All aboard (please) ...

We need help!

Draycott Festival of Arts and Gardens is now well established in the cultural and social calendar of the Erewash area, taking place annually over the Bank Holiday weekend at the beginning of May. We have a small team who helped during the 2012 festival but need more help!
Alysn who has coordinated the Festival since it’s inception, is unfortunately not available from 2013 and Stevie, who has been another mainstay of the festival organisation is also due to work commitments, unable to be available next year. The team from 2012 are on board and ready to go again but extra help would be appreciated.
All new helpers will be supported by Alysn and others who have helped in the past. Volunteers could be based anywhere, some tasks can also be completed mostly electronically others will involve being 'on site' for some time at least.
If you have any queries or want to ask for further details, please ask Alysn via startlearts@yahoo.co.uk or call The Beetroot Tree (01332 873929). The next planning meeting is to be held at The Beetroot Tree at 5.30pm Wednesday September 26th.

We have particular 'holes' in the organizing group at the moment for:

Fundraising: This enables us to have workshops and performers taking part in the festival which would not otherwise be possible. We have several sponsors who we regularly approach, but always can do with more.
This would be good experience for someone wanting to get involved in the world of funded events. Alysn will be able to guide you through the funds we are already aware of.

Publicity: Writing press releases and organizing the poster/flyer distribution (the design and print of this is sorted out), using any relevant social media and other methods to publicize the event.

Adverts: This year from local businesses had adverts in the programme and a few more would be valuable. This requires someone to approach and convince local businesses to advertise, then ensure the artworks and payments are sorted out.

Programme: We need someone competent on either 'Microsoft Publisher', 'InDesign' or similar to put together the trail programme which is given out at the festival.

Refreshments: A person who can run the refreshments at the church hall. This is a valuable addition to the festivals income. It involves doing a shop or two for the food (consisting of a simple array of cakes and drinks), being at the hall for some of the weekend and finding a couple of other volunteers to help over the festival weekend.

General helpers: To help with jobs such as putting the banner out, signs out for the weekend and back in, putting the 'goody bags' for venues and artists together and distributing them to the venues. People to sell programmes and make sure that the artists and venues are all okay over the weekend.

Help to find and fund performers and activities ...

Coordinate artists and venues ...

So contact ... startlearts@yahoo.co.uk or call The Beetroot Tree (01332 873929). 

The next planning meeting is to be held at The Beetroot Tree at 5.30pm Wednesday September 26th.

Thanks,

Alysn

Late bookings and more funding ...

With the festival nearly on us, we were just about to decide the pairings between venues and artists, when we had more bookings by artists wanting to join the festival, and one of our funding applications came through, which means we have been able to book extra activities in the form of story telling and african drumming - brilliant!

Read on ...

Here are the latest batch of artists who will be at the festival for you to meet.

Lyndsay Latimer

Watercoloured greetings cards and pretty gemstone jewellery.

Steve Slack

Wooden items which are hand carved or worked by hand on the lathe. Docks, bowls, stools, tables and other ornamental pieces. He uses only British wood from sustainable sources.

Sue Loveridge

Sue works with her camera focusing on landscapes, natural forms and abstract subject matters.                                       

Louise West

Louise will be demonstrating traditional lacemaking techniques

Out and about around the venues will be:

Sophie Snell - Story Teller

Sophie is a professional storyteller based just outside Derby. She is a warm, engaging and lively performer entertaining both children and adults at public events, festivals, storytelling clubs, schools, libraries, museums and community settings.
Sophie has a wide repertoire of stories, based on traditional tales plucked from the stones and bones of the British Isles, northern Europe and around the world. She loves tales that twist and turn, finding the unexpected, comical and intriguing.

Joliba Drums

David Woolley studied West African Djembe and Djuns under the guidance of Drum/Dance master Almami Kamara aka Maitre Samsou during his time in the Gambia, he also played with members of Allah Tantoo, Follocoh, Canella and African Ballet.

David is based in Stoke on Trent and delivers professional workshops throughout Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Shropshire, West Midlands and surrounding areas.

When Dave is not guerrilla drumming around the other festival venues he will be found here to give you a go at drumming or for you to listen and dance.

 'Take Flight'

The special trail within the trail for children is  called 'Flight Path', young visitors will be able to take part in special activities, play I-spy and get a prize for taking part. This is sponsored by the East Midlands Airport Community Fund, so it is FREE to join in - you can't say better than that. Thanks to Nicki Dennett and her helpers for organising this.

A big thank you to the local businesses too, see the 'support' page for who they are and what they do.

So ... see you in Draycott, Derbyshire on the 6th and 7th May between 12 noon and 5pm. 
Get to the Beetroot Tree for your programme and have a wonderful afternoon.

Wetting your appetite for the 2012 Draycott Festival of Arts and Gardens

Things may have been quiet on the posting front, but under the surface we are paddling hard, almost ready to announce all of the arrangements for the Draycott Festival of Arts and Gardens.
We have been fortunate to receive funing from the Derbyshire Arts Festival fund, providing a stable base for us to plan activities for 2012 .
Put the 6th and 7th May between 12 noon and 5pm into your diary now. Whatever the weather, visit the village, follow a trail of houses, gardens, artists, performers and activities for children as well as adults.

Here are a few images from the feativals in 2010 and 2011 to get you into the mood: