What is Our Biennale 2020?

Our Biennale 2020 is a festival of arts and culture made with children and young people in Kirklees. Throughout the festival artists, composers, musicians and choreographers work with schools and colleges to enable children and young people to make their very own remarkable pieces of music, art, sculpture and dance.

Partners from the Kirklees Local Cultural Education Partnership, EvoKe, will collaborate with young people, artists, cultural organisations, and teachers to co-create an amazing festival for the community to be proud of, starting in September 2020.

Helping students reconnect with teachers and friends

Celebrating the ideas and creativity of our younger generation, Our Biennale’s focus in 2020 is well-being and using the arts as a major part of the recovery curriculum. As children and young people return to school in September, Our Biennale can help them reconnect with teachers and friends.

How will it work?

Our Biennale will be delivered from autumn 2020 to summer 2021, so there will be plenty of opportunity for schools and colleges to get involved at a time that works for you.

Arts organisations and artists have enabled their projects to be delivered remotely through pre-recorded video links and live streaming. We know that, at the moment, guidance is ever-changing, so we are flexible. Projects planned for spring term may still be delivered face to face and are able to adapt if necessary.

All projects can and will adjust to ensure safe participation for artists, staff and pupils in line with government guidance.

How will it be celebrated?

We are planning to end the festival with the Biennale Finale in June 2021 - a carnival celebration with workshops, exhibitions, processions and craft stalls. This mass participation event will show what the young people have achieved throughout the festival working with Kirklees artists and arts organisations.