Wanting to keep alive the mission of supporting “arts in the community,” the board intends to distribute remaining funds to two local community based groups who have not only supported Arts Fresco, but who continue to inspire and support local community members to participate in and enjoy performance arts.

Harborough FM is a fantastic example of a voluntary organisation whose inspired leadership binds us all to Market Harborough and articulates the essence of what makes our community so special. Working on a shoestring budget their daily broadcast output is astonishing but combined with their commitment to outside/event broadcasts, truly phenomenal.

Great Bowden Recital Trust is a hugely ambitious organisation with over 200 members who all enjoy making music. However, the trust has far wider ambitions than simply its members and annually makes many £000’s in grants to local people to pay for lessons and instruments which they would not otherwise be able to afford. Plans are already underway to start developing music therapy workshops and other innovative ways of helping people with limited access to music to get involved.

Launching the ‘Show your love for Arts Fresco’ appeal at a recent Chamber meeting, local board members received several immediate pledges of sponsorship and have now sent a letter to the many other businesses who benefit from the event in the town to ask for their support.

“Arts Fresco’s free programme is made possible by the generosity of a huge number of local people who donate their time and energy, but remains heavily dependent upon funding and sponsorship to pay for the high quality artists we all enjoy,” said Hazel Cook, Chair of Arts Fresco. “Local business sponsorship and the income we earn as a result of selling tickets and programmes are key to unlocking essential funding and if we are to welcome the return of this much admired festival, now is the time to show your love.”

Arts Fresco has been a highlight in the town’s annual calendar for 11 years; in 2011 winning best tourism event of the year as it celebrated its 10^th anniversary. Local board members, who all live and work in Market Harborough, plan to stage the next event in May 2013, subject to funding and the commitment of local volunteers to help manage the event.

If you would like to become involved in planning and delivering the next festival, please contact Hazel Cook on 01858 434172 or 075036 185215 for details.

Arts Fresco won Best Tourism Event at the LeicesterShire Tourism Awards in 2011 and is recognised as one of the leading festivals in the East Midlands.  In 2011 the event moved from the town centre to nearby Welland Park, allowing a full weekend of entertainment, including a dramatic evening fire trail designed by European company Fireworxx and performances which took place inside a Big Top.

Arts Fresco has previously been funded by a combination of private sponsorship, local business support and significant public funding from Arts Council England.  The festival also receives support from Harborough District Council and Leicestershire County Council.  The festival has in past years been delivered as a free festival for members of the public and the board is now focusing on the development of a funding package which will secure the festival in the long term.   The move to the Spring is a key element of this plan.

Hazel Cook, CEO of Arts Fresco, said: “our main priority is to focus on the long term future of Arts Fresco, a much loved event by the people of Market Harborough.  In the current economic climate we have to consider how we generate the money required to pay for the annual event.  We are currently preparing funding applications and discussing sponsorship opportunities with local companies and will know the size and scale of Arts Fresco once decisions have been made. 

We really welcome any support people would like to give and are especially keen to engage with local community groups to increase the number and diversity of the shows on offer over the festival. Indeed it is through discussions with several local groups and schools that it has been decided that it would be far better to run the event in the Spring in future years thereby increasing activity and reducing pressure on local volunteers during a traditional holiday period. 2012 was chosen to be the best year to make this change because of all the other events being staged for the Olympics and Jubilee celebrations.”

A programme of events are being organised throughout 2012 to keep the name of Arts Fresco very much alive and the team are currently gearing up to support the Torch Relay which is coming to Market Harborough on 2^nd July. The programme will include performances from Arts Fresco regular Goronwy Thom in addtion to a Circus Skills workshop kindly sponsored by Market Harborough Building Society
If you would like to get involved in Arts Fresco please call Hazel Cook on 01858 434172

Winners of the awards will now be put forward to take part in the national competition, an event which will also be held in Leicester later on this year.

Commenting on the award Hazel Cook, CEO of Arts Fresco said, “This is a fantastic boost for the event which has grown enormously in popularity over the past 10 years. Everyone involved is absolutely thrilled with the accolade and very thankful to the team at Leicester Shire Promotions for the recognition of their efforts.”

Plans for future events will be announced next month.

Kettering’s first Arts Fresco Fringe festival will be celebrated on the Market Place from 11am on Saturday 10 September, supported by Kettering Borough Council and Northamptonshire Touring Arts.

Professional performers will be taking over the award winning Market Place as they look to thrill, intrigue and excite the crowds. Experience trolley riding grannies who refuse to walk and catch the big, bold and beehived usherettes Pearland Deanie searching out hidden talent amongst the crowd. These are just some of the acts due to perform at the Kettering Arts Fresco Fringe which guarantees to be a free fun day out for all the family with plenty of family activities and hilarious street performance.

Valerie Hitchman Head of Community Services at Kettering Borough Council said:

The Arts Fresco Fringe is a fantastic way to round off a packed summer of events that have taken place at Kettering Market Place as part of our Summer Celebrations. We are thrilled that in its tenth year the Arts Fresco has chosen to expand to Kettering for one fun filled day on the Market Place and hope that everyone will join in making this an event to remember.

Cllr Steve Bellamy, Portfolio Holder for Community and Culture said:

As our Summer Celebrations come to an end, Kettering’s Arts Fresco Fringe is guaranteed to be a day of excitement with a host of different performers taking to the Market Place entertaining the crowds.  It’s great to see the Market Place again staging another distinctive, characterful and fun event and we look forward to welcoming Arts Fresco to Kettering.

Hazel Cook, Arts Fresco Director said:

I am delighted that the people of Kettering will get to experience some of the great acts that Arts Fresco provides, and if you have a great day on Saturday why not come over to Welland Park in Market Harborough on the Sunday to see more. Over the weekend there’s a great comedy show and an award winning silent movie style show in the parks Big Top for all the family to enjoy.

As well as joining in the free fun at Kettering’s Market Place on the Saturday, why not make a weekend of it and get some tickets for the tenth anniversary spectacular evening shows down the road in Market Harborough. Be prepared to expect the unexpected.

For more information on the Arts Fresco Fringe visit www.artsfresco.com or call Kettering Tourist Information on (01536) 315 115

The Harborough based company Seven Locks Housing provided funding for the trail and would love as many people as possible to get involved in the making of and recording the stories for the statues. Dates the free workshops will take place are the 15th,16th and 18^th of August to make the sculptures and  then the  22nd, 23rd and 25th for the recording of the stories.

If you are interested in getting involved please contact Deborah Bennett the Executive Director of Seven Locks Housing on 07527 385126 or email her at

Deborah.Bennett@sevenlockshousing.co.uk.

Deborah is delighted that Seven Locks Housing are supporting the trail and said.  “Chris tells me this will involve creating moulds of people (you!) using cling film and sellotape to build up replicas of your body parts.  The process is quick , clean and safe but the outcomes are extraordinarily beautiful and quite sturdy. It will be great fun and really add something to this years festival – we hope as many people as possible get involved”

Arts Fresco has continued to receive support from Harborough District Council and the successful and stylish clothing business Joules. Despite huge national cuts in arts spending, a few months ago the organisation received confirmation from Arts Council England that it had received a grant to bring in an internationally renowned headline show. Now Arts Fresco has received an award from the Big Society.

Hazel Cook, director of Arts Fresco, is delighted with the award off Leicestershire County Councils Big Society initiative, “it will enable us to become a more self sustaining entity and to work with more volunteers over more days”

The Harborough based company Seven Locks Housing are also supporting Arts Fresco this year, providing funding for the Talking Statues trail. This unique sculpture trail will lead people through Market Harborough, along its Millennium Walk and in to Welland park. Seven Locks who aim to make stronger communities wanted to support this commission as the talking statues will tell the stories of the town’s amazing people both past and present, those who have helped make Market Harborough the friendly, creative, charming town that it is today.

The Market Harborough & The Bowdens Charity have also awarded a grant to Arts Fresco to enable children and families to come together and get involved in arts activities. The grant will fund the clay modelling workshop. It is the first time the clay modelling company has come to Market Harborough but they have been delighting festival goers across the country for the last 10 years by providing an unusual mix of participatory workshop and exhibition creating  unique “terracotta army” style records of any event big or small. It is with thanks to The Market Harborough & The Bowdens Charity that all are welcome to take part in this creative, educational and fun activity on Sunday 11^th September.

The volunteers are integral to the success of the event, even more so this year as it has expanded to cover three days, 9, 10 and 11 September, in order to cram in even more great performers. It is also the first time that Arts Fresco will incorporate ticketed performances in a new big top venue and will welcome internationally acclaimed street performance company Bash Street Theatre.

Support is not only needed at the event. Promoting the biggest, boldest and best event yet in its new venue in Welland Park in the weeks leading up to Arts Fresco is essential and rewarding and the organisers of the festival are open to any ideas which gets the word out to as many people as possible.

To whet the appetite of anyone interested in helping out this year, interactive sculpture artist Chris Baldwin will be doing a one man show for volunteers new and old on 10 August, 7pm at the Angel Hotel in Harborough’s High Street. This is a chance to meet the creative force behind the Talking Sculptures which will be woven throughout the town’s streets, be inspired and find out much more about this year’s Arts Fresco.

If potential volunteers can’t make the event on 10 August in Harborough, there are plenty of other ways to express an interest in getting involved: email Arts Fresco Deborah Bennett  – info@artsfresco.com or to find out more about this year’s Arts Fresco, the big top performances and all the events which will be taking place at the festival, go to the brand new website at www.artsfresco.com.

Hazel Cook, director of Arts Fresco, believes the volunteers make Arts Fresco the great community event it is due to their enthusiasm and wants people from all walks of life to get involved. “We can’t do without these team members and we appreciate every minute they contribute, but we also get loads of positive feedback from volunteers saying what a great time they’ve had being around all the performers and visitors. Some felt they were even part of the whole performance experience themselves as it was all going on around them.”

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Arts Fresco is supported by Arts Council England, Harborough District Council, Joules Clothing and Seven Locks Housing. Market Harborough & the Bowdens Trust, Lecestershire County Council Big Society Award
For further information, please contact Hazel Cook on 07503 185215, or email info@artsfresco.com.

Arts Fresco, the annual street performance festival in Market Harborough, has announced that internationally acclaimed and award winning street theatre group Bash Street Theatre will headline its 2011 event in the new big top venue. The company will perform Cliffhanger!, its most successful street theatre show since it was founded 20 years ago.

Bigger, bolder and better than ever before, for the first time Arts Fresco will feature ticketed performances under canvas over three days, Friday 9 September, Saturday 10 September and Sunday 11 September 2011, with an explosion of free outdoor street entertainment, participation events and much more throughout the final day.

The location has also been shifted from the town centre to nearby Welland Park to facilitate the introduction of the big top theatre and an extensive line-up of attractions. This is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to be entertained by the best that professional street performance has to offer, all in one place on one weekend.

Bash Street Theatre will spend most of the summer touring Europe before coming to Arts Fresco to perform Cliffhanger!, a fast-moving, thrills and spills, hilarious show with live piano accompaniment, inspired by the silent movies of Buster Keaton. It promises falling buildings, dare-devil escapology, loads of laughs and, of course, a happy ending. It’s a combination of drama and physical theatre that appeals to audiences of every age.

Hazel Cook, director of Arts Fresco, is clearly excited about the expansion of the festival and its ability to attract artists with a worldwide reputation. “We are definitely on the map now,” she states. “Arts Fresco is unique because it specialises in street performance of all genres, and everyone loves the fun, skill and laughter these performers bring to their art. Bash Street Theatre is just the icing on the cake for us. We are so pleased that visitors to the event will have the chance to experience such a respected company of performers.”

This year’s Arts Fresco will again present an eclectic mix of weird, wonderful and wistful performances from the best this artform has to offer. But the feast for the senses does not stop there. The beautiful Enchanted Evening Promenade, lit by candles and spectacular fire sculptures, will guide visitors along the river from the town centre to the main festival site, and an interactive experience connecting incredible sculptures and MP3 technology will be woven into the town’s architecture.

Tickets for performances of Cliffhanger! in the big top include free access to the Enchanted Evening Promenade and will be in great demand, so to register for further announcements about prices and how to buy them go to www.artsfresco.com or email info@artsfresco.com.

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Editors’ notes:
CLIFFHANGER! has toured throughout the UK and extensively in Europe, with performances in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy and Spain, where it won the “best street theatre” award at the prestigious Tàrrega Theatre Festival in September, 2006.
For further information, please contact Hazel Cook on 01858 434463, or email info@artsfresco.com.

Arts Fresco, Market Harborough’s annual free street arts festival, has just heard that crucial funding from the Arts Council has been increased despite the huge cuts in arts spending announced this year. The local organisers who have worked hard to make the event possible, are delighted that the town can look forward to another spectacular in 2011 and are calling on local businesses to get involved in the project.

The Arts Fresco Business Club will be launched at a special meeting to be hosted by Nick Carter of Prospect Leicestershire on Tuesday 19th at 5.30pm at the Angel Hotel where plans for this year’s innovative programme will be unveiled.

The 10th Anniversary programme will take place over the weekend of the 10th and 11th September and will include an exciting line up of professional artists drawn from across the UK and Europe. As always, visitors can expect an eclectic programme of quirky, fun, and individual performances designed to appeal to the whole family.

The event, which is now the largest outdoor arts festival the East Midlands attracted crowds of over 25,000 people to the town over the past two years, is widely seen as a highlight in the town’s calendar and a source of great pride to residents.

Hazel Cook, Chair of the committee comments “Although the grant is a huge accolade and will go a long way to securing the event this year, we will have to prove to the Arts Council that local business in addition to Joules, recognise the economic and cultural value of the event to the town. As always with Arts Fresco we will be producing an innovative programme and this year will see the biggest changes yet to the event.”.

In previous years Arts Fresco has unleashed a variety of weird and wonderful acts onto the town including, dinosaurs, robots, elephants and singing nuns. It has become a firm favourite with families who enjoy a day of entertainment. www.artsfresco.com

The team has been working for months on the fabulous line up which is suitable for all the family.

Take a stroll into town as the  road closure is now in place – Free Shows start from 12.00.

Have a great day!