IYAF 2012 tickets are now on sale!!!  You will also be able to pick up copies of the beautiful new brochure from around Kingston or read it online here!

IYAF 2012 Cover (Read Online @ Issuu)

IYAF 2012 Programme (Read Online @ Issuu)

IYAF 2012 Cover (PDF Download)(2MB)

IYAF 2012 Programme (PDF Download)(7MB)

Tickets will be available from this website, by calling 08444 821 556 or from the Rose Theatre box office.

The brochure is a stunning piece of work by designer Lisa Prisk (http://www.lisaprisk.blogspot.co.uk/) and the launch coincides with our stylish new website, designed by Leo Luis from Kingston College.

Hope you are all as excited as we are!!!

HRH The Earl of Wessex KG KCVO enjoyed performances from some of South West London’s most exciting young talents on Monday night at the Richmond Hill Hotel as part of the Creative Youth Gala Dinner. Prince Edward, in his capacity as President of the youth arts charity, was among an audience who helped to raise over £10,000 at the black tie dinner, along with other well known figures such as Strictly Come Dancing’s Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova and a number of high profile business people and supporters.

Other highlights included a lucrative auction, including prizes such as a guitar signed by Pete Townshend, and an entertaining raffle, but it was the stunning performances of the young talents that Creative Youth has nurtured and developed that was the main talking point by the end of the evening. Among those who wowed the crowd were cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson, local singer songwriter Little Sister Blue and male choir The Tiffinians from Kingston’s Tiffin Boys School, who amazed and amused in equal measure through their cover of Postman Pat & His Black and White Cat.

Suzanne Lofthouse-Jackson, Assistant Private Secretary to the Earl, was in no doubt as to the night’s success. “The evening had a lively buzz throughout and the numbers were just right to enable all to feel part of the show,” she said. “The entertainment was of such a high standard and The Tiffinians rounded the evening off perfectly.”

With auction lots such as Townshend’s guitar bringing in four-figure sums along with helicopter rides and canal cruises, Creative Youth Artistic Director Aniela Zaba reflected on the night with a mixture of pride and appreciation. “I am absolutely delighted that so many at the evening gave generously to the charity, and I like to think that in return they had an enjoyable evening,” she said. “Most of all, I am immensely proud of our young performers tonight, and I think that some of those present were pleasantly surprised at the extremely high standard on display.”

Philip Hetherington, Development Director, emphasised how the money raised would help Creative Youth to promote and encourage other artists to emulate such high standards. “As well as helping us to run the ever expanding and popular annual International Youth Arts Festival in Kingston this coming July, the money raised tonight will also be invested in our Creative Talent programme,” he said “It is through this programme we nurture individual organisations that we’ve identified as having particularly special talent that we wish to develop, and hopefully will lead us to producing more unique and exemplary performances of this nature.”

Creative Youth’s International Youth Arts Festival will take place from 29 June to 22 July in Kingston, and will feature over 8000 young performers from the UK and internationally

Costs for the limited places in this fun day out are £450 per team or £150 per individual and includes a 3 course meal plus the opportunity to win various prizes. To secure your place, please request an entry form by contacting Creative Youth at phil@creativeyouthcharity.org, Tel: 0208 549 2120.

Or download here Creative Youth CELEBRITY GOLF DAY 2012 ENTRY FORM

Besides playing golf, people can also help to support the festival and the work it does in mentoring young people by providing an auction item, raffle prize or simply making a donation. To provide an auction item or raffle prize please contact phil@iyafestival.org.uk or call 0208 5492120. To make a donation please visit the  support us section on our website.

The Big Sing is a huge outdoor participatory music event led by the renowned international gospel singer, conductor and composer, Ken Burton (X Factor, Choir of the Year, Songs of Praise) which will cover a variety of different genres including rock, pop and classical music.

There is also the opportunity to win £500 for anyone who would like to compose an ‘Anthem for Kingston’ which will be premiered at The Big Sing and at other high profile events in Kingston’s Cultural Olympiad programme. The competition will be administered by Dr David Osbon, Head of Collegiate Music, Kingston University, please see attached details for more information.

Full details and information on how to get involved are available here

Come and join the hunt for the lost places of Kingston, who knows what can be found? A dancing bicycle, a plane crash, an upside down umbrella? We shall see…

ANIMATE Festival will be running events on Mondays and Thursday from 16th February 2012 through to March 24th 2012.

There will be extra special things happening on the 3rd March and the 24th March.

Many involved were keen to praise the role of IYAF in enabling them to test and hone their acts. David Hooper, Producer of One Fine Day, with a ‘Must See’ Award from The Stage, said: “The festival was a vital part of our rehearsal process. It allowed us to test the performance in a safe environment, and the feedback we received from audiences helped us identify how we might refine the show. This ensured it was of the highest quality before going onto Edinburgh.”

Little Cauliflower’s Street Dreams, which ran for two nights at the Rose Theatre in Kingston, has proven a major hit, receiving five star reviews from Broadway Baby, The Daily Dust and The New Current, and four stars from The Scotsman, What’s On Stage, Fringe Review and Edinburgh Spotlight. David Pollock of The Scotsman described it as ‘one of the most inventive and endearing shows on the Fringe’, and Broadway Baby said it was “a touching, funny and thoroughly slick production.” Little Cauliflower highlighted the value of performing at IYAF first. “We had a fantastic weekend performing at the Rose Theatre,” said William Aubrey-Jones of Little Cauliflower.  “We sold out both dates, had a great time and found the staff of IYAF really supportive, even following the festival and look forward to working with everyone in the future. The feedback we received really helped us to develop the production.”

Roar, produced by Dumbshow, is part of Creative Youth’s “Creative Talent Programme”, which rovides strategic mentoring and support to selected groups. It has also received rave reviews, such as from Nick Awde of The Stage Edinburgh, who wrote: “Dumbshow exhibits an impressive pool of talent here and, given that development, I’d pay good money to see this at the National.”  Michael Bryher, Artistic Director  described IYAF’s help as a ‘godsend.’ “We couldn’t have achieved what we have done without them,” he said. “To put trust in a young company to develop their work is so, so important. IYAF took a leap of faith in us, for which we are extremely grateful.  Previewing our work before Edinburgh was massively beneficial, and has resulted in a much stronger piece, which we will continue to develop.”

Aniela Zaba, Artistic Director for Creative Youth, was not only delighted to see IYAF performers succeed at the Fringe, but is also happy for the Festival to develop a reputation among artists as a ‘testing ground’ for those heading north of the border. “Obviously it is very pleasing to see these amazing young talents get the recognition they deserve,” she said. “But what is equally pleasing is that the International Youth Arts Festival was able to play an important role in helping them to achieve this success. IYAF gives young people the space and support to play, experiment and take chances in a creative environment surrounded by those willing to give feedback. This vindicates our approach which is to nurture and inspire young people to challenge themselves to produce the very best work they are capable of.”

The International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF) is rapidly becoming one of the largest and most diverse youth events in the country.  From 29^th June -22 July 2012 the streets and venues of Kingston will come alive as young people from the ages of 5 to 26 showcase the very best in youth arts selected from the UK and Internationally.

For the first time the International Youth Arts Festival will open with a week of participatory projects, workshops and schools engagement work (29^th June – 5^th July).  The latter part of the festival will be the celebration which we have all come to love!  18 days of performances, exhibitions and showcases of incredible youth work from around the world in addition to special events which culminate the projects delivered in the first week.  Applications are encouraged for both parts of the festival as are projects which can deliver engagement at the beginning of the festival, followed by a performance element in the second part.

Applications are open to any arts projects involving young people (0yrs – 26yrs).  These projects may involve young people as performers, creators and artists or as producers and event managers.  IYAF is also happy to receive applications for adult work which is specifically targeted at young people.

As a special gift to all our participants, any young people participating in the festival will be able to attend ANY other productions at no cost.

Full details are available by clicking on the IYAF 2012 – Participate tab or by clicking on the following links:

Click here to download the Application to participate form for 2012

Click here to download the Guidelines for applicants 2012