The Dearne Community Arts’ Festival (due to take place at Dearne ALC on Friday 31st August and Saturday 1st September between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.) has been successfulo in receiving funding from the Big Lottery Awards for All scheme and the local Ward Alliance, and customers at local Tesco branches can also vote for the project between 1st May and 30th June 2018 at Bolton-on-Dearne and Wath-upon-Dearne stores to secure additional funding.
The funding will cover the costs of running the festival (including the hire of Dearne ALC, publicity and marketing materials, insurances and payment of workshop costs) and will enable the festival, which champions creativity and celebrates community in the Dearne area, to offer a wider variety of arts, thanks in part to the larger venue.
Exhbitions, performances, workshops and demonstrations will be held over the two-day festival and the range of arts booked so far include painting, photography, sewing, tapestry, hardanger, paper crafts, virtual reality cinema, 3D printing, music, drama and dance. We also hope to host a circus skills workshop and there will be the opportunity to practise creative writing for all ages (with Ian McMillan and Jeannette Ayton leading workshops for adults and children on the Friday). Thurnscoe Harmonic Male Voice Choir will again perform for us on the Saturday.
Photograph courtesy of Ruth Bourne
Before the festival, there is the opportunity to win prizes and have your work exhibited through two competitions – one in creative writing (up to 500 words, poetry or prose) and one in photography, both on the theme ‘Loving Your Local Environment.’ Entries should be emailed to julie@gpcchurch.co.uk or handed in to Goldthorpe or Thurnscoe libraries by 11th July. There are 3 age categories (under 11s, 12-18s and adults) and entries should include the name, category and an email address and contact telephone number.
Please let us also know if you’re interested in exhibiting or performing at the festival.