Arts / St Pauls
Preview: YO Arts Fest
Bristol-based social enterprises PAPER Arts and The Diverse Artists Network have collaborated with young creatives to host a free event hosted by young people, for young people.
The organisers of YO (Youth Opportunities) Arts Fest hope to break down barriers to increase youth visibility, and help young people to explore their talents in a bid to diversify the creative industries.
Taking place on Thursday, November 15 at Docklands Youth Centre in St Paul’s, the event aims to help budding young creative people to network and access opportunities. The event will showcase local talent, inspirational speakers, arts workshops, stalls, live painting, music, exhibitions and food.
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Mural artist and signwriter Connor Burke is a part of the team who are creating and leading the event. “You’re going to get a load of opportunities that you wouldn’t get in other places,” he says of the plan for the night. “It might even inspire something new in you which you weren’t aware that you liked.”
This sentiment is echoed by Ade Sowemino, a young multidisciplinary artist who is teaming up with a fellow dancer for a performance at YO Arts Fest. “It’s a festival brimming with young people who collectively love to create as a community and bring about new things,” he said. “It’s exciting, new and full of life.”
Naomi Gennery, a Bristol-based graphic designer, jewellery maker and member of the Paper Arts Mentoring Club is another of the artists featuring at YO Arts Fest. She is also part of gal-dem, an online and print magazine that launched in 2015, where all of the content is produced by women and non-binary people of colour.
“Bristol has got such a good creative scene but it would be quite nice to have everything together and be able to talk to everyone about what they’re doing,” she says.
“It’ll be good to have everything in one space and to see what everyone else is doing – and just to meet people.”
YO Arts Fest takes place on Thursday, November 15 at Docklands Youth Centre. Tickets are free to anyone under the age of 25. To book tickets and find out more, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/yo-arts-fest-tickets
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