Arts Festival Returns For 12th Year Celebrating Connections Between Warrington's Wealth Of Creatives

Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival (WCAF) is back for its 12th year with a packed and eclectic programme of events, spanning almost two months.

Launching in October, the multi-venue festival is delivered by Culture Warrington and welcomes artists of every discipline for a range of boundary-pushing showcases and performances.

The theme for 2022 is 'Connections' with WCAF celebrating its role in collaborating and creating opportunities for creatives in the area.

This year's festival will also see the return of the Open Exhibition - a competition that provides a springboard for emerging artists - after the pandemic and the introduction of a 'Fringe Festival' in partnership with Warrington and Vale Royal College.

Other firsts include a 'Scratch Night', which will give north west creatives the exciting chance to share works in progress for peer review and audience feedback, and an abstract fashion illustration workshop led by Warrington's own Tony Green, who has designed items for luxury brands worldwide and has had his illustrations featured in Vogue.

It is one of two fashion events in addition to Table Manners, a quirky sustainable fashion show taking place at the picturesque Parr's Bank.

There will also be a focus on live music at WCAF 2022. Highlights include acclaimed Liverpool art pop trio Stealing Sheep and fellow Liverpool-based songwriter Sara Wolff, as heard on BBC Radio 6, who will both be performing in the unconventional setting of Warrington Museum.

Meanwhile, festival organisers are looking forward to welcoming back Julia Griffin whose visceral installation and performance piece, I Used To Be, was one of the highlights of last year's festival.

This time the dance artist is teaming up with James Colvin and Steve Sutton to present Trap, a haunting yet fascinating performance based around a metal cage and a moving sculpture made of tree limbs.

Organiser Leah Biddle, who is Cultural Manager at Culture Warrington, said: "The Contemporary Arts Festival is one of our biggest events of the year - bringing together some of the most talented people from Warrington and further afield.

"This year it is all about 'Connections' so we are celebrating and building upon the opportunities we continue to open up for people in the area.

"We've established an incredible network of creatives on our doorstep and, as much as we love breaking new ground with our performances and installations, I think it is the amazing partnerships we've established which will be the festival's lasting legacy.

"It is a great pleasure to be able to provide a platform for emerging artists to showcase their work and provide a launchpad for their future careers.

"In return they have helped us create a really vibrant and diverse festival and this year's eight-week programme is no different. We can't wait to share it with you."

Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival's main programme takes place between 7 October and 1 December. For more information or tickets visit wcaf.culturewarrington.org