Festival theme is unveiled
THE team behind the Barnaby Festival has unveiled its latest theme and is urging residents to get involved in the 2018 event.
The festival, which runs every other year, will next take place in June 2018 based on the theme ‘Roots’ or ‘Routes’, and a meeting for volunteers and collaborators new and old is planned for the end of the month.
Karl Wallace, festival director, said the meeting has been planned early to encourage as many collaborators as possible and give plenty of time for ideas to develop.
He said: “We want Macclesfield’s artists, performers, scientists, creatives, thinkers, entrepreneurs and big hearted folk to come along. We’re open to quirky ideas and emerging thoughts as well as more formal proposals.
“Anyone who wants to float an idea, create an event or explore a collaboration for the festival is welcome.”
He added that many ideas for previous festivals came out conversations between people who don’t usually interact with each other.
An example of this is the Yardens Project, a collaboration between Caring Together, artist and forager James Wood, Barnaby volunteers and Reach Out And Recover (ROAR). The team transformed the tiny outdoor space at ROAR into a fruitful haven, which has continued to bear fruit and support residents at ROAR.
The programme will include dozens of events, exhibitions, activities and experiences over 10 days, with 10 invited artists and performers already signed up as part of a research and development project funded by Arts Council England. These include international creator of live artworks, Luke Jerram, Mancunian story teller Jan Blake, digital artist Laurence Payot and Macclesfield carnival artist John Hartshorn.
Karl added: “If you’ve been part of the festival before we look forward to seeing you - but why not bring along someone who hasn’t. If you think Barnaby should be doing something differently, be part of the conversation to make that change. If you’ve been waiting for your moment, maybe this is it.”
The meeting is at 8pm on Thursday, January 26, at St Michael’s Church, Market Place, Macclesfield. The next festival runs from Friday, June 15 to Sunday, June 24.
For more information contact mail@barnabyfestival.org.uk or visit www. barnabyfestival.org.uk.