Young people across Hull will be exploring issues that affect them at a free arts festival next week.

Creative Voice is a youth arts partnership engaging young people aged 13 to 19 years across the city, in youth centres and arts organisations such as Kingston Youth Centre and Hull New Theatre.

This October half term the partnership is putting on a festival to showcase young people’s work.

The festival’s theme is 'This Is Who I Am' and will include creative workshops, performances, conversations and exhibitions exploring issues that are important to young people. The theme has been inspired by the song, 'This is Who I Am', written at last year's festival by Freedom Road Creative Arts.

Ruth Drake, arts development officer at Hull City Council, said: “The festival offers young people across Hull the exciting chance to take part in creative workshops with professional artists as well as the chance showcase their own creative work. We have been working with young people to co-programme the festival, as well as using ideas from last year’s event.”

Marjorie Brabazon, chair of Hull Culture and Leisure, said: “This is a festival created by young people, for young people.

“It’s vitally important that we give young people this platform and ensure that they have a voice in this city and a space to challenge, discuss and debate important issues.”

The festival will be launched by Gabriela Surdyk, Hull’s Young Mayor, at the festival's Pop-up Space in the Creative and Cultural Art Space 2 on Level 2 in Princes Quay on Monday 28 October from 4pm until 5pm.

Monday 28 October, 6pm until 7.30pm: Beats Bus Taster Music Workshop, Route One Youth Centre, HU5 3BH. The Beats Bus will be encouraging the city's next generation to speak out about their hopes and aspirations through music.

Monday 28 October, 6pm until 8pm: MakerspaceHull Film-Making Taster Workshop, Andrew Marvell Youth Centre, HU9 4EE. Find out more about film-making and explore the fun of a green screen.

Tuesday 29 October – Saturday 2 November: ‘Paste Up’ Exhibition, Whitefriargate shop windows. A street art project exploring young people’s digital lives and experiences. In a series of workshops with My Pockets, groups of young people from Psypher, Ainthorpe Youth Centre, Big Buzz and Young Carers Group created images that have been printed on large-scale printers at MakerspaceHull. The project is fun, imaginative and brings to life some of the shopfronts on Whitefriargate.

Tuesday 29 October – Saturday 2 November, 12pm until 3.30pm: Creative Voice Pop Up Exhibition and Workshops, Creative and Cultural Art Space 2 on Level 2 in Princes Quay, HU1 2PQ. A week of events programmed by Creative Voice young people’s planning group and Youth Arts Takeover. 

Tuesday – Printing, photography and fashion with Makerspace Hull

Wednesday – The Longest Lino Print in Yorkshire with Feral Art School

Thursday – Illustration and design with The Big Malarkey Festival

Friday – Game Design with Youth Arts Takeover & interactive games with 1upstarts Theatre Company

Saturday – Game Design with Youth Arts Takeover plus interactive games with 1upstarts Theatre Company and a chance to meet Brick by Brick’s Omni Science Robot!

Tuesday 29 October, 7pm until 9.30pm: Music Gig, Humber Street Creative Hub 61–63 Humber Street, HU1 1TU. Featuring emerging DJS, bands from Freedom Road Creative Arts and Highway to Hull.

Wednesday 30 October, 7pm until 9pm: Halloween Party, Kingston Youth Centre, HU3 1YE. Dress up, have fun and even make your own scary projection with MakerspaceHull.

Wednesday 30 October and Friday 1 November: Hull Dance and Blood Memory Dance Company, Hull Dance Pop-up Studio, 66-68 Humber Street, HU1 1TU.

Wednesday 30 October, 11am until 12pm: Jazz Dance workshop

Friday 1 November, 11am until 12.30pm: Blood Memory Hip Hop workshop

Friday 1 November, 5.30pm: Performance by Blood Memory’s professional company ‘Counting Planes’ 

Friday 1 November, 7pm until 9pm: Museum Late, Ferens Art Gallery, HU1 3RA. As part of Youth Arts Festival you’re invited to join Ferens Art Gallery for a night of creativity, inspiration and conversation. Co-produced by Future Ferens, a team of 16-25 year olds working with gallery curators at the Ferens Art Gallery, this late event invites young people to take-over the gallery, exploring identity through drag, live-art and portraiture.

Saturday 2 November, 11am until 1pm: Generations Orchestra, Albemarle Music Centre, HU2 8LN. Work together to create rhythm, song and beats.

Please contact creativevoice@hullcc.gov.uk for more information.

Find us on facebook: creativevoicehull and twitter: @creativevoice2

Creative Voice is a Hull City Council (Arts Development and Youth Development Service) youth arts initiative in partnership with HeadStart Hull, Hull Libraries and Music 4U as well as Festival partner Youth Arts Takeover.