Preparations are underway as the UK’s biggest youth arts festival gets ready to return to Kingston.
The International Youth Arts Festival, England’s biggest youth arts event, takes place from July 6 – 27 and will include more than 9,000 performers, a fifth of whom will have travelled from all corners of the globe to perform.
The annual event, now in it’s fourth year, hopes to attract even more than the 30,000 spectators who attended last year.
Comedian Matt Lucas, who is patron of the festival, said he was proud to be involved in the event.
“The International Youth Arts Festival plays a crucial role in ensuring that many young people are given the opportunity to fulfil their artistic ambitions,” he said.
“I’m proud to be a Patron and wish all of the young people involved the best of luck at this year’s event.”
This year’s festival includes a carnival parade, which will culminate in partying and performances on the Market Place outdoor stage, a big dance night featuring dance companies from classical to street-dance, and the Royal Gala, where patrons, supporters and stars will be joined by Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex.
Robin Hutchinson, Festival Chairman, said it was wonderful to see the festival becoming more popular every year.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see what this festival has become since its inception – there is no doubt that the International Youth Arts Festival is now one of the most important youth arts events on the international calendar, and it continues to go from strength to strength every year,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Iyaf Kingston, with thanks.
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