DATE FOR GLASGOW’S FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR CHILDREN ‘INSPIRATION 2012’ SET

Posted: Thursday 27 September 2012

Inspiration 2012: Commonwealth Family Festival

Set to captivate audiences across Glasgow, Inspiration’s successful school’s programme will run throughout October, with a brand new free Commonwealth Family Festival open to all on Saturday 20 October.   

The annual festival, aimed at under 12’s and their family, nursery and school, features high quality art experiences and performance events that will engage, entertain and educate.  The special one-off Commonwealth Family Festival will be held in Glasgow’s City Halls from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 20 October and is completely free to attend.  It promises to be a family day of music, dancing and discovery to celebrate the different cultures from across the Commonwealth.  Through theatre, story telling, live music and join-in arts activities throughout the venue, the day will inspire creativity, imagination and promote learning.

Performers already confirmed include Tigerstyle, who will bring the Old Fruitmarket alive with their toe-tapping combination of dhol drumming, beatbox, bhangra and break-dancing routines.  Younger children will be delighted by Half Moon’s popular ‘A Roo In My Suitcase’ production.  With lots of audience participation, little ones are invited to meet a host of cuddly marsupials and celebrate friendship through poetry and song.  While school aged children can enjoy traditional African stories brought to life by the captivating Toto Tales, who are set to entertain the crowd with an engaging performance and uplifting music.  Further performers have still to be announced.

The newly unveiled Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Mascot will make a special appearance at City Halls, meeting children and spreading the Glasgow 2014 message.

Around 1,000 youngsters are expected to participate in the week-long schools and nurseries programme, which will see LaNua and Toto Tales perform at 6 venues across the city. 

Councillor Archie Graham, Chair of Glasgow Life said: “Glasgow is renowned as Scotland’s cultural powerhouse.  This enables the city to attract first-class artists to entertain and inspire our citizens.  In order to retain this enviable position we must invest in igniting a passion for the arts in our children.  This benefits our youngsters by enabling them to engage with a variety of new experiences, constantly expanding their mind and probing their imagination.  All of which contributes to our children’s development.  That in turn builds a sustainable base from which future artistic talent will emerge – be that artists or audiences. 

“We are extremely proud to support a distinct arts festival for children in the city.  I would encourage teachers to get involved in Inspiration’s community touring week and families to come and join us for an action packed day of arts in the City Halls during the October school holidays.  Your children might just discover a love of, or even a talent for, something completely new.” 

The full programme of events available to schools and further details of the Commonwealth Family Festival can be found at www.glasgowlife.org.uk/arts/inspiration/Pages/default.aspx or follow the festival on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/glasgowarts

Tags: Dance, Days Out, Folk and world, Kids, Merchant City, Music, World