The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Youngsters who want to get into the arts have the chance to plan, organise, perform at or run a mini-festival at the South Holland Centre.
South Holland Centre’s Youth Takeover Team and Lincolnshire One Venues network host the Emerge project that aims to give young people a start in the arts. The scheme will also offer an arts award.
“There are various ways for young people aged between 11 and 25 to get involved,” said South Holland Centre Manager Sally Harrison.
“This includes as producers/event organisers, performers or on the technical or marketing side of the event.”
Youth Takeover have in the past organised music and film events. The ambitious Emerge project will broaden the range of activities.
“Emerge aims to support the development of young people as creators, and as young artists,” said Sally.
“The key thing about Youth Takeover, which will be carried through into the Emerge project this year, is that young people are involved in the decision making and planning of all activities, in this case creating a mini-festival event on Saturday, April 21, 2018 which has some inspiration from William Shakespeare.
“Emerge will offer the opportunity to extend their activities into other art-forms such as drama, dance and spoken word – but it will be up to the Emerge team to decide.”
The first meeting takes place at 4pm on Wednesday, September 13 and entry is free.
It is during this meeting that the first ideas will be brainstormed and the first roles decided.
Artists Mythm will work closely with the team to help facilitate young people’s
ideas.
“Mythm bring lots of different creative skills with them, in music, dance, performance and spoken word,” said Sally.
Assembling an arts festival from scratch will not only be fun, it will also be rewarding. An Arts Award is on offer for those who take part.
“Emerge participants will be able to gain an Arts Award at a level that is suitable for them during the programme – probably at Explore, Bronze or Silver level,” said Sally.
“This is a national scheme that recognises young people’s involvement and skills in the arts and creativity and the awards make good additions to young people’s CVs and university applications.”
Emerge piloted four festivals in the East Midlands last year.
South Holland Centre and Lincolnshire One Venues successfully applied to take part for the 2017/18 season.
“The festival event will also be taking place on the same day that other Emerge events do across the Midlands,” Sally said.
Meetings will be weekly until the festival begins.
