Children and young people of all ages, from early years through to college, came together last week to enjoy Derby’s first Dream Fest.
The newly refurbished Derby Market HallOpens in new tab hosted two energetic days of workshops and performances, encouraging young people to tread the boards as characters from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
On day one, schools from across the city enjoyed high-octane dance classes and movement workshops alongside quieter, dreamier crafting sessions, group rehearsals of their Midsummer Night’s Dream extracts, and a final spectacular multi-school performance.
The fun continued on day two, with families invited to stop by and take part in a free programme of music, storytelling, breakdancing performances and workshops. It was a busy, joyous event, but any children who felt a little overwhelmed during the day were able to take time out in the Zen Den. Designed by a group of special educational needs and disability student ambassadors, the space featured sensory equipment and provided a calming space to relax and regroup.
Dream Fest was created as a part of the Derby PromiseOpens in new tab, a city-wide initiative that brings together businesses, educational and cultural organisations united by the aim of helping our young people to dream big, explore the world of work and by supporting them to thrive.
Previous events have introduced children to careers in science and technology, and encouraged engagement with environmental issues. This was the first festival dedicated to creativity and culture, connecting learning with real-life experiences of collaborating, rehearsing, and performing.
Getting creative at Dream Fest
Children were also able to engage with Royal Shakespeare Company actors about life in the creative industries, gaining insight into building a portfolio, how to approach auditions and interviews, and how to network and find new opportunities. Young people asked a range of interesting and thoughtful questions, keen to get the inside scoop on how to turn a passion into a career.
Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills particularly enjoyed watching the children immerse themselves in the activities and find their voice amongst their peers:
It’s been wonderful to watch young minds unleash their creativity and have so much fun in doing so. There’s been a real focus on encouraging young people to explore their imagination and understand more about creative careers, taking an ‘if you can see it, you can believe it’ approach.
Children have also learnt about the ways in which creative pastimes can help them in their future careers, be that through strengthening communication skills, building confidence, nurturing empathy or understanding different perspectives. Alongside these practical aspects, it’s been fantastic to see the energy and enthusiasm the children and young people have brought to the activities – truly joyful.
Neil Wilkinson, Executive Headteacher at The Bemrose School, said:
Our pupils and staff felt it was a really impressive event and would definitely want to be part of it in the future. The workshops inspired the children around careers and the notion that they should dream big!
The pupils involved were able to explore and develop their problem-solving skills whilst also having the opportunity to perform and see their peers also perform. The event had awe and wonder for all involved and showed the full potential Derby has across all ages.
Derby Promise continues its mission to encourage children and young people to dream big, raising aspirations about what is possible to achieve and to get involved with. The next event on the calendar is the Festival of Sport, which runs from 4-8 August at Derby Arena, offering inclusive sporting activities for children, ranging from dodgeball and cricket to wheelchair tennis, basketball and archery.