The idea
WOW! Fest is Walsall’s first Outdoor Community Dance Festival, bringing together local schools, community groups, and 5 regional companies to celebrate dance, movement, and creativity. Taking place in Walsall Arboretum on 18–19 July 2025, the festival will feature professional outdoor performances, a Walsall Community Dance Stage, and interactive participatory activities like parkour, creative workshops, and outdoor games. The festival culminates a summer term-long engagement programme, offering free workshops in schools and youth groups, empowering participants to co-create performances with professional artists. The headline show, Up in the Sky, will showcase breathtaking aerial dance on a colossal 7-metre tall structure. Produced by Autin Dance Theatre with local partners, WOW! Fest is a joyful, inclusive festival, transforming public spaces through art and participation, giving Walsall families and residents a platform to express, connect, and celebrate creativity together.
What we'll deliver
- Involve 556 participants in co-creating the programme of events
- Install and resource a festival site at Walsall Arboretum
- Programme 4 performances of Up in the Sky from Autin Dance Theatre over 2 days
- Programme 4 performances of ‘The Other Side’ from Ascension Dance Company over 2 days
- Programme 4 performances of ‘Caged’ from Linden Dance Company over 2 days
- Programme 4 performances from 2 other regional Professional Dance companies (tbc) over 2 days
- Showcase 52 short performances by local schools and community groups on the Walsall Community Dance Stage
- Offer a range of activities for audiences on site including Parkour, dance and movement workshops, and physical games
- Deliver training for 8 local community ambassadors
- Ensure the festival is safe, secure and accessible for everyone in the community (incl. BSL interpretation)
Why it's a great idea
WOW! Fest will bring lasting benefits to Walsall by providing free, high-quality arts experiences for children, young people, families, and local communities. The festival will empower participants and volunteers, boosting confidence, teamwork, and creativity through co-creation with experienced professional artists. By offering free creative workshops in schools and community groups, WOW! Fest will increase arts engagement among those facing barriers to participation. The festival will also provide training opportunities for 8 local ambassadors in event production, stage management, and creative facilitation, developing valuable and transferrable skills for future employment in the creative industries. Hosting WOW! Fest in Walsall Arboretum will bring new audiences to the park, fostering social connections and enhancing community pride. The festival will promote health and wellbeing through movement-based activities, encouraging physical play, self-expression, and cultural engagement
Steps to get it done
- create the festival programme with community groups
- recruit and train festival ambassadors
- install and resource a festival site at Walsall Arboretum
- programme the festival and contract artists, site installation, food vendors, hygiene facilities etc
- apply for relevant licencing
- deliver festival marketing campaign
- manage the site installation including ensuring the site is fully accessible
- project manage festival delivery and logistics
- carry our health and safety and risk assessments for the festival site
- staff the festival event and manage the 2-day programme including performance schedules and logistics
- Provide BSL interpretation at the festival
