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Editorial
Holloway Arts Festival
The Holloway Arts Festival returns to north London for the eighth time…
All too often the likes of Glastonbury, the V Festival and The Isle of Wight Festival dominate the live arts calendar, and tickets sell like hot cakes. However, more often than not, there’s a festival or arts show going on right outside your front door, and if you can’t make the big shows this year, put some time aside for the ones in your local community. What the Holloway Arts Festival lacks in superstar acts, it makes up for in passion and community spirit, and with events ranging from comedy to live music, art workshops to poetry, competitions to stalls, and from entertainment for the kids to real life stories, it’s not one to be missed.
The festival takes over north London for the eighth time next week, from Thursday 24 June all the way through to Sunday 4 July.
Organised by Rowan Arts, the Holloway Arts Festival attracts a wide range of performers and artists with varying skills and backgrounds, and is a must for any north Londoner with a sense of local community and a passion for the arts.
This year’s venues range from Highgate to Highbury and Tufnell Park to Finsbury Park, with confirmed performers including authors like Anthony Horowitz and Nicky Singer, performance poets including John Hegley, Paul Lyalls and Luke Wright, artist Grayson Perry, comedians Ivor Dembina and Otis Cannelloni and singer Lili la Scala. The 11-day programme will also showcase the work of local artists and performers and encourage emerging talent with a host of competitions and opportunities to get involved. The festival's flagship free outdoor day, the Big Day Out, takes place on Sunday 4 July.
Highlights of the 2010 Holloway Arts Festival
Thursday 24 June 8pm - The Popes
The ferocious, modern rock band open up the festival this year with a live music set at Junction Road’s Boston Arms in Holloway. It’s to be the first time the band have played in the area for nine years, and they’ve promised to perform songs from the new album, Outlaw Heaven. Tickets are £10 or £5 (conc).
From Friday 25 June – Making Inroads exhibition
This photographic and oral exhibition at Central Library (2 Fieldway Crescent) tells the stories of people who live or work on or near the cultural diverse Holloway Road. In total the exhibition of Holloway Road residents past and present, represents 40 people, who have been interviewed and photographed. Entry is free.
Friday 25 June 7pm to 8pm – Adult comedy night
Liz Bentley and Elvis McGonagal provide the laughs at Highgate Hill’s Lauderdale House on the first Friday of the festival. Poet and comedian McGongal was the 2006 World Slam Champion, the compere of the notorious Blue Suede Sporran Club and is one of the poets occasionally in residence on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live. Tickets are £6 or £4 (conc).
Saturday 27 June from 12pm – Reel Islington
Don’t miss your chance to watch some of Islington’s up-and-coming filmmakers showcase their work at the arts festival this year. Professional and amateur will present their films to visitors to the Holloway Odeon and discuss their experiences at one of London’s oldest cinemas. Tickets range from free of charge to £3.
Tuesday 29 June from 8pm – Female singer songwriters competition
Lauderdale House in Highgate sets the scene for some of north London’s finest female singer songwriters on Tuesday 29 June. As part of the Holloway Arts Festival, a number of artists will perform, and organisers have promised a high standard for the event’s final. Entry is £5.
Friday 2 July from 7pm – World Cup Slam Poetry
Get down to Woodstore Bar and Grill in Holloway to watch some classic slam poetry (where poets recite their work with an element of theatre), with a current theme – the World Cup. Considering this is taking place two days before the final of the tournament, poet Luke Wright should have plenty of material.
Sunday 4 July from 4.30pm to 5.30pm – We were Young and at War
On the last day of the festival authors of the book We were Young and at War recount their experiences of the Second World War. Their diaries and letters have been brought together for the first time to create an insightful portrayal of what it was like growing up surrounded by the horrors and struggles of war, ranging from a British boy writing to his American pen pal, and a Japanese teenager becoming a kamikaze air pilot.
Sunday 4 July from 2pm - Big Day Out
Whittington Park hosts the Holloway Arts Festival’s Big Day Out on Sunday 4 July, offering a real festival afternoon of music.
