Winter festival set to 'turn town centre into a canvas of youthful imagination'

Previous projections on buildings - photo by Ed WaringPrevious projections on buildings - photo by Ed Waring
Previous projections on buildings - photo by Ed Waring
A WINTER festival coming in January next year is set to create “a free, world-class cultural experience right in the heart of Rotherham town centre”.

The ‘Otherham’ Winter Festival is part of the year-long celebration of the borough becoming the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture and will run from Friday, January 24 to Sunday 26 2025.

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The festival will feature a trail of projection installations across the town centre, bringing to life a re-imagined vision of Rotherham.

Flux Rotherham is collaborating with renowned theatre company Imitating the Dog, RMBC Events and literacy charity and Grimm and Co on the event.

Previous projections on buildings - photo by Robin ZahlerPrevious projections on buildings - photo by Robin Zahler
Previous projections on buildings - photo by Robin Zahler

Helen Jones, Flux Rotherham programme director, said: “Last year over 10,000 people visited Rotherham Minster during the Winter Festival to visit The Museum of The Moon, which was amazing.

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“But what people told us was they wanted a wider winter festival with more activity across the town, which is designed especially for Rotherham.

“This festival responds to that wish, and, with Imitating the Dog and Grimm and Co on board, plus the incredible imaginations of Rotherham’s children and young people, we hope to create a free, world-class cultural experience right in the heart of our town.“

She added: “The vision is to imagine a place where nothing is quite as it seems – where the imaginations of young people have transformed the town, giving it an otherworldly twist.”

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Previous projections on buildings - photo by Robin ZahlerPrevious projections on buildings - photo by Robin Zahler
Previous projections on buildings - photo by Robin Zahler

Imitating the Dog co-artistic director Simon Wainwright said: “We can't wait to create Otherham for Rotherham's Winter Festival.

“It's a project we dreamed up after an inspirational visit to the town centre and Grimm and Co's wonderful storytelling emporium – a visit which truly sparked our imaginations and formed the idea to let the city's young people dream up a magical, unpredictable and out-of-step world. “

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Louise Treloar, Grimm's communications co-ordinator, said: “Participants will dream up an alternative, mystical Rotherham, with their stories serving as inspiration for Imitating the Dog's projection designs.

“The creations will light up buildings during the Winter Festival, turning the town centre into a canvas of youthful imagination.”

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