THE STREETS FESTIVAL RETURNS TO SOUTH NORWOOD
The Streets Festival returns to South Norwood this weekend (9 and 10 July).
The festival is a roaming event that takes over the cafes, bars, high streets and open spaces of seven outer-London boroughs throughout the month and is packed with performances, workshops, parades and pop-up events.
Now in its second year, The Streets is an ambitious programme showcasing the local streetscapes of outer London with unexpected performances which aim to help revitalise high streets for local communities and businesses.
A diverse and exciting range of artists and events are programmed, with a strong focus on singing from a variety of genres. Events feature established artists alongside community choirs, street performers and local musicians. Stages are hosted by BBC radio presenters Jumoke Fashola and Lopa Kothari.
Choir Clock will take place with a performance on the hour, every hour, featuring a stunning selection of singers alongside local community choirs.
The Brit School and Mind charity have formed a 25-piece choir and will perform in several venues over the weekend. Acclaimed soprano Amanda Forbes will take opera to the streets with a mix of work by South Norwood composer Samuel Coleridge Taylor, arias from famous operas, and songs by Amy Winehouse, amongst other iconic contemporary artists. This two-day event will include street stalls, food markets and many local artists and performers.
Croydon’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport Cllr Timothy Godfrey said: “Last year’s project had a great buzz about it and it’s great that South Norwood is going to be part of this London-wide series this year. “It’s really important our cultural programmes reach every part of our borough.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “One of the best things about London is how much is going on around every corner, and in each and every community.
“Festivals like The Streets are doing excellent work to highlight some of the capital’s local gems. “As Mayor, I want to celebrate the fact that our wealth of cultural riches are not just limited to central London.
“That’s why I’m planning a new London Borough of Culture competition so that each year a different borough is the focus of an ambitious arts and culture programme.”
Live music and event producer, Serious, has been working with a consortium of boroughs since the launch of The Streets last year – Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Croydon, Wandsworth, Richmond, Greenwich and Kingston-upon-Thames – to reignite the full potential of the high street, aligning cultural activity with commercial priorities. The aim is to animate local streets, giving residents and visitors the chance to see and take part in something new and exciting, using their communal space as its stage.
Further info: www.thestreets.london
croydon.gov press release June 30th ‘The Streets festival returns to Croydon’ for full programme.
