WordFest

WordFest 2024 will be a month-long, libraries-led festival in May 2024. Events and activities will take place in libraries and community venues across Wakefield.

The festival will bring together music, performance, art, digital, spoken and written words. We will aim to increase confidence and ownership of the power of words in all their forms. We will make connections between words expressed in different contexts and formats. This year the festival is part of Our Year and the theme is Our Heritage, Our Stories. We will celebrate local writers, storytellers, and heritage. We aim to highlight the tales that make our communities unique.

The festival will have a strong element of co-creation with young people. We are using words, arts, and storytelling to raise new voices. Our goal is to improve engagement with cultural institutions.

We are seeking to appoint Creative Commissions across various art forms. The commissions are to be delivered across the district and/or digitally during May. We are particularly looking for creative performances, events, and workshops. Our focus is on family and early years audiences.

Creative commissions

Commission Amount available Performance type and audience
Commission 1 £10,000

Large high-quality performance commission for family audiences performed district wide across the month of May. 12 performances, locally inspired theme.

Application form

Commission 2 £3,000

Locally focused digital, craft or creative activities for under 5s. 12 sessions over 6 days

Application form

Commission 3 £1,000

Digital, craft or creative activities for Primary school age children. 4 sessions over 4 half days

Application form

Commission 4 £2,500

Creative activities or workshops building real world creative skills. Focussing on local topics. Suitable for 16–24-year-olds. 5 days of sessions. A budget included for producing a celebratory artwork, performance or publication

Application form

Commission 5 £5,000

Workshops for 10-14 yrs old focussing on local topics. For example design, animation, creative writing or arts. 8 sessions over Saturdays or half term holiday.

Application form

Commission 6 £1,500

Workshops for 5-8 yrs old (design, animation, creative writing, arts, etc.) 6 sessions over 3 days. Locally inspired theme.

Application form

Commission 7 £1,500

Workshops for 8-12 yrs old (design, animation, creative writing, arts etc) 6 sessions over 3 days. Locally inspired theme.

Application form

Please return your proposal by noon on Friday 26 January 2024.

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