Wednesday 25 October

Creative Youth Festival

12 - 5pm
For ages 12 – 18

This is your opportunity to get curious, creative and explore different kinds of art at Wysing Arts Centre.

BOOKINGS NOW CLOSED. SOME WALK-INS MAY BE AVAILABLE, BUT THIS IS NOT GUARANTEED.

Join us for Wysing’s Creative Youth Festival, a celebration of creativity in all its forms!

You’re invited to come along and try something new. Meet artists, make friends, and take part in hands on, interactive sessions.

During the day, you can have a go at lino printing to make tarot cards, try out ceramics or have a go at experimental sound workshops in a sound recording studio. You could get creative with makeup, play with products, and ask questions. Fancy having a go at camera less film making? Or maybe take part in games, worldbuilding and storytelling – there is lots to choose from. We’d love for you to come along!  

Full Schedule

A full schedule will be added here, approximately 3 weeks prior to the event.

Who is it for?

This festival is for young people aged 12 – 18.

Young people can attend independently, subject to parent/guardian permission, or you can attend with your whole family.

Youth groups and organisations are also welcome to bring groups along.

The Creative Youth Festival has been designed with Wysing’s Creative Youth Council, a group of young people who meet regularly at Wysing to work with artists and develop creative projects. They helped organize this event specially for other young people to come to.

Why should I come?

Do you enjoy being creative? Do you like making things, or trying stuff out just for fun?

Maybe you want to make new friends and meet other people like you, who share your interests.

Or maybe you want to find new ways to develop your creative portfolio, expanding your skills with a new technique, a different material or process?

Would you like to meet and work with professional artists and find out more about what they do?

The youth festival is a space to be playful, it will give you the chance to explore and experience different kinds of art and share your creativity.

Plus, being involved in the arts has been shown to have a positive impact on wellbeing, it enables people to have a sense of belonging and the youth festival at Wysing is a great opportunity to enable you to feel connected with your own creativity, nature, and other people.

Access.

A calm, decompression space is available onsite.

Accessible parking and toilets are available.

If you have other access requirements that you would like to check with us before booking, please get in touch with Michaela D’Agati, Young People’s Programme Coordinator at Michaela.dagati@wysingartscentre.org and we will be happy to help.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

We want to support young people to have the freedom to explore creativity, independently.

We ask the parent/guardian/youth worker to specify if they are happy to allow the young person to explore our rural site freely. To help you make this decision we have provided a risk assessment that specifies what we are doing to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of young people at the event.

You can download it here.

FAQs

Do I need to attend for the whole day?

No, you don’t need to attend for the whole day, you can stay for as long as you want.

Do I need to book?

Yes, booking is required.  

We are asking people to book via Eventbrite, so we know how many people to expect. Bookings must be completed by/with a responsible adult, to agree to the event details.

Do I need to have any experience?

No, you don't need to have any previous art experience. Come along and try things out!

Do I need to pay for the festival?

No, this event is free! All the sessions are totally free to attend with materials included.

You may want to bring some cash or a card to buy lunch, or you can bring a packed lunch with you.

Do I need to bring lunch?

There will be a food van at the festival for the duration of the day. If you would like to buy food here on the day, please bring some cash or a card.

Alternatively, you can bring along your own packed lunch.

There will be designated areas where people can sit to eat their food, either indoors or outside.

What should I wear?

We recommend wearing clothing you feel comfortable in. Some activities can be messy, like using clay or printing inks, so it is advisable to wear clothes you don’t mind maybe getting a bit messy! Aprons will be provided for messier activities.

We also recommend sturdy, comfortable footwear as you might want to explore Wysing’s outdoor grounds, where the ground can be uneven. Also make sure to bring weather appropriate clothing!

How can I get there?

Free travel is provided from Cambourne, Cambridge and Huntingdon with DBS checked taxi drivers. This must be booked by 9am Monday 23 October. You can select your travel options when you book your ticket.

For Cambridge & Cambourne taxi options: the taxi departs from Cambridge at 11.20am, collecting from Cambourne at 11.45am, arriving at Wysing for 12pm.

For Huntingdon taxi options: the taxi leaves Huntingdon at 11.30pm, arriving at Wysing for 12pm.

All taxis will depart Wysing at 5:15pm and will follow the same route back, arriving Cambourne at 5.30pm, Cambridge and Huntingdon at 6pm. Timings are approximate.

Please note: if you require transport but find it difficult to attend from these locations, please get in touch with us so we can discuss potential travel options to support your attendance.

Wheelchair accessible transport can be provided if needed. If you require wheelchair accessible transport, please tick the box on the Eventbrite ticket checkout page and we will be in touch by email to confirm arrangements with you. Please let us know by 9am Monday 23 at the latest.

I’m a parent/guardian/youth worker. Do I need to attend/stay on site for the event?

We want to encourage young people to have the freedom to explore their own creative interests, in an environment where risks are managed as well as is feasibly possible.

It is the responsibility of the adult (parent/guardian/youth worker) who books to ensure that they understand and agree to the plans put in place by Wysing to minimize potential risks during the event, and to undertake their own assessment of risk for the young person/people they intend on bringing to the event.

A risk assessment is available to support group leaders, parents, and guardians, to support the health and safe welfare of the young people for whom they are booking. Wysing can provide assistance in helping to identify any additional risks posed by any young people they are intending on bringing to the event.

During the event, there will be spaces available with Wi-Fi around Wysing for adults to base themselves if they want to stay on site.

Upon booking parents/guardians/group leaders will be asked to specify whether, a) they are happy for the young person to be independent b) they (the adult) will stay on site while the young person is at the festival or c) they (the adult) will accompany the young person during the event.

For other questions, please email Michaela D’Agati, our Young People’s Programme Coordinator at

Michaela.dagati@wysingartscentre.org

With thanks to our funders for making this event possible: Arts Council, England, The Ragdoll Foundation & the John Armitage Charitable Foundation.