The Festival of Youth Arts (FYA) could not have come at a better time. With teenage crime making headlines all across the UK, the FYA Festival aims to dispel negative images and empower young people. The festival is an innovative project which pulls young people together to showcase their diverse creative skills.
From photography and poetry to dance and design, FYA is helping young people shine. The Festival is in its 3rd year and this year has the theme of ‘Breaking Free’ to celebrate the end of slavery and breaking out of negative stereotypes.
FYA will launch on Sunday 27th May, with a huge event in Trafalgar Square with young people putting on a spectacular display of dance, music, art, photography, spoken word and much much more. The project is supported by Ken Livingstone, who will help the festival get underway. The event will also showcase performances from the best in UK Hip Hop talent, including Blemish Blackstorm performing his latest underground smash ‘Blackstar’ (currently on rotation on MTV Base and Channel U).
The Trafalgar Square event will lead into a number of events around the capital, including Live Arts stages that are devised, co-ordinated and managed by young people themselves. The 6 stages will feature talent hand-selected by the young people to represent themselves and their peers, with fresh music, exciting dance and amazing art. The local stages will engage with hard to reach youth who are normally excluded from the arts scene.
The week long festival will also grace prestigious arts venues including the National Portrait Gallery, Oval House, Hackney Empire and The Carling Academy with a mind-blowing array of talent on show. Many young Londoners will be visiting these venues for the very first time!
Trevor Blackman, Creative Director at FYA said, “Young people are at the heart of Festival of Youth Arts. We want to shake off their negative image and show how they can express themselves creatively. It is a massive opportunity for them to show off their skills, build their confidence and shine in front of a huge audience. FYA is about giving young people the chance to show the world what they are really about.”
By: Michelle Adabra
