This year Voluntary Arts Week is taking place from
Friday 9 – Sunday 18 May, when cultural groups in cities, towns and
villages across the UK and Republic of Ireland will open their doors and hold
events to showcase their activities. Groups will be hosting open
rehearsals, decorating their local area with colourful
creations, offereing creative taster sessions or putting on special
performances or exhibitions.
This year’s Voluntary Arts Week has three special
strands: CraftBomb, the Big Big
Singand the Big Dance Pledge.
CraftBomb will see pop-up craft installations
appearing in parks, gardens, high streets and cultural venues all over the
country, including a crafty
takeover in St Albans city centre, a k
nitted display at Cross Corners Community Arts in Leicester, a pompom
making extravaganza at Rufford Abbey Craft Centre in Nottinghamshire
and guerril
la knitting in Greenwich.
Other events include, a kn
itting workshop in York, handmade
festival in Kent, folk music in Newcastle upon Tyne, ope
n rehearsals in Royston and a rehearsal and
performance of the Pirates of Penzance in Cheshire.
Voluntary Arts has teamed up with the Big Big Sing this year. Big Big Sing
sessions and Choir of the Year events are happening in Warwick
a>, London, Southampton
and Norwich, while in other areas of the UK choirs
are being encouraged to take their talent outside to stage
music ‘flashmobs’.
And
for those who love to dance, on Friday 16 May, the Big Dance
Pledge will see thousands of people across the world performing the
same dance routine between 1pm and 6pm.
To
find out more about Voluntary Arts Week and how you can get involved, visit
theirwebsite, send them
an email or find them
on Facebook.
Voluntary Arts Week is run by Voluntary Arts, an Arts Council England
National portfolio organisation which works across the UK to develop amateur
arts and crafts.