Remote festival to combat lockdown boredom for families in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

A new remote festival is set to beat lockdown boredom for families across Nootinghamshire and Derbyshire.
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First Art, the team behind last year’s Full Shebang arts festival in Mansfield now want to bring the same arts and cultural experience to people in their homes.

Virtual live portrait sessions, a bumper creative activity kit packed with puppets, comics and a self-isolation themed colouring book are just some activities to keep families busy.

There are also activities such as make a puppet show, creating a comic book, a selfie-isolation frame, a scavenger hunt, a time capsule, and origami amongst other things. Materials for the activities will also be supplied in the kits.

The Full Shebang festival last yearThe Full Shebang festival last year
The Full Shebang festival last year

“There are some brilliant things out there being developed for people to take part in but many of these rely on people going online and downloading things, or having to get hold of materials from their home.

“This isn’t always an option for some people, including many that live in the areas we work,” said Karl Greenwood, First Art Director.

“We wanted to find a way to be useful to local people and at the same time deliver some fun, quality arts-related activities in an accessible way.

“All our usual and familiar ways of meeting up with communities aren’t currently possible so we’ve had to do something different.

“We always felt this was going to be marathon not a sprint hence the name ‘Go The Distance’.

‘Rubbish Portraits’ by Lucie Sheridan will kick-start Remote Access.

This is a live art experience where Lucie creates a very quick, while-you-sit brush and ink portrait. The experience is a little bit like a photo booth but Lucie chats with the ‘sitter’ and it’s the chance to have a totally personal portrait.

This will be free to all in Ashfield, Bolsover, Mansfield and North East Derbyshire.

Booking is on first come, first served basis and to make sure it’s fair, it’s one per household.

Events will take place from Friday April 24, into early May.

More information about the sessions and how to book can be found at https://firstart.org.uk/things-we-do/gothedistance/

Go the Distance has been helped to reach more people in Mansfield thanks to additional funding from Mansfield District Council.