Fledgling arts festival in line for major accolade

Fledgling arts festival in line for major accolade

16 January 2013

IT’S only been going for two years but Newcastle Arts Festival has been nominated for a national award — and needs the public’s help to come top.

Shortlisted for the Epic Awards 2013, which showcase the best in amateur art and craft activity across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, the winner of the People’s Choice award will be decided by public vote.

Newcastle Arts Festival was set up in 2011 to create a fusion between the diverse artistic talent in the area and the thousands of people looking for high quality entertainment in the town. The festival therefore aims to introduce a very wide range of arts and arts workshops to the public, mostly free of charge.

The 2011 programme had around 60 individual events held over a weekend in August. These included a wide variety of music comedy, dance, poetry, cinema, street theatre and circus, children’s workshops, art exhibitions, a book launch, and even a baby sensory event.

In 2012 the guerrilla Yarn Bombing group S.O.C.K. (Secret Outside Crocheters and Knitters) ‘Yarn-Bombed’ a number of local objects which generated a lot of interest leading up to the festival.

Another big success of the festival in 2012 was the Mad Hatters Tea Party, which brought children together in a magical atmosphere complete with real tea pots, a crochet lawn and a giant chess set.

Newcastle Arts Festival chairman, Geoff Ingram, whose idea it was to set up the festival, said they were delighted to be nominated for the award.

“I am a photographer, there are a few from other arts genres on the committee and everyone else is from a non-arts background,” he said. “It is a good mix of people.

“It is expanding and getting bigger and better every year. This year, for example, there will be a literary element and a section called the ‘Spirit of Percy French’. There is a contemporary slant on this, however. We want to encourage new writing.”

Percy French, as Geoff points out, was not only a gifted songwriter and performer, but also a talented satirist and landscape painter.

“In addition to music, the committee is currently organising painting workshops, and a competition in creative writing and poetry, which will culminate in an award, sponsored by the Slieve Donard Hotel, for excellence in each category,” added Geoff.

The 2013 festival is set to run between August 16 and 18.

To vote for Newcastle Arts Festival in the Epic Awards 2013 visit http://epicawards.co.uk/shortlist.php, and to find out more about the festival visit www.newcastlefestival.org.

Local councillor Patrick Clarke urged readers to take the time to vote.

“It is a credit to the voluntary and artistic talents of Newcastle Arts Festival that has enabled them to bring such high quality entertainment to the town of Newcastle,” he said. “I wish Newcastle Arts Festival the best of luck in the Epic Awards 2013 Shortlist and would encourage people to log on and vote online before the deadline of midday January 30.”