Rhymes and Crimes has been developed from the hugely successful Divas and DJs project that has taken place in Harrogate for the past five years, but instead of running for just one week the new programme will extend across ten weeks and reach different areas of the town, recognised as areas flagged by the Community Safety Partnership as a key area for activity. The weekly workshops offer young people the chance to learn new skills with professional DJS, giving them the opportunity to learn to MC, mix tracks and perform, as well as the chance to work with the resident writer to create lyrics for the tracks. Using crime scenes, crime fiction and by addressing issues in their community, participants will be given a new voice to communicate their feelings, perceptions and own personal circumstances, and benefit from the skills learnt through expressing themselves through the written word.

Harrogate International Festival’s Festivals and Education Manager, Bryony Davies, said: “Divas & DJs has a track record of tackling anti-social behaviour in Harrogate and we’re excited to be able to extend the great work it’s done in more areas of Harrogate and over a longer period through Rhymes and Crimes. The urban theme attracts young people who might be at risk of offending or for those who simply have limited access to engaging in exciting arts projects. ”

Partners for Divas & DJs include the Youth Music Action Zone for rural North Yorkshire (NYMAZ), Harrogate District Safer Communities Partnership, Enjoy Healthy Living, Extended Schools, 4Youth Service, CYC, and North Yorkshire Police Community Support Officers. The partners refer participants to the scheme as well as staff, and support each event, distributing promotional material and supplying artists to lead the workshops.

The programme began on Thursday 2 February and will run up to Friday 30 March. Sessions take place between 7 – 9pm every Thursday at the Jennyfields Styan Community Centre, and every Friday at the Starbeck Youth and Community Centre.

Bryony added: “It’s a really positive chance to showcase the talents of some of the district’s young, emerging artists who may otherwise not have had such an opportunity. We aim to enrich community cohesion by demonstrating the talent of these young people, offering them an alternative voice through the programme and hope to break down social stereotypes.”

Heidi Johnson, Director of Programmes for (NYMAZ) who partners the scheme, said:  “Rhymes and Crimes is a flagship project in the NYMAZ programme, raising aspirations and opening new horizons for young people through engagement in positive, creative activities. The project offers a fantastic opportunity for young people to find their talent and to work together towards a performance where everyone gets the chance to shine.”

Author Andrew Hammond is set to enthral and excite students across Yorkshire, with a tour which will include Nidderdale High School and Ripon Grammar School on Tuesday March 6^th, followed by a trip to Boroughbridge High School and Harrogate Grammar School on Wednesday March 7^th.

These four Harrogate International Festivals events will be presented in association with partner Headline Publishing Group. Each hour-long session, performed for a range of key stage 3 classes, will initiate audience members into the ‘Covert Youth Paranormal Team’, including some spooky ghost stories, going behind the scenes of some bloody, historical events. As well as talking about the inspiration behind his CRYPT series, Andrew will share funny anecdotes about growing up and reveal that yes, even writers get scared sometimes by their own stories!

CRYPT is Andrew’s first fictional series. The highly successful ‘CRYPT: The Gallow’s Curse’ will be followed up with his next spooky offering, ‘CRYPT: Traitor’s Revenge,’ released March 1^st 2012. The new book is an exciting and fresh arrival in the adventure/thriller genre for books, a fantastic blend of teenage spies, horror and ghost-busting, think Spooks meets Doctor Who! Perfect for fans of Robert Muchamore, Darren Shan and Eoin Charlie Higson.

Andrew has written over forty English textbooks for schools and he can spot the difference between an adjectival and adverbial phrase at fifty paces (if only someone would ask him to). He is founder and lead author of the Independent Curriculum, a new creative curriculum for schools launched in September 2011. He now splits his time between writing and educational consultancy, and lives in Suffolk with his wife and their four angels – none of whom are old enough yet to read ‘Daddy’s scary books’, but one day…

To celebrate this exciting series of events, Harrogate International Festivals and Headline Publishing Group are offering readers the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of Andrew Hammond’s brand new title ‘CRYPT: Traitor’s Revenge’, along with an exclusive CRYPT agent wristband. For the chance to win, entrants simply need to answer the following question – What is the name of Andrew Hammond’s first CRYPT novel? Answers should be sent to info@harrogate-festival.org.uk by no later than midnight on Friday March 9^th.

Competition terms and condition
Closing date for entries is Friday 9 March 2012. No purchase is necessary to enter the Prize Draw and entry is by email only. Harrogate International Festival accepts no responsibility for incomplete or invalid entries. If you are under the age of 18, please gain permission from a parent or guardian before entering. The winning entries will be drawn at random; winners will be alerted within 1 week of the closing date and will be notified by email. The prize is not transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or alternative books/prizes. Data submitted by entrants will only be used for the purpose of this Prize Draw. By entering this Prize Draw each entrant agrees to be bound by these terms and conditions.

The Global Villages Workshops, led by traditional musicians and multi-instrumentalists Heel Grove, will take participants on a journey across Scotland, giving them opportunities to experience the different traditions throughout the country from the Islands to Highlands!  Children will learn and write folk songs, create soundscapes to represent different parts of Scotland, listen to the stories and legends of the country, and of course have a go at Ceillidh dancing!

The workshops will round off with a short performance by the workshop participants for their families and friends, giving a platform for them to showcase their new skills.

The Global Villages Workshops are delivered by North Yorkshire Youth Music Action Zone (NYMAZ) and the Harrogate International Festivals.

Bryony Davies, Festivals and Education Manager for Harrogate International Festivals, said:  “We’re delighted to once again bring the Global Villages Workshops to rural north Yorkshire. They’re fantastically popular thanks to the unique opportunity to learn hands-on from talented artists. Places are limited, so do book early to avoid disappointment.”

The workshops will be held from February 13 to 17, at venues across the region, and places are just £5 each.  Young people will need to bring a packed lunch with them, and breaks and lunchtime will be supervised.

Downloadable booking forms are available at the Harrogate International festival: www.harrogate-festival.org.uk or call Bryony at the Festival office for more details on: 01423 562303, email: bryony@harrogate-festival.org.uk.

Workshop Venues and Dates:

Monday 13 February
10.30am – 3.00pm, Boroughbridge High School
Tuesday 14 February
10.30am – 3.00pm, Boroughbridge High School
Wednesday 15 February
10.30am – 3.00pm, Spofforth Long Memorial Hall
Thursday 16 February
10.30am – 3.00pm, Holy Trinity Church, Ripon
Friday 17 February
10.30am – 3.00pm, Nidderdale High School

After winning first place at the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition in 1990, marking the beginning of his international career, Portuguese born pianist Artur Pizarro has since taken the world by storm with his breath-taking performances. Performing worldwide in recital and chamber music, and with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, he makes a very welcome return to Harrogate’s stage with a programme that draws on four of the greatest composers for piano. Growing from Chopin’s ‘miniature masterpieces’ to the grand splendour of Wagner, Liszt and Rachmaninov, Pizarro’s thrilling programme promises to be the perfect start to the New Year and this exciting season of classical music at its finest.

Moving gracefully through Spring, the next four concerts will see an exciting array of musicians take to the stage in Harrogate. February will see recitals from the Pavão String Quartet, described as the ensemble to ‘offer classical music a dynamic future’, and BBC Radio 3 favourite Martin Roscoe. The programme will then play out with a very welcome return from alumni of the Festivals’ Young Musician Series Julian Bliss in March, with the season ultimately drawing to a close in April with one of Britain’s foremost cellists, Paul Watkins. The concerts will include some of the world’s finest compositions from Schubert, Chopin, Wagner, Liszt, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Beethoven, Stravinsky, for what is set to be a truly unmissable season of classical music.

Tickets for the full series are on sale directly from the Festival Office. Harrogate International Sunday Series tickets can be booked by phone on 01423 562303, by email on: info@harrogate-festival.org.uk or in person by visiting the office situated at Raglan House, Raglan Street, Harrogate, HG1 1LE. Booking Forms are also available to download from the Festival website: www.harrogate-festival.org.uk

Harrogate International Festivals works year-round to bring high quality arts experiences to audiences in the North of England. Below you will see what your support helped us to achieve throughout 2011….

Summer Festival Review

The 2011 Festival was a resounding success with new developments and audiences created through the delivery of a Children’s Festival, the Spiegeltent and emerging Fringe Festival. The Summer Festival took on a new format over long-weekends with many sold-out events throughout the season and wonderful feedback from new audiences:

“So different from anything we’ve ever seen in Harrogate, feels very European.” Audience member

All of these developments aimed to increase awareness and impact within the town and region and to strengthen the brand of the Summer Festival , maintaining our goal of providing world-class art and culture for the region and remaining the ‘North of England’s leading arts Festival’ (The Times).

“I never thought my son would ever ask me to buy him a book.” Mum following the Football Reading Game

It is with this firm foundation that we build our Festival’s offer for the year ahead and 2012 is certainly a year to celebrate, with the London Olympic Games and the exciting news that the Olympic Torch is coming through Harrogate, while the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee also promises great excitement.

The Summer Festival programme will reflect the celebratory feel and will be packed with world-class acts. As well as the usual high-quality performances from international artists, 2012 hopes to see the return of the magical mirrored Spiegeltent, which caused such as stir when it landed in Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens last July.

Harrogate International Sunday Series

The 19th Harrogate International Sunday Series presented by the Harrogate International Festivals returns in 2012 with a season of performances from some of the world’s brightest stars on the chamber music scene. In these challenging times, we continue to focus on attracting international excellence to the region, enabling local audiences to experience some of the greatest artists working in the world today.

Artur Pizarro, piano
Sunday 22 January 2012
Pavao String Quartet
Sunday 5 February 2012
Martin Roscoe, piano
Sunday 19 February 2012
Julian Bliss, clarinet
Sunday 18 March 2012
Paul Watkins, cello
Sunday 15 April 2012

We hope you’ll join us in the splendour of the Old Swan Hotel to experience some of the best classical music talent the world has to offer. The Festival Office will close for the Christmas period on Friday 23rd December and re-open on Tuesday 3rd January. However, during this time you can still reserve tickets by calling 01423 562 303 or buy online via our website here.

ReachOut

Harrogate International Festivals is proud to boast a diverse range of community and education projects deriving from both our music and literature Festivals through our ReachOut programme.
We believe that music and the arts have the power to change lives and empower young people. Working with disadvantaged young people is an important priority and thousands of young people have participated in our ReachOut programmes.
From DJ-ing to dhol drumming, singing to sporting poetry, Ga chants to gadget design, we bring internationally acclaimed artists and authors to engage with young people in music and literature activities of the highest quality.

Musical Mums

Our innovative weekly singing project for teenage mums and their babies is now celebrating its 5th year. Singing is proven to help bond mum and baby, in addition to assisting speech, numeracy and literacy in early years development.
Our partners include NHS midwives and SureStart, who support the mums  – who may have been initially attracted by the singing -  to access a variety of support services that are not traditionally used by teenage mums due to isolation, fear, finances and a lack of parental support.
Over 20 mums and their babies now access the singing project with many mums now back in education and being taught to lead the singing sessions themselves.

Global Villages

Bringing the World to the Doorstep of the District!
Our touring world music projects work in areas of rural isolation across the district to ensure that Harrogate International Festivals maintains its commitment to delivering across Harrogate and the wider area.
This half-term project has now toured nearly every village hall across the District in the last 4 years, and we’re delighted with the warm welcome from the local communities for our international artists, who provide rare opportunities for communities in rural areas to engage with diverse cultural experiences.

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival

Since being established in 2003, the Crime Writing Festival has programmed 353 authors, worked with 276 aspiring writers, and welcomed 59,152 audience members.  Over the four days of the Festival over 1,500 rooms are taken in hotels across Harrogate, with accomodation package bookings taken directly at the Harrogate International Festivals Office throughout the year.

The Festival has an economic impact of £2m, which contributes to the overall Harrogate International Festivals £4.1m economic impact to the Harrogate District, and puts Harrogate firmly on the map by attracting internationally bestselling authors and having a firm place in the national literary calendar.

Thanks to the global names it attracts, from Lee Child to Martina Cole, the Festival also generates huge media coverage. From the on-going support of the local Harrogate Advertiser and Yorkshire Post, to national features and online blogs in The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent and The Guardian, the Festival creates significant media profile for the town, the Festivals and the award-winning partnership with T&R Theakston Ltd.

Next year’s Festival will take place on the 19-22 July 2012. To celebrate the 10th year of the ‘biggest & best festival of its kind anywhere in the world’, 2012 Programming Chair, Mark Billingham, has put together an astounding line-up of authors, with Jo Nesbo (pictured), Harlan Coben, John Connolly and Charlaine Harris announced as Special Guests for next year.

Funding The Future

The ambition for Harrogate International Festivals is one of a vibrant, sustainable arts organisation, leading arts provision, not only in the Harrogate District, but also as a primary cultural organisation for Yorkshire.

Harrogate International Festivals continues to develop its portfolio, which contains some of the country’s most prestigious arts events, featuring the biggest names in the arts world and dramatically increasing the cultural and tourism offer for Harrogate and wider District.

While we have lofty ambitions for our organisation the funding situation continues to be a challenge, and with the changed position in funding from the Arts Council alongside an uncertain economic and funding climate, we continually revise our priorities for delivery and source new streams of funding for the Festivals.

As a wise man once said; “every challenge is an opportunity” and it is with a sense of opportunity that we review areas of delivery, set new priorities and re-establish our brand and offer within the region.

Friends of the Festivals – Join Today!

Harrogate International Festivals is a registered charity. Ticket sales alone do not cover all our costs, and with reduced support from other areas, we are heavily reliant on the support of individual donations. Every little helps. By supporting us, you are helping to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the Festivals, ensuring its presence for future generations. You can support the Festivals from as little as £25 a year.

Harrogate International Festivals Membership makes an ideal gift for anyone, whether their interests lie with the best in classical music, crime writing, jazz, world music, comedy or youth, rural or community projects. Members receive many benefits including advance notification and booking of events, exclusive Friends events and regular updates on Festival activities.

For more information call 01423 562 303 or visit www.harrogate-festival.org.uk.

Sponsor & Financial Support

Harrogate International Festivals is a creative organisation, working year round to bring the highest quality performing arts, literature and education participation to Harrogate and Yorkshire through strategic alliances with key public and commercial partners.

We have been at the forefront of working with business over the last 40 years. Our association with major artists and the best in classical, jazz, folk and world music offers huge scope for brand renovation and positioning on both a regional and national level. Meanwhile, our ReachOut programme has a hugely beneficial impact on the community, addressing a wide range of social issues including equality, diversity, health, well-being and social inclusion.

Strategic national and local partnerships have always played a vital role in the Festivals’ development and delivery and we are delighted that so many organisations and individuals are keen to associate with us year after year. Corporate sponsorship accounts for 30% of the Festivals turnover and we would like to thank our sponsors who have played such a vital part in assisting the creation of a thriving Festivals organisation.

For more information on becoming a sponsor or to find out more about how to support us, please contact Sharon Canavar on tel: 01423 562 303 or email: sharon@harrogate-festival.org.uk

Artur Pizarro promises to be the perfect start to the New Year and a new season, presenting a thrilling programme of music from Chopin’s ‘miniature masterpieces’ to the grand splendour of Wagner, Liszt and Rachmaninov. After winning first place at the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition in 1990, Pizarro has since taken the world by storm with his breath-taking performances.

Martin Roscoe, one of Britain’s most prolific recitalists, will follow on from where Pizarro exuberantly leaves off. Illustrating his breadth of experience, Roscoe’s programme will take his audience on a journey from the playful ‘Scenes from Childhood’ in Schumann’s Kinderszenen, to the sombre and tragic sonorities of Beethoven’s masterpiece, and the turbulent drama from Schubert’s sonata, written just two months before the composer’s death.

The full season line-up is completed with performances from the Pavão String Quartet, described as the ensemble to ‘offer classical music a dynamic future’, Julian Bliss, alumni of the Festivals’ Young Musician Series, and drawing finally to a close with one of Britain’s foremost cellists, Paul Watkins, amounting to what promises to be an inspirational and breath-taking series.

Following the eagerly-awaited announcement of the line-up for the 2012 Harrogate International Sunday Series, tickets for next year’s programme went on sale to the public on Thursday 1^st December. The 2012 programme is proving extremely popular so far; ticket sales are already strong in the lead up to Christmas, with individual concert tickets and subscriptions making the ideal present for classical music lovers this Christmas.

Tickets for the series are on sale directly from the Festival Office. Harrogate International Sunday Series tickets can be booked by phone on 01423 562303, by email on info@harrogate-festival.org.uk or in person by visiting the office situated at Raglan House, Raglan Street, Harrogate, HG1 1LE. Booking Forms are also available to download from the Festival website: www.harrogate-festival.org.uk

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of the Harrogate International Festivals, said: “We’re extremely proud to be maintaining the reputation and tradition of the Sunday Series with some of the finest talents at work today coming to Harrogate in 2012.

Tickets for the concerts make ideal Christmas presents for people looking for an uplifting and inspiring gift, a present to really get excited about!”

With the programme for 2012 announced, the Festivals are pleased to announce the line-up for what promises to be an inspirational and breath-taking series. The programme runs from January to April, with the Sunday morning chamber concerts taking place at the magnificent Old Swan Hotel, its Victorian splendour and traditional elegance providing the ideal setting.

Launching the season on Sunday 22 January is internationally renowned pianist and Festival favourite Artur Pizarro; the perfect start to the season. Moving gracefully through Spring, the next four concerts see an exciting array of musicians take to the stage. With performances from the Pavão String Quartet, described as the ensemble to ‘offer classical music a dynamic future’, BBC Radio 3 favourite Martin Roscoe, alumni of the Festivals’ Young Musician Series Julian Bliss, and drawing to a close with one of Britain’s foremost cellists, Paul Watkins.  The recitals will include some of the world’s finest compositions from Schubert, Chopin, Wagner, Liszt, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Beethoven, Stravinsky, for what is set to be a truly unmissable season of classical music.

Tickets for the 2012 Harrogate International Sunday Series are now on sale. In similar style to last year, tickets will be on sale directly from the Festival Office. Harrogate International Sunday Series tickets can be booked by phone on 01423 562303, by email on info@harrogate-festival.org.uk or in person by visiting the office situated at Raglan House, Raglan Street, Harrogate, HG1 1LE. Booking Forms are also available to download from the Festival website.

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of the Harrogate International Festivals, said: “We’re extremely proud to be maintaining the reputation and tradition of the Sunday Series with some of the finest talents at work today coming to Harrogate in 2012.

Following the success of last year’s internal box office system, we’ve chosen to replicate the same system again for this year. It allows us to offer the best value for money, by selling all of the Sunday Series’ tickets directly to our audience. We wanted the opportunity to offer a personal service for bookers from our dedicated Festival team.”

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
Presents

An Evening with Patricia Cornwell

Saturday 26 November 2011, 7.30pm.
The Ballroom, Barceló Majestic Hotel, Harrogate

See the multi-award winning writer in conversation with BBC Radio Four’s Mark Lawson in her only UK event outside London this year!

‘Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns’ The Mirror

The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is proud to present a very special one-off event – an opportunity to spend an evening in the company of the queen of the forensic thriller, Patricia Cornwell.

Join the internationally bestselling author of the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series for her only UK event outside London this year. Patricia Cornwell will be talking to BBC Radio Four’s Mark Lawson about her extraordinary life and career, and the inside story on her eagerly anticipated new novel, Red Mist, released on 24 November.

Copies of Red Mist will be available to purchase & there will be the opportunity to have your book signed by the author after the event.

Doors open 7.00pm. Duration approx. 1 hr

Tickets: £10.00 / £7.50 Festival Friends

Ticket Hotline: 01423 562303
Book Online

Booking Hours: Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm. Sat, 10am-4pm.

Please note: There is a £1.50 booking fee per transaction for all telephone bookings. Online bookings are subject to a 10% charge from the service provider, We Got Tickets.

Venue Information Venue address: Barceló Majestic Hotel, Springfield Road, Harrogate, HG1 2HU Car Parking: The Barceló Majestic Hotel has 250 parking spaces, for which use the hotel levies a £3.50 charge. Free on-street parking is available on streets nearby from 6pm. How To Get There By Car: From the South: M1 to A1 to Wetherby, then exit onto A661 to Harrogate. Follow signs to Ripon and town centre. Drive down Parliament Street, straight across at the traffic lights at the bottom, and up Ripon Road. After approximately 200 yards turn right into Springfield Avenue. From the North: A1 to A61 signed for Ripon and Thirsk. Follow signs to Ripon. Follow signs to Harrogate, through Ripley & Killinghall. Take 2nd exit off roundabout into Ripon Road. After approx. 1 mile, turn left in Springfield Avenue. From the West: M62 to A1 to Wetherby, then exit onto A661 to Harrogate. Follow signs to Ripon and town centre. Drive down Parliament Street, straight across at the traffic lights at the bottom, and up Ripon Road. After approximately 200 yards turn right into Springfield Avenue. By Rail: Harrogate Train Station 1 mile. Service via York or Leeds. By Bus: Harrogate Bus Station 1 mile. Service information at www.harrogatebus.co.uk

We would like to thank all those who came along during July and helped make this year’s Festival the best yet in it’s 45 year history.

We’ve selected a few pictorial highlights below, but we really want to know what you thought of the Festival.

Feedback from festival-goers is highly valuable to us, so please take some time to complete our online survey.

Make sure you follow us on twitter @HarrogateFest and on Facebook to keep up to date with the news!

Once again, thanks to all those who were involved.

Our glitzy gala opener with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with John Wilson

The crowds getting behind the Wimbledon men's singles final on our Big Screen

Harrogate International Festivals' first ever mosh-pit thanks to the stunning Paloma Faith

Our Children's Festival PapaKata Tent full to brim with super sleuths, magical music and banana sandwiches!

The beautiful and unique Spiegeltent filled with so many fab acts!

The epic finale orchestra - the Czech National Symphony Orchestra

The finale weekend certainly is grand, featuring two Yorkshire icons as Sir Michael Parkinson presents Clare Teal and Friends for A Celebration of the Great British Song Book at the Royal Hall at 8pm, Saturday 30 July.

Then it’s the exhilarating Soweto Kinch, the award-winning urban and jazz musician, mentored by Courtney Pine OBE. Soweto will be playing with his nine-piece band on Sunday 31 July at the Harrogate Theatre.

Plus for the finale weekend, the Speigeltent is coming to town..

What else can you expect in a tent of magic mirrors but the chance to see something fantastical?

The unique outdoor arts extravaganza is launched by the Festival with support from the Arts Council England.

A Spiegeltent is the old European tradition of a large travelling tent that allowed entertainers to take their shows on the road. Constructed from wood, canvas and decorated with mirrors and stained glass, the tents are a feature themselves – rare survivors of history that have appeared at Edinburgh Festival, Melbourne International Arts Festival and now Harrogate.

The magic of the mirrored tent will shroud the town folk from Thursday 28 July for a long weekend of street theatre, Sunday jazz and local bands. The Demon Barbers, winners of the Best Live Act gong at the 2009 BBC Folk Awards, launch the event. Known for their high-energy jamboree of song, dance and musical surprise, they take mainly traditional ballads, strange tales of myth and magic and twist them into stranger, Gothic folk rock.

On Friday there’s an Afternoon Tea Dance in a venue that cries out to be waltzed in, followed by the young local band, Unknown Society, at 6pm. The evening promises charm and romance, as French crooner Benoit Viellefon weaves together sultry swing with nostalgic dance music from the 1930s and 40s at 8pm. With swing, quickstep, maybe even cha-cha and the hint of a rumba, expect feel-good cabaret jazz.

Saturday night features acoustic pop from Ellen and the Escapades, the band that stormed Glastonbury, becoming a favourite of the ultimate culture vulture, Lauren Laverne. Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis says they’re “better than Joni Mitchell’.

There’ll also be a chance to dance in the tent of mirrors and see if you really do look good on the dance floor with a Silent Disco, where all the family are invited to wear wireless headphones so you can party loud (without upsetting the neighbours).