On the 19th, 20th and 21st of July, on the first weekend of the Summer Holidays, we are hosting the CREATE Youth Festival at The Edge.

The Festival will be suitable for children and young people between the ages of 8 and 18 and has been planned and produced by the young producers from our Art Club and CREATE youth panel. The festival will be an opportunity for the young people we’ve been working closely with over the past few years to reacquaint themselves with the newly refurbished Edge.

‘We want the neo-Edge to be Home for young people and artists, and it’s only right the first festival should be led by Young People’

Our programme is ambitious and varied, each day has its own theme, with creative workshops, performances and discussion. Whether you’re into music, visual arts, or gaming, there’s something for everyone across the weekend:

Day 1: Music and Movement

We’ll start the day with performances from local schools, followed by a series of art workshops with our Art Club to create a brilliant Cardboard Forest.

In the evening, Skate Buddies will be hosting a Rolla Jam in the Courtyard, DJ sets, and performances from local artists, musicians and bands.

Throughout the day we’ll also be hosting karaoke and open mic sessions.

Day 2: Art and Activism

The CREATE Art Club exhibition will be open and available to view all day. We’ll be joined by Brian Homer and Emma Tucker who will be offering self portrait workshops. 

There’ll also be a chance to become creative archivist, delve into the Friction Archive and contribute your own objects, memories and ideas to the workshop.

We will also be hosting a discussion and workshop to share ideas for collective action and activism, exploring issues that are important to young people and approaches to tackling them.

If you would like to be part of the Art and Activism Workshop, please register here.

Day 3: Games and Play

We will be hosting a series of video game tournaments on Monday, including an opportunity to play some indie games and test out some games programmed and created by young game developers. We’ll also be hosting some board game sessions for those who are interested in analogue gaming.

We’re also encouraging attendees to come along on this day in cosplay, or to bring their costumes along with them. It will be a chance to get some tips and tricks on your costumes and to share experiences with those who share interests.

Throughout the weekend, meals and snacks will be on offer from local providers.

If you’re interested in getting involved or have any questions about the weekend, please get in touch via marcus@frictionarts.co