Forest Worlds Festival 2019

The Forest Worlds Festival was a family-focused celebration event which took place on 27th July 2019 in Central Forest Park, Stoke- on-Trent, with 15 different artists and organisations running performances and workshops. 

It was co-created with young people from Stoke-on-Trent through regular monthly meet-ups and workshops in local schools to name, theme, direct and develop artwork for the festival. 

Young people rarely get a say in how spaces they use or activities they take part in are organised. We included young people in festival decision-making and design processes, testing their ideas with artists to develop the festival program.

Adult volunteers and artists took part in playwork training and co-creation workshops that enabled them to facilitate child-led activities. Families spread the word and created a community of shared values around childhood freedom.

A glimpse into a family-focused arts festival co-created with young people, artists and families in Stoke-on-Trent. This short film captures performances, workshops and play spaces shaped through months of collaboration in schools and parks — celebrating imagination, freedom and community.