Puppets, illusions, creative arts and storytelling are to be the focus of a two-day festival that is returning to Warwickshire for the first time in three years.
Rugby College, part of college group WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group) is set to welcome the newly-named Equip Festival to its Rugby base on Friday, 28 and Saturday, 29 October.
Previously known as the Puppet and Creative Ministry Festival, the event is back at the third time of asking due to two cancellations due to the Covid pandemic, and is hoping to make a grand return to the calendar by inspiring, encouraging and resourcing creative arts enthusiasts.
Approximately 250 people are expected at the event, with over 750 puppets on display and in use at the festival.
A varied programme has been devised with feedback from past festivals in mind, with the partnership between WCG and event organisers One Way UK through the festival stretching back to 2013.
Ian Jones, Managing Director at One Way UK, said: “It’s great to be taking our show on the road again, and we are back with a bang this year with a fantastic selection of hands-on workshops, incredible showcases to wow and inspire, a huge range of resources on display, and with dedicated youth and family ministry training.
“We hope the 2022 Equip Festival will generate buzz, excitement and fun for everyone who walks through the doors of Rugby College, whose vast and versatile ground floor space has provided us with the perfect opportunity to mark the first year of the event’s rebrand with an expanded programme.
“To have both the support of our longstanding partners at WCG and Rugby’s central location, accommodation options and useful connectivity links available to us this year is exciting.
“We hope to welcome budding creative arts enthusiasts, as well as veterans, to the event - and we can’t wait to equip them with information to help feed their passion.”
The entire ground floor of Rugby College has been booked out for the event, including the theatre and sports hall for showcase events and 13 classrooms to host workshops.
The venue itself is fully accessible, and free on-site parking is available to visitors.
Breakfast, lunch and evening meals will be provided for delegates, with One Way UK having full and private use of the on-site refectory canteen across the two days.
Angela Long, conference and events coordinator at WCG, said: “Now in its ninth year, the Equip Festival is a staple in our calendar, and we’re delighted to be welcoming our partners at One Way UK and so many creative arts enthusiasts to Rugby for this year’s event.
“We’re passionate about supporting education and learning opportunities both inside and outside the group however we can, and we are fortunate to have flexible, multi-purpose meeting spaces like we do at Rugby College for events like this to take place.”
To find out more about Equip Festival and to book your place at the event, visit www.onewayuk.com/festival.