Posted on 9th Sep
Free events and activities across Newark town centre will feature in the Festival of Creativity on Saturday 5th and Sunday, 6th October.
People can have a go at a variety of dance skills, experience arts and crafts, watch creative theatre shows, explore model making classes, and tour both the School of Violin Making and the Air and Space Institute.
Dance sessions covering a variety of styles will be at the National Civil War Centre. There will be gaming and model-making at Access Models, colouring at Newark Art Gallery, traditional crafts and a fun show from Rhubarb Theatre at Newark Library, the chance to explore Newark Heritage Barge, crafts, shows, and music with Inspire at the Buttermarket, as well as a play zone with circus workshops in Newark Market Place on the Sunday.
Newark’s Festival of Creativity, in association with the national Fun Palace celebration, is organised by Newark Creates, which has been curating free arts and heritage events and activities across Newark since it was established in 2021.
Coun Claire Penny, portfolio holder for Sustainable Economic Development at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “We know that events make a big difference to the town, and we are committed to doing all we can to encourage people to visit our town centres across Newark and Sherwood.
“In the summer we supported a host of events in the town centre, which encouraged more people to visit Newark. The BookBench Trail, Cloudscapes, Plastic Ocean Show, the return of Newark-on-Sea and Newark Festival have all created a hub of excitement right in the town centre and there aren’t many other market towns similar to our size in our area which offer this.
“I really believe that Newark town centre is fantastic, and we offer so much with a rich selection of independent shops and cafes run by passionate local people. The events that Newark Creates put on add so much vibrancy and really add to the atmosphere of the town.
“I’m very much looking forward to seeing the programme build on an already busy schedule of quality activities attracting more people to Newark.”
Newark Creates is supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, alongside the new funding from the Newark Towns Fund project Newark Heart, and is led by Newark’s Cultural Consortium, which is made up of several local organisations including Inspire, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Newark Civic Trust, Newark Heritage Forum, Newark Book Festival, Newark Town Council, and Newark College.
Carol Newman, director of Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries, the lead partner in the consortium, added: “This has been a real team effort in putting this event together, working with a wide range of fantastic local partners and groups to host activities and events.”
