Imaginate Festival – Win Family Tickets

‘Children’s theatre is not just for Christmas!’ says Neil Jordan, new director of the Imaginate Festival, happening in Edinburgh between 28 May – 5 June 2016.

Imaginate is Edinburgh’s international children’s festival which showcases some of the world’s best theatre and dance for young people – in 2016, there are 14 shows from 9 different countries with over 10,000 attendees expected.

Opening with the free Family Fringe weekend at the National Museum of Scotland, there will be performances and free drop-in activities all day including live music, storytelling, mini performances, and arts activities, all perfect for 0-12 year olds.

Now in its 27^th year, all the shows have been specifically created for children to give the perfect mix of excitement, innovation and fun. A friendly forest creature going on an adventure, a lonely man who befriends a dog, stunning dancers on stilts with giant wings, a retelling of Scotland’s history, a magic show with a twist…

One of the highlights of this year’s festival will be a high-energy dance duet about friendship, specially commissioned by Imaginate with support from Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund. The show will be touring to Shetland, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, East Lothian and Glasgow and help spread the festival magic to children across Scotland.

Director, Noel Jordan explains how he get involved:

“In 2007 I travelled to the Imaginate Festival for the very first time. It was nothing short of a revelation. At the time I was working as Producer, Young Audience at Sydney Opera House and programming about 20 productions a year.  Experiencing the Imaginate Festival was like finding Aladdin’s cave. In one place there was this incredible wealth of high quality performances that had been sourced from all over the world. I immediately began negotiations to start touring some of companies to Australia.

Everything I had heard about the Festival was true. It is considered one of the jewels in the crown within the international sector of artists working with young audiences and an invitation to perform at the Festival is like a golden ticket with many onward engagements brokered at Imaginate.

I continued to attend the Festival whenever I had the opportunity. When I heard in late 2014 that Tony Reekie was stepping down from his role as Festival Director after 20 years I jumped at the chance to apply.  In Australia, and indeed all around the world, there are very limited opportunities to lead a Festival and particularly one with such an incredible reputation.

I was genuinely thrilled to be offered the role and after a few tentative months awaiting news of sponsorship and visa applications I hit the ground running in October 2015. This coming Festival will be my first in the role and although the programme was largely in place before my arrival I can’t wait to experience the 9 days of activities from within this inspiring organisation.”

For further information and to book tickets for all Imaginate shows go to: http://www.imaginate.org.uk/festival/

Tel: 0131 225 8050 or email: info@imaginate.org.uk

WIN FREE TICKETS HERE:

Win a family ticket of up to 4 people to the show Go Get ‘em Kid – a fabulous and humorous dance piece on the theme of sharing and friendship, with an toe-tapping soundtrack that’s a joy from beginning to end, perfect for 6 to 12 year olds. Shows available on Saturday 4 June at North Edinburgh Art at 11.30am.

To enter the competition, simply email info@lothianlife.co.uk with IMAGINATE in the  email subject header, and tell us your name and the exact dates of the Imaginate Festival 2016.

Enter by midnight Friday 13^th May.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

The winner is Ria Robertson.

Congratulations, Ria! We hope you and your family enjoy the show.

Many thanks to the organisers of IMAGINATE for offering the prize.