The idea
The event will be a celebration of the local community, a place to learn more about each other and listen to talks and music from a range of artists. It will be free to attend.
There’ll be musicians, workshops (where people can work together to plan positive futures for the community), lights in the trees, dancing & conversation. The event will be co-created with the local community, bringing people from different backgrounds together to get involved with ideas/making decorations.
Through this event we hope to bring together and foster understanding amongst people from diverse communities, and of different ages, abilities and life experiences. The activities will offer opportunities for planning next steps post-Covid, acknowledging the struggles people have faced over the last year and aiming to create space for community-led change.
What we'll deliver
- A one day free community festival for Newcastle residents
- Music & dancing
- A programme of performances, workshops & discussions
- A friendly & welcoming space
Why it's a great idea
The party will be a vital local event to celebrate & reflect after a challenging year and begin to plan positive futures as a community post-Covid.
It will:
- Help build confidence as we'll use the field as an outdoor COVID safe venue.
- Be an enjoyable festival with music, dancing, learning and fun.
- Inspire a collective sense of purpose, and raise aspirations by valuing everyone's contributions in the co-creation process.
- Help bring back a sense of collective community as local people from a range of backgrounds will be involved in creating and attending the event.
- Offer practical ideas for adults & families to contribute to the community in the wake of Covid-19 both at and after the event.
- Be a friendly & welcoming space.
- Be a place for local artists to perform after a difficult year.
Steps to get it done
- Deliver one-day community festival
- Hire artists, musicians and workshop facilitators
- Run co-creation workshops with the community
- Design art and decor for the site
- Work with local food vendors and community businesses
The event will be run by Love is the Map, a new community group of about 25 Newcastle Gateshead residents.
Working with local people, groups, businesses, artists and communities we plan to create meaningful and joyful celebrations of our collective hopes, aspirations and plans of action for this area and the wider city.
We’re building on strong existing relationships and proactively seeking out new ones, consulting with people to find commonalities in what makes our gatherings meaningful - and then putting these things into action in designing our activities.
