Fuse is one of the largest free community arts festivals in the Midlands and is held each year in marquees in Beacon Park, Lichfield.
The performance tent 2009
The festival attracts many thousands of people to watch professional artists, participate in arts and crafts activities and to take part in performance opportunities. Fuse aims to provide access to the Arts for everyone regardless of their ability to pay.
In addition the festival has an outreach programme where professional facilitators engage with young people and their families in schools and community groups throughout Lichfield District in the weeks leading up to the festival proper. This results in many people being given the opportunity to perform in public for the first time.
How it all began
Fuse grew out of what was Lichfield Festival Fringe and is the brainchild of Lichfield Arts Director, Brian Pretty.
In late 2000 Brian put forward the idea that the festival should be a free family weekend of music and arts for the whole community in Beacon Park. The idea was backed by Lichfield Arts Committee and Brian set about forming a team to organise and run the festival from Lichfield Arts members and made an appeal in the local press for more help.
The team met for the first time in early 2001 and decided on the name, Fuse – the event in a tent, and made plans for the new festival.
Events at the first Fuse included a diverse range of music, performances for children and a workshop to make a giant swan from willow which was floated on Beacon Park pool.
Our first outreach project
The first Fuse outreach project took place in 2005. This involved creating a Samba band and the chance to learn juggling skills. Along with music, workshops and performances Fuse 2005 included a spectacular fire show on the Saturday evening.
Fuse 2006
Fuse 2006 saw the inaugeration of the Acoustic tent for local performers. The tent fizzed with excitement at the talent gathered. The 2006 outreach project gave children and the local community an opportunity to learn Bollywood dance skills finishing with a performance at Fuse.
Fuse 2007
The Fuse 2007 Outreach project featured making and playing musical instruments leading to a performance by The Funky Fuseliers. Despite atrocious weather, activities over the weekend featured making giant flying fish which were installed on Beacon Park pool (One of the artists involved ended up capsizing his boat and getting very wet!).
Fuse 2008
Fuse 2008 was blessed with some of the best weather of the whole Summer. The outreach project was the most ambitious yet and culminated in a stunning circus style performance, FuseZirque, by over 40 children and adults. Our biggest crowds to date turned out in thousands to enjoy everything from poetry to storytelling and puppets to Chinese Lion dancing. Hours of top quality music were presented and there were some superb performances in the acoustic tent.
Early Saturday 12th July: The Acoustic Tent
Fuse 2009
Fuse 2009 saw some major changes. Health & Safety concerns resulted in the need for a fence around the site, entry conditions and SIA trained security personnel controlling the gates. Many who attended felt it made Fuse feel much safer and didn’t have any great effect on the atmosphere. Over 6,000 people came over the weekend and the weather was fairly kind. There were many varied events and even a church service on the Sunday morning. A visual art exhibition was introduced and the acoustic tent continued to grow in popularity.
Plans are underway to make the eleventh Fuse in 2011 the best yet!
Fuse is organised and run by Lichfield Arts
T: 01543 262223
www.lichfieldarts.org.uk
E-mail: info@lichfieldarts.org.uk