The annual Get Creative Festival shines a light on all the great cultural activity that takes place on a regular basis in local communities and encourages people to try their hand at something new and creative. This huge annual celebration of creativity aims to give everyone the chance to get actively involved in a creative event in their local area through free, participatory events organised by community groups, arts organisations and volunteers. After another hugely successful year, with 1,700 events during the 2019 festival, Get Creative Festival will return from Saturday 9 – Sunday 17 May 2020.

Events can involve any kind of creativity from singing to crafts, painting to dance, and baking to gardening. As long as the event is creative, participatory and free (or cost-recovery) then it's welcome in the festival. Now is the time to get planning and thinking about how you could make the best event possible for your local community. Event listings for May will be welcomed through our online form in the new year. The earlier your event is listed the better, as the Get Creative Festival team can work with our partners in the media to raise the profile of standout events in local and national press.

This year, we published groundbreaking new research led by Dr. Daisy Fancourt on the benefits of creativity to people's emotional wellbeing and mental health, so we want to make sure that everyone can benefit from the opportunities in the festival. In the coming weeks and months, there will be some local and regional gatherings to help inspire people and build networks ahead of next year's festival.

Anyone can put on an event provided it is creative, participatory and free or cost-recovery. You can find out more via the word doc attached below and you can list your event for free at www.getcreativeuk.com.

If you'd like to contact us about the festival or speak to one of our staff in your area about local networks and training events, then please contact sally@vaengland.org.uk.