Young people from Community Action Isle of Wight’s Bay Youth Forum will be bringing Ascend, a new youth arts festival, to Sandown on 12th and 13th July 2024 – and they want more young people between the ages of 10 and 18 to help them.
Ascend, which is part of Artswork’s Young Cultural Changemakers programme, will see Sandown’s Broadway Centre transformed into an exciting festival space for young people – with a Battle of the Bands on the evening of Friday 12th July, followed by a day of music, circus skills, Samba drumming, film and art workshops on Saturday 13th July.
Teenagers can do something positive
One reason the group wanted to run their own festival was to address some of the negative stereotyping around young people.
Maddie, aged 15, explains,
“We want to show that teenagers don’t just get into bad situations, but can do something positive.”
Creating things for young people to do
The group is also concerned that there aren’t enough things for young people to do in the area, or enough places for them to go – an issue they addressed in their film ‘Do Something Different’ which they completed last year as part of Artswork’s Supporting Young Minds programme.
Tamsin, aged 15, says she hopes the festival they are creating,
“Will get people out of the house to have fun and meet new people.”
Aydin, aged 14 adds,
“It will be an opportunity to witness the talents of young people: the whole event will be organised by young people, for young people.”
Call to get involved
But the group now needs more young people, living or going to school in the Sandown, Lake and Shanklin area, to get involved with planning and delivering the festival.
Sessions run at the Broadway Centre, Sandown, on Mondays, with festival decoration making for 10-13-year-olds from 4-5pm, and event planning and marketing for 14-18-year-olds from 5-6.30pm.
Anyone interested in helping – or performing at Ascend – can get in touch via Instagram Ascend.youthartsfestival or email [email protected].
News shared by Peta on behalf of Artswork. Ed
