
You can view, download & listen to artefacts from Welfare State’s time working with Mid Pennine Arts on the MPA Artefact archive website. There are also blogs on the MPA50 site (documenting the process of MPA archiving for their 50th anniversary) that feature WSI. Uppendown Mooney & Ghost Train.
Eyes on Stalks (2002) is John Fox’s story of Welfare State. Engineers of the Imagination by Baz Kershaw and Tony Coulter is a handbook of the WSI approach.
Photographer Daniel Meadows includes on his website a wonderful short film, featuring his photographs of Welfare State between from 1976 on, and the voices of John Fox and Sue Gill.
In the spring of 2025 we have said goodbye to two lovely men, both prime movers in the WSI story. The inspirational John Fox, co-founder with Sue Gill, and WSI Artistic Director, died on 11 March 2025. Later in the month he was followed by Jamie Proud, lead performer for some of the unforgettable 1970s shows that stopped Lancashire audiences in their tracks. They will both be hugely missed by everyone whose lives were touched by this unique company. You can read more about their lives on our blog.