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The Arts Development Team has identified festivals as important for a variety of reasons.

Festivals are an ideal platform for groups to share their work with the wider community.  Ongoing dance, music, drama and visual arts projects all use festivals as something to work toward and anticipate. Community festivals held in Walker, Newburn, Blakelaw, Benwell, Elswick  and West Denton have all recently seen new arts work created and presented.

The Walker Samba Carnival has been an inspiration to young drummers for over ten years. Enthusiasm for this project has led to drumming groups appearing across the City and to young people taking part in festivals in Dublin and Lordelo (Porto).

Benwell’s Local Routes Festival has seen the creation of some of the most spectacular lantern processions in the City.

As well as providing a creative input to community festivals the team also offers logistical and event management support and has now developed considerable expertise as event managers.

Some festivals such as the Big Oceans and Local Routes have had specific themes but all set out to bring people together and celebrate what is special and unique about themselves and their communities. 

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