A NEW student-run arts festival is set to come to the Faithful City later this month.
The three-day ‘Speak Volumes!’ event will take place between Thursday and Saturday, March 21 and 23.
It has been mostly organised by members of the University of Worcester Poetry Society and will allow emerging writers, performers and visual artists to showcase their talents.
The free event will be open to all and will take place at The Arches 27 and 28 near The Hive.
If successful, organisers hope the festival could become an annual cultural occasion in Worcester.
After an opening ceremony at The Arches at 3pm on Thursday, the event will run until 10pm.
It will then take place between 10am and 10pm on the following two days.
Festival-goers will be able to enjoy live performances, including original theatre, performance poetry and stand-up comedy, as well as an art gallery, an indie marketplace and a poetry bookshop.
There will be plenty of zines – booklets – on display and for sale at the festival.
There’s also a range of hands-on creative workshops including screenwriting basics, zine-making techniques and an origami masterclass.
And artists can challenge themselves with competitions including in photography and a poetry slam.
The festival took inspiration from a similar event some of the same students ran last March to coincide with World Poetry Day.
Third-year Film Production and Screenwriting student Freddie Barker, who has helped to organise the event, said: “Though we’re not exclusive, we want to boost creativity from students, graduates and adults aged 18 to 30.
“We hope the festival will bring more variety, diversity, excitement and culture to weave into the tapestry of our ever-growing city.
“It’s free, unique, and diverse enough to provide something for everyone.
“Supporting this event means supporting local artists, small businesses, and directly feeding into Worcester’s vibrant arts scene.”
