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The Preston Festival: Three day arts event with giant canopies coming to city centre in September

Posted on - 11th July, 2015 - 6:00am | Author - | Posted in - Arts, City Centre, Preston City Centre, Preston Council, Preston News, What's On in Preston
An artist impression of the canopies for the festival on the Flag Market

An artist impression of the canopies for the festival on the Flag Market

Arts, music and more will take over a number of venues in Preston city centre for a three day festival.

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The Preston Festival is to include a large Chinese-style canopy and lanterns adorning the Flag Market.

The canopies are to link together the covered market, Birley Street, former Post Office, Flag Market, Birley Studios and the Harris Museum.

Artists are being asked to put themselves forward to perform at the festival.

The September festival is a pilot event for what could become a regular Lancashire Festival.

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Cabinet member for cultural and leisure services, councillor Veronica Afrin, has signed off spending £65,000 of the city council’s reserve arts funding for the project.

Bring your arts

Councillor Afrin said: “This is fantastic for Preston and something I have been looking forward to announcing.

“During the three day festival the city will be bustling with added entertainment for people visiting the city centre.

“We are looking for projects that offer value for money as well as great entertainment. If you are an artist, don’t miss this incredible opportunity and make your submission to take part.”

The event is being part-funded by the city council, arts group In Certain Places as well as external funding.

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Artists and performers wanting to take part can apply for funding between £200 to £5,000 for performances.

The spirit of the Harris Flights

The event is hoped to invoke the spirit of the Harris Flights - on a smaller scale Pic: Tony Worrall

The event is hoped to invoke the spirit of the Harris Flights – on a smaller scale Pic: Tony Worrall

Professor of Public Art Practice at UCLan and director of In Certain Places, Charles Quick, said: “In Certain Places commissioned the Harris Flights for the Flag Market in 2013, which still lasts in people’s memory. This time we wanted to connect the city centre with other spaces in the city.

“PAO designed the Canopies especially for Preston. Firstly, they will be seen at UCLan as part of the Welcome Village, Fresher’s week, before being cycled into the city centre in time for the festival.”

The festival follows the city council pledging it wants to create a major event in the city to happen every other year – a Biennial – to fill the cultural gap between the Preston Guild every 20 years.

Existing late September events Preston Pride and Run Preston are to be included within the three day festival.

The Preston Festival is due to run from Friday 25 September to Sunday 27 September.

Anyone wanting to apply to be part of the festival can do so by visiting the city council website.

What do you think of the idea? Will you be taking part? Let us know in the comments below

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