Celebrating Creativity and Community: New Brighton Arts Festival 2024
The New Brighton Arts Festival 2024 was a vibrant celebration of creativity, talent, and community spirit, drawing in a total of 3776 attendees over the course of a week. The festival showcased a diverse range of artistic performances, including 370 choir singers, 110 primary school-aged theatre performers, 16 poets, 11 comedians, 6 dance schools, and 30 different musical acts.
With funding from the Wirral Council Borough of Culture, and in collaboration with local partners, the festival kicked off with an awe-inspiring display of unity as choirs from HFCMAT and beyond converged at the Floral Pavilion on Monday. Tuesday offered a unique experience, with a piece of immersive theatre exploring the theme of ‘place’ in collaboration with Theatre Porto and Focal Studios providing some wonderful projections. Wednesday saw some courageous students taking to the stage for a night of laughter and wit, performing alongside professional comedians, following a six week comedy course with Klare Rufo.
The festival continued to captivate audiences with spoken word performances by 11 students from HFCMAT and renowned poets Ashleigh Nugent, JustJoe, and Joseph Roberts on Thursday. Friday saw 14 bands comprising talented young musicians from across Wirral aged 11-18 at the ever popular Friday Night Live. The grand finale on Saturday, the ‘One Community Street Party’ on Victoria Road, brought together over 2000 visitors for a day filled with culture, creativity, and joy.
This event truly exemplified the power of the arts in nurturing confidence, amplifying voices, and fostering aspirations among the youth. The festival’s emphasis on community revitalisation through cultural initiatives was palpable, with young performers collaborating with local organisations and a variety of professional artists from across Merseyside and beyond.
As the festival concluded on a high note with a memorable performance from famous 90’s band Space the impact of cultural initiatives on the regeneration of New Brighton was undeniable. The success of the festival sets the stage for further exploration and celebration of the arts, promising to be a cornerstone of the upcoming C Change conference in October.
The New Brighton Arts Festival 2024 was not just a showcase of talent but a testament to the transformative power of creativity in building stronger, more connected communities.
