New family-friendly arts festival to launch in Whitchurch
A new family-friendly arts festival is being launched in Whitchurch celebrating the creative spirit and inspiration of Randolph Caldecott, the artist, who lived in the town in the 1860s.
The Caldecott Festival will take place on Saturday 19 March 2022 with its launch taking place on the afternoon of Friday 16th of April using two shopfronts in the Bullring and High Street.
Festival organisers say the festival itself, the first of its kind as far as they are aware, is both celebrating and inspired by Randolph Caldecott, who lived in Whitchurch from the age of 15 to 21.
Randolph wanted to be an artist and after moving to Manchester, training at art school there at night, working in a bank by day, he finally went to London and he got to live his dream. He became an internationally renowned artist and illustrator.
A festival spokesperson said: "We hope he will inspire young people and older people, who have gone through such difficult times in the pandemic to live their dreams, and that the festival will promote creativity in our community, and fun, and help in the recharging of our local businesses and local economy, as well as making Mr Caldecott better known, locally, countywide and nationally."
For more information visit www.caldecottfestival.org.uk.
