This year’s Flintshire Artsfest is imminent! Everyone attending is in for a treat, with a varied, inspiring programme of performances and workshops to suit all tastes and ages.
The full programme of events is available on www.flintshire.gov.uk or flyers can be picked up from all of Flintshire’s public libraries. Tickets for all performances are available from the Clwyd Theatr Cymru box office on 0845 330 3565 and workshops can be booked through the Artsfest office on 01352 702471.
Artsfest ‘12 will take place between 11 March and 25 March 2011 and will be welcoming some amazing artists such as Ian McMillan and Tony Husband, Poet and Cartoonist, and Mike Harding, singer songwriter. Young people from all over the county will perform and take part in workshops with internationally renowned artists such as glass artist, Rhian Haf and dance company NewDance. The creative residents of Flintshire will have the opportunity to work with photographer Paul Sampson, jewellery maker Alison Bailey Smith, Joyce Honeysett who will be looking at the Japanese perspective of Notan and other arts and crafts experts from around the region.
Performances and workshops will be located across the county including Rhosesmor Village Hall, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Connah’s Quay Civic Hall, Gwaenysgor Village Hall and Flint Library, to name but a few.
The festival will be launched on March 11 with an inspirational cyanotype photography workshop led by renowned exhibiting photography artist, Paul Sampson. Cyanotypes are one of the oldest photographic printing processes. Prints are exposed in UV light and developed in easily available chemistry and washed in water they can even be toned later in a salutation of cold tea.
Tuesday 13 March sees the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra performing at the Clwyd Room, Clwyd Theatr Cymru. The award-winning Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, unbeaten in the BBC National Big Band Competition for twenty years, has toured the USA, Canada and Europe and performed with the likes of Jamie Cullum, Marion Montgomery, Jacqui Dankworth and Georgie Fame. In 2011 it featured with the BBC Big Band in a double-header for Radio 2. If it’s excitement you want, this wonderful outfit, led by the well-known trumpeter John Ruddick, of the late Don Lusher’s Big Band, has it in abundance.
In an exciting new development for the Flintshire Artsfest, and in partnership with local contemporary music night organisers Twisted Banana Promotions, on March 16, Flintshire Artsfest is thrilled to welcome top Welsh indie-rockers ‘Masters in France’, recently on Radio 1’s playlist. We also welcome Deeside’s own techno-rock duet ‘I Am Austin’, featured on Channel 4’s Evo Music Rooms last year and also Chester’s finest ‘The Suns’ to Connah’s Quay Civic Hall at 7.30pm.
Hawarden High School will be hosting this year’s Flintshire County Music School’s Artsfest Concert which promises to be an inspirational evening of beautiful music by Flintshire’s most talented young singers and musicians, including the Senior County Youth Choir, String Orchestra, Wind Orchestra and Jazz Band. This fantastic experience not to be missed will take place on Friday 16 March.
There will also be a fantastic opportunity to see beautiful and intriguing work by members of the Flintshire Visual Arts and Craft Network. The exhibition in the Holywell Art & Craft Mill will comprise of various skills and techniques from painting to quilting, jewellery making to woodturning.
Ian McMillan & Tony Husband’s Cartoon and Poeming Workshop will be held on Tuesday 20 March at the Clwyd Room, Clwyd Theatr Cymru which is linked to their uproarious A Cartoon History of Here shows for family audiences, 7 to 107.
Tony talks about cartoons and gives a demonstration of how he draws them. Ian talks about how poems and drawing can fizz together and how they move us to think in different directions. Tony and Ian then give a project to draw and go round giving guidance and help. The workshop ends with A Grand Cartoon-in and Poem relay race.
The festival will be closed with a beautiful and inspirational musical extravaganza at Clwyd Theatr Cymru where Daniel and Laura Curtis – The Great American Songbook will be performed on Sunday 25 March.
For the full programme of events to be held during Artsfest ’12, or to book a place on any of the workshops, please contact the Artsfest Office on 01352 702471or www.flintshire.gov.uk or to book a ticket for any of the above events please contact the Clwyd Theatr Cymru Box Office on 0845 3303565.
