For budding writers and poets, both new and old, explore your creative voice and share your joys.

Join Cartwheel Arts for a 2-hour creative writing & spoken word workshop focusing on what brings you joy and giving you an opportunity to share what’s important to you.

Cartwheel Arts is a Rochdale-based company who work with communities of all shapes and sizes to devise and deliver exciting, colourful participatory arts projects, which can be all shapes and sizes too, and sometimes quite noisy.

Participation and collaboration is key to their work. It can develop confidence and skills for the individual, and build active, stronger communities with a positive self image. They don’t say that everyone can be a brilliant artist, but they do believe that many people have untapped potential because they have not had the opportunity or the confidence to take part in creative activity. They encourage people with talent to make the most of their opportunities and believe in themselves.

The FestiDale is part of Local Exchange, the Royal Exchange Theatre’s ambitious long-term programme co-curated with ambassadors and champions in communities across Greater Manchester. This is what has been said about past festivals…

“Amazing experience showcasing the community. Loved it.”

“We need these stories told in the communities that need to talk about them”

“It brought people in who may never seen theatre. Told stories never heard.”