A new children’s book festival, The Festival of Brilliant, has announced the first of its line-up of authors, illustrators and artists, including Frank Cottrell Boyce and Nadia Shireen. The festival, which takes place at Biddulph Old Hall on 12 and 13 July 2024, is being organised by arts programme OUTSIDE and Staffordshire Moorlands librarians working with a group of children and young people, teachers, artists and authors from the district who share a love of reading.
A celebration of how brilliant children’s books are, the festival programme features readings, talks, workshops, performances, installations and activities. Champions of children’s books, writer Frank Cottrell Boyce and author/illustrator Nadia Shireen, who also host the popular podcast about children’s books The Island of Brilliant which inspired the festival, will both be at the event to talk about their books. They will also present a special live recording of the podcast, joined by author/illustrator Steven Lenton, and their resident band Ukelele Uff Trio.
Festival goers are invited to an array of interactive sessions. They can see how easy it is to draw a seafaring elephant with author/illustrator Ed Vere, and discover if they have what it takes to be the hero of their own film with author/director Christopher Edge. Rashmi Sirdeshpande, Book Trust’s writer in residence, will invite festival goers to discover how fascinating factual books can be, and learn about real-life heroes and world changers. Comedian author Samantha Baines will talk about her critically acclaimed children’s books with deaf main characters, and host a fun workshop creating new alien worlds. Poet Jean Atkin will also be on hand offering Poetry on Demand – poems provided to people on request! In addition, the programme showcases local talent including a poetry workshop with headteacher Charlotte Rowley, a talk from author Jenny Spangler, storytelling with Julie Moss and creative sessions with illustrator Ella Kasperowicz.
As well as authors and illustrators, festival goers can enjoy brilliant literary themed performances. Circus theatre company Tit for Tat bring their high energy show BOOKS! featuring acrobatics and fire juggling. Songwriter David Gibb will present a musical adventure, sharing his hilarious songs and stories, and discussing his most recent musical for families and children. FRONTLINE dance Explorers Team will perform a show where audiences can help bring to life two stories with dance, colour, sound and teamwork. The Magic Lantern, a curious contraption that travels the land telling and collecting stories, will be visiting the festival with storyteller Ian Douglas and puppeteer Jo Douglas. And arts organisation Wild Rumpus will be challenging everyone to add a line to the longest tale to help create The Brilliant Neverending Story.
The Festival of Brilliant is supported by OUTSIDE, Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Libraries, Staffordshire Moorlands Family Hub, The Island of Brilliant, Wild Rumpus, PiCL, The Reading Agency, How Brave is the Wren, Film Hub Midlands, Biddulph Town Council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Support Staffordshire and Arts Council England.
Who’s it for?
Everyone, but particularly children in the Staffordshire Moorlands. They’ll be working with a range of brilliant local groups including the women’s refuge, housing association, community zone and SEND parent’s group to make the festival as inclusive and accessible as possible.
How much are the tickets?
£5 per person, under 3s free, car park pass £5
Free transport will be available from Biddulph Town Centre to the Festival site.
Note: By booking tickets, you consent to photography/filming from the event by OUTSIDE to promote the programme and its projects, events and activities.
When is the event and how do I book it?
The event will be running from Friday, 12 to Saturday, 13 July 2024
Friday 12th July 2024, 10am-12pm & 12.45-3pm – for schools & community groups. Book FREE tickets here.
Friday 12th July, 6-9pm – for teens. Book FREE tickets here.
Saturday 13th July 2024, 10am-6.30pm – for children of all ages and their families. Book your tickets here.
Where is the event being held?
Biddulph Old Hall is a brilliant venue. It has a magical, exploratory, fairy tale feel, offering the perfect backdrop for children to feed their imagination.
Biddulph Old Hall
Biddulph
Stoke-on-Trent
ST8 7SQ
Costume Competition
The Festival of Brilliant is encouraging everyone to dress up as their favourite characters from the brilliant world of books on Saturday, 13 July. The Staffordshire Libraries team will be picking out the costume that they like the best, and the winner will get their hands on a bundle of brilliant books signed by the authors themselves! Plenty of runner up prizes up for grabs as well. If you don’t fancy dressing up, that’s absolutely fine too.
To enter the competition, head over to the Staffordshire Libraries team at their tent in the Marvellous Makers area during The Festival Of Brilliant, and leave your name and contact details. The winner and runners up will be announced at the end of the festival via a board outside the tent, and on OUTSIDE social media channels. The winner will be contacted via email if not on site.
Photography & filming
You are welcome to take photographs and videos of the festival site and programme for personal use.
Photography and videography by OUTSIDE will be taking place during the event. By booking tickets, ticket holders consent to being photographed/filmed to promote OUTSIDE and its projects.
Important Note:
- Dogs – No dogs other than assistance dogs will be permitted on site for the festival.
- The site is fairly small with short distances between the festival venues on site. These will consist of a large and small marquee area, some smaller tent areas, an indoor hall area and area for both food and drink and non-food stalls and vendors.
- School coaches / minibuses are available on friday and will be able to drop off and collect from the Talbot Pub car park on Grange Road. Classes will then be able to walk via an off road footpath to the venue, marked on image below with a green line.
- Parking is available at Biddulph Old Hall at a cost of £5 per car. Please car share where possible. Tickets to be purchased along with festival tickets or can be purchased separately at a later date via the ticket link. Main entrance track to Biddulph Old Hall is on Overton Road and will be clearly signposted.
- Free Bus – A free local festival bus service will be in operation in the surrounding area on Saturday. Hollinshead Coaches will be starting the route outside Biddulph Youth & Community Zone, then Staffordshire Moorlands Family Hub, followed by Sainsbury’s / Biddulph Town Hall, The Rose & Crown, Biddulph Moor and finally arriving at Biddulph Old Hall. This will be a round-trip, then going from Biddulph Old Hall, to Biddulph Moor, The Rose & Crown, etc. The first coach will depart at 9:30am from Biddulph Youth & Community Zone, and these round-trips will begin every 45 minutes (there will be a break with no services between 1-2pm). The last bus to Biddulph Old Hall will be at 4pm and the last bus leaving Biddulph Old Hall will be at 6pm.
- Wheelchair access – Limited in some areas of the house and garden.
- Disable toilet – There will be a portable disabled access toilet on site at the venue. Additionally there will be a changing places unit available.
- Pushchairs – Event is accessible for buggies / pushchairs
About OUTSIDE
OUTSIDE is a new Creative People and Places project, funded through Arts Council England. A participatory arts programme, OUTSIDE is led by local residents in the Staffordshire Moorlands working with professional artists. Together, they will co-curate ambitious, inspiring and inclusive arts and cultural activities and events celebrating life in the rural landscapes, villages and market towns of the Moorlands.
For more information, visit outsidearts.org
Since its launch through Arts Council England in 2012, Creative People and Places projects have empowered communities across the country to take the lead in deciding what creative activities they want and need. The projects have a wide-ranging, positive impact on individuals and communities in parts of the country where involvement in arts and culture is significantly below the national average. There have been over 10 million engagements with the programme – 86% of which are from groups with low to medium engagement with arts and culture.
From 2022 – 2025, Arts Council England is investing £38.3 million in Creative People and Places through National Lottery funding, so more communities can choose the creativity and culture on offer in their local area. Arts Council England is committed to supporting Creative People and Places projects in helping ‘everyone, everywhere’ enjoy creativity and culture as part of the Let’s Create strategy.
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Photo Credit: OUTSIDE
