Features / Barton Hill
First ever Barton Hill Festival proves an incredible success
On October 29 2017, more than a thousand people from all walks of life gathered at Barton Hill Settlement to enjoy the first ever Barton Hill Festival, combining an eclectic mix of theatrical performances, music, poetry and craft workshops.
The festival was put together by the young people’s Travelling Light Theatre Company, the staff of Barton Hill Settlement and local charity, Up Our Street, which aims to bring together communities to create change in Easton and Lawrence Hill.
Travelling Light Youth Theatre who performed Hillstories, a play inspired by the memories of local people from Barton Hill. Photo by Gwen Hanauer
The event showcased the diverse and multicultural communities of Barton Hill, in which 70 different nationalities all reside. Jo Woodcock, production manager at Travelling Light, said the festival “aimed to bring everyone together to be a part of something fun and new” and her aims were more than exceeded on the day as the area of Barton Hill overflowed with immense community spirit.
is needed now More than ever
The wide range of community-led and activities reflected the diverse area. In particular, the Somali spice mixing tutorial, put together by the Somali Kitchen, was a great success. One visitor to the festival described the event and it’s community spirit as a snapshot of “the real Bristol”.
The festival culminated in a lantern parade that saw those of all ages participate. Photo by Gwen Hanauer
The community-driven festival comes after a study conducted earlier in 2017 that noted that only 55 per cent of Lawrence Hill residents agree that people from different backgrounds get on well with each other.
However, the Barton Hill Festival proved otherwise, building new relationships and memories between both residents and community organisations in an event put on by the local community, for the local community.
For further information about activities in Barton Hill and how to get involved contact: engagement@upourstreet.org.uk
Read more: Telling tales in Barton Hill
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