Projects
Strawberry Moon Festival 2007
The first 'Strawberry Moon Festival' took place on June 30th and July 1st 2007. The underpinning ethos to the festival is to provide a local platform in which to host and encourage the creative industries, business and local communities to come together in a celebratory event, with a strong emphasis on participation for the general public.
The event which works with and pro-actively for community and youth groups, the educational sector and new and existing partner organisations, has been devised in relation to the needs and issues affecting their lives and locality; i.e. social and cultural exclusion, economic disadvantage, rural isolation etc.
The research and consultation it is founded on, is built out of the success of REAP's pilot event, the 'Harvest Moon Festival' held at Blackwell Hall, Taddington, near Buxton in September 2005. This was the first major arts festival ever staged by REAP.
REAP works hard to extend its effect beyond the June / July festival, and has developed an outreach / educational programme that enables it to work with schools, community and youth groups in isolated rural and disadvantaged areas and provide essential opportunities for budding talent to be identified, encouraged and supported. Using a diverse range of 'the arts' as the mechanism in which to creatively engage young people and marginalised groups, has been tried and successfully tested by REAP as demonstrated by its portfolio of 11+ years of arts and education projects, both on major and intimate scales.
REAP see the festival and its supporting pre-event educational activities, as a means of inspiring and nurturing young talent and artists. The festival will provide a platform in which to promote such talent and the end products of the educational arm, ranging from live performances, visual art exhibitions and installations and interactive / participatory demonstrations as lead by the project beneficiaries. This will be a significant audience development exercise for REAP and of which will assist in gauging new projects for new audiences and encourage our organisational sustainability.
More reasons for our festival?
- Festivals, research has shown, can have an incredibly positive effect on a community: improving a sense of identity and pride; raising awareness of local talent and providing a hub of creativity. They can help foster a sense of place, and engage otherwise hard-to-reach parts of the community as well as giving valuable experience to those participating and attending. We believe that the Arts can give communities in our area an added vibrancy and excitement.
- Festivals form a vital part of the local summer economy, through food, drink, the creative industries and tourism. They also provide a showcase for our local and regional talent and services, nurture skills and enhance the image of the area to potential investors.
- As well as offering a hugely entertaining event to audiences, our festival is also marketed as an essential weekend for those involved in rural businesses and industries, the environment and the creative industries to meet, showcase their work and network.
- Festivals can make everyday life brighter, bigger and better in so many ways – especially when they work hard with the community to maximise the amount of people taking part.
- Festivals provide a strong link between cultures and communities. There is much to celebrate – our similarities; our differences and our ability to live and work together…and lets not forget our ability to play together – as successful festivals show.
In addition to the above, REAP recognise that they are also a great way to show off. A successful festival raises the image of its host environment, making it attractive to visitors and businesses alike, presenting it as s great place to live and work. A place where good things happen, where enthusiasm triumphs, and where there really is something to celebrate.
The Strawberry Moon Festival is REAP's first major attempt at operating as a Social Enterprise, with any income generated through the course of a festival going back in to the organisation to guarantee another annual festival and to ensure our organisational sustainability.
