Arts festival moves online and doubles its run

New MIlls Festival, will run digitally for the whole of September, making it twice as long as in previous years.

Organisers of the volunteer-led festival say on its website: “The current situation means that it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to plan and we now think that the festival, including the Art Trail and Big Weekend, canot go ahead in it usual format in September, but we’re adapting to the peculiarities that 2020 is throwing at us.

“As we don’t know what the world will look like by September, we’re encouraging virtual and pop up events that will work with any government guidance that's in place at the time.”

People are being urged to live stream a theatre or musical performance, quiz or workshop, share New Mills walking trails for people to do in their own time or suggest other ways of entertaining audiences.

There's no deadline for registering your event but organised have asked for as much notice as possible.

To submit your event go to www.newmillsfestival.com/take-part-1

If you want to talk through your ideas or have any questions, email: [email protected]

The Art Trail Team is urging artists to participate in Facebook or YouTube Live sessions during September. You could show people your studio, your artistic process, do a demonstration, give people an easy creative activity to do at home or run an online workshop. If you don’t want to do something ‘live’, you could also make a video and share that.Artists local to New Mills could also show work in their windows at home.There is some useful guidance and “How to” videos on the Arts Council England website: www.artscouncil.org.uk/digital-culture-network/resources-support-events#section-1

If you have any questions or would like to talk though your ideas then email: [email protected]

Meanwhile, artists are being encourage to share the work they have created during lockdown, using the hashtag #NewMillsFestivalArt in their post on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @NMFestivalArts.

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