Artistic return offers rich feast of the area’s talent
Between Tiny Cities
THE Littleborough Arts Festival returns this year for two weeks of arts, crafts, theatre, music, and events.
On offer over the two weeks will be a volunteerled multi-arts event celebrating creativity and local art in the area.
The event works with lots of local, national, and international artists to offer activities and inspire creativity across the community since 2001.
The two-week event, which runs from the Saturday, May 14-27, has many wonderful events to look forward to, and to book ahead.
Stephanie West, the Chair of the Festival, who lives in Littleborough herself, said: “Our main thing is about championing local artists and supporting the great local art that we’ve got.
“We encourage anyone and everyone to come along and support the event, that would be fantastic.”
For the opening night of the festival, Saturday May 14, Belinda O’hooley and Heidi Tidowat will be performing at the United Reform Church on Victoria Street, with doors opening at 7pm.
The much-loved Yorkshire folk duo are best known for the ‘ Gentleman Jack’ theme song, and are incredibly excited to share their music at the festival.
Singer Belinda said: “We recently became Ambassadors of the South Pennines Park so we’re excited to be performing in Littleborough.
“The people of Rochdale and the surrounding area are so warm and friendly and we’re looking forward to singing our songs and telling our stories as part of this festival.”
Tickets are available from £16 and are available from the Rochdale Folk Festival website, who are running the event in partnership with Littleborough.
The event’s main weekend is over the weekend of Friday, May 20, and will be focused in Hare Hill Park.
The weekend will begin with the Rosamund Brass group that will be performing at Smithy Bridge Methodist Church at 7pm on the Friday, May 20.
The Manchester-based brass quarter is made up of RNCM Undergraduate Brass Quartet players from the UK’S top brass bands, including Littleborough’s very own, Georgia Woodhead.
Doors open at 7pm, and tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite.
There will also be many events for the family, including an outdoor theatre performed by A Bird in the Hand theatre, who will be bringing their ‘bewonderment machine’.
The ‘bewonderment machine’ is an artist-built cycle-powered carousel, with gentle theatre aspects and is perfect for children to enjoy and watch.
Other acts include Thingamajig Theatre from Hebden Bridge, who have a new puppet show that includes electric tricycles. Rochdale’s Skylight circus arts group will also be offering drop-in circus workshops which will offer you the chance to try the unicycle and the diabolo.
The Oakenhoof Folk Arts will also be performing and teaching people how to May pole dance, partnered with storyteller Caroline Steasy who will be telling stories about the history and traditions of the May pole dance.
Doors open at 7pm, and tickets can be purchased from the Littleborough Arts Festival page on Eventbrite.
A picnic in the park will be running on Sunday, May 22, in partnership with the Friends of Harehill park – there will be bands from 12-5pm, including gospel music, calypso, carnival and brass music.
Bring a blanket, a picnic, some food and drink from the local shops and cafes, and enjoy an afternoon of music.
“Our main thing is about championing local artists.”
A stunning and exciting makers’ market will be present on May 21-22 as well.
There will be a series of artist talks over the two weeks, as well as a series of workshops, including the use of Virtual Reality in art, photography, field recording workshops, and the use of henna design.
Theatre nights, storytelling and much more can be found at the festival, and to secure a place, visit the Littleborough Arts Festival Eventbrite website.
ONE for lovers of dance in all its forms, the uninitiated who would like a new experience and young people who are new to the live theatre experience.
A synthesis of break dancing from two hip hop cultures, Cambodia and Australia.
An Electrifying Dance Battle Between Tiny Cities takes over Contact Theatre Manchester during its UK premiere tour.
Between Tiny Cities will land in the UK for the first time this year and tour the country before bringing the dazzling dance dialogue to Manchester.
The internationally renowned show also will visit venues across the UK, including Belfast International Festival and
Norfolk & Norwich Festival.
The company will offer a masterclass at Contact exploring the foundational elements of breaking, the history of the form and the choreographic tools and techniques used to create contemporary hip hop performances.
Between Tiny Cities is a highly successful, cross-cultural independent work based around Aaron Lim from Australia and Erak Mith from Cambodia.
The work premiered at Dance Massive 2017 and has since toured to more than 20 venues nationally from Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne; to remote NT communities from Yirrkala and Groote Eyelandt to Tennant Creek; and through Asia and Europe, including Tanz im August Berlin, impulstanz Vienna, Noorderzon Festival in Holland, George Town Festival in Malaysia, and Hong Kong Festival.
In Between Tiny Cities, dancers Erak Mith from Phnom Penh and Aaron Lim from Darwin, use the rituals, movement styles and language of their shared hip-hop culture to reveal the dramatically different worlds that surround them and uncover the choreographic links that unite them.
Choreographed by internationally renowned Sydney hip-hop dance artist Nick Power and accompanied by the beats and sound design of Jack Prest, the work blends the raw, wild energy of b*boy battles with skilful improvisation and choreography, offering a cross-cultural perspective on style, culture and locality.
The project is the result of a dance exchange between Darwin’s D*city Rockers and Cambodia’s Tiny Toones youth program.
The two crews have travelled, trained, battled and performed together for four years and Between Tiny Cities is the culmination of their collaboration.
Between Tiny Cities is at Contact Tuesday, May 10-Thursday, May 12.
Tickets can be purchased at www. contactmcr.com/shows/ between-tiny-cities
Running time: 40 minutes Age guidance: 10+ Price: tickets start from £10