The idea
Run by the Askew Road Association, our community festival is co-created and inspired by the curatorial vision: ‘If children are our future…’
The Askew Road Arts Festival brings together artists and young people to explore the idea that the future will one day be shaped by those who are growing up now. Through artworks, collaborations,
and interventions across galleries, streets, and community spaces, the festival asks how children experience the present, what values we pass on to them, and how their voices might help us
reimagine what comes next. The festival treats children as active participants in shaping the future.
The Festival aims to re-energise the cultural connections made in the Askew Road Festival 2024, addressing even more the needs of our mixed demography and the mixture of anxiety and hope in the younger generations. Our High Street is endangered and the world presents a challenging place, our aim is to use creativity to inspire optimism.
What we'll deliver
- 15 - 20 individual inclusive community events including visual arts, literature, dance, crafts
- 3 large sculptures by Hywel Pratley - a legacy and tribute to the laundry women who helped build our community
- A fun, community celebration day on Starch Green involving local youth clubs, charities, artists, schools
- An Arts Fair at Greenside Primary School with mural launch, maypole dancing and Hammersmith Morris
- Talks and presentations on local social history, local heritage and its relevance to understanding the future
- Play and nature morning at Ravenscourt Glasshouses for under 5s and their carers
- Workshops and activities for our local primary schools with artists
- A book launch and reading of short stories by the Wilde Foundation
- An Askew Road Film Night and a multi-lingual poetry evening
- A book about about our Grade II* listed architectural gem - Greenside Primary School
Why it's a great idea
- Amplifies community cohesion by bridging diverse demographics through shared artistic experiences.
- Empowers young people by valuing their perspectives and treating them as key contributors to the cultural narrative.
- Inspires optimism and hope among younger generations in the face of societal and global challenges.
- Promotes creative revitalisation of endangered local High Street areas, driving footfall and community engagement.
- Encourages intergenerational dialogue and collaboration through artistic expressions and shared values.
- Supports local artists by providing them with a platform to showcase their work and engage with the community.
Steps to get it done
- Artists and volunteers kick off meeting
- Clear leadership teams for each event
- Development of catalogue, publicity campaign and supporting materials
- Chair and Curator to stay involved and check in with all event teams
- Confirmation of all venues, logistic, permission etc
- Finalise all event plans and launch event
- Design publications and books
- Deliver events
