Half-term boarding helps kids beat the boredom

Young people took part on two and four wheels in the pop-up urban playpark as Team GB skaters and BMX pros gave demos in the town centre.

There was also live music and large-scale art installations, while youngsters could participate in a range of linked created workshops including spray painting, screen printing and storytelling.

Up at Rotherham Markets was a giant robot painting the selfie photos taken by young people.

The festival marks the start of Rotherham branding itself as the Children’s Capital of Culture, with a year-long celebration planned for 2025.

Taking part in the stencil and spray painting workshops with artist Tom Jackson at the Rotherham Skate Festival were Oluwafisayomi (left) and Oluwafikunayomi Adenmosun.

Cllr Dave Sheppard, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, said: “It’s been fantastic to see Rotherham come to life over half-term with an exciting programme of events and activities that children and young people have created in partnership with the council’s cultural services and partners such as Flux Rotherham and Grimm & Co.

“The launch festival has so far provided a real insight into what becoming Children’s Capital of Culture will mean for Rotherham and it’s young people, and it’s been fantastic to see such a great turn out and get such a positive response from everybody who has attended.”

Julie Dalton, chair of the Children’s Capital of Culture programme board, said: “The launch festival has been many months in the making.

“The whole team behind the programme is looking forward to working young people across the borough to design and deliver more fantastic events, create more training opportunities, support their creative development and increase access to employment and skills within the creative and cultural sector in the lead up to 2025 and beyond.”

Mitchell Nuttall (25), one of the young producers behind the launch programme, said: “It’s been brilliant to see so many exciting events taking place in Rotherham over the last week, and it’s created a real buzz in the borough.

“Becoming Children’s Capital of Culture means that there will be more exciting events and opportunities than ever before for young people like me in Rotherham. That’s something I’m really excited about.”

Performer Jeremy Goldstein’s acclaimed Truth To Power Café visited the Civic theatre last Thursday and Friday, featuring nine local young people telling personal stories.

The launch festival kickstarted a five-month pilot programme of activities for those aged 25 and under for the Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025, which has received £1.8 million from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.

Initiatives will include Challenge Rotherham, with weekly creative tasks, and a network being established to give tasters of the cultural and creative industries through workshops.

Visit rotherham2025.com/hello for more information.