Victoria Park workshops
Workshops in Victoria Park from 11am to 4pm Sunday. Click on a link for more details:
  Paul Forsey
Bring a pot, smash and stick!
Create your own mosaic with the guidance of Paul Forsey, the creator of Newbury's newly laid historical mosaic set into the path outside the library on the Wharf.
Bring your unwanted/cracked colourful pots, plates, vases, teapots etc. Arrange them carefully and neatly on our shelves and then throw bricks at them! After lunch come back and re-incarnate your broken pieces as a mosaic to a simple design.
All other materials supplied. Children must be supervised. Age guide 6+.
Places are limited so first come, first served - from 11am.
 Tessa Kirby
Join in and paint a public mural
Anyone can have a go, see the work grow through your creativity. No age barriers 4 to 84 years, all are welcome.
Sponsored by 
Tessa Kirby is a local professional artist who trained at the Reigate School of Art and Design and Oxford Brookes University, Oxford. She loves to work on a large scale, but is in fact a specialist in portraiture and works to commissions.
Over 10 years ago whilst the Corn Exchange was being renovated Tessa painted a mural on the hoardings to show members of the public what would be going on in their new arts centre. "I thoroughly enjoyed painting dancers, acrobats, opera singers, musicians and actors" she says. The huge work was missed greatly when it was finally removed for the re-opening of the Corn Exchange.
Tessa is also opening her studios as part of the Open Studios Scheme.
 Face painting for Daisy's Dream
Face painting and children's art activities, raising funds for the charity Daisy's Dream in support of bereaved children.
Let the skill of the artist turn you into a tiger, a flower or whatever you would like to be.
Traditional Chinese Martial Arts and Black Tiger Association
Watch a demonstration of this ancient form of exercise which originated in China. Beneficial to the mind, body, and spirit, flowing movements harness energy and provide an enthralling spectacle. Is it art? Is it sport? Is it easy to learn? Suitable for all ages, come and try.
3:30pm in the demonstration tent.
 Kennet Valley Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers
Displays and workshops. try your hand at the age-old craft of spinning, guided by the experts.
The Fringe marks the end of a very busy month for the Guild, on Sunday May 15th the Guild Tapestry will be hung in St Mary's Church, Shaw. The tapestry was a thank you to St Mary's church for inviting the Guild back after it's new extension was completed.
The Tapestry measures 6ft by 3ft and incorporates the many skills related to our craft and took 4 years to complete.
From May 16th to May 21st members of the Guild will have visited 10 schools in the area demonstrating spinning, weaving and braid making.
On May 22nd the Guild will be demonstrating at the Young Farmers Show at Wasing Park and can be seen at Mapledurham House May 28th - 30th.
Plus of course, today we are inviting you to visit us here at the Fringe and try your hand at one of our skills.
 Newbury Embroiderers Guild
Embroidery workshops and displays.
Newbury Embroiderers' Guild comprises approximately 30 local members with varying skills in textiles. They work on individual projects and occasionally on a combined task as demonstrated by their recent exhibition at the Corn Exchange of their pieces inspired by the Kennet and Avon Canal . Their textile work may be a picture. a hanging, or a 3D object such as a box, a bag or a vessel.
Berkshire Egg Crafters
Admire the work of Fabergé? Then come along and see a work of art created from an egg.
Representing the Egg Crafters Guild of Great Britain , the Berkshire Egg Crafters are displaying real egg shells - goose, emu, ostrich - decorated in the style of Fabergé. See a demonstration of our work too.
 RhythmWorks
African drumming workshops.
Join in with Graeme Goodwin and enjoy the rhythm of drumming with an authentic Djembe African drum. A very popular workshop for young and old alike.
Trained in The Gambia; Graeme found his own calling with the Djembe after a near fatal car accident; the drum being an essential tool in speeding his full recuperation. RhythmWorks was formed by Graeme in 1999 in the Gambia, West Africa.
He has been playing as an apprentice to Djeli Tomas Camara - a 30 year veteran of the Guinean Djoliba and African Ballet - for 6 years. Together they train Djembe drummers at the RhythmWorks drumming centre Alla Leake Kunda in the Gambia.
Graeme and his family are committed to their extended African family, to the Djembe, and bringing West African percussion to our communities.
 John Haigh
Sculpture workshop
This workshop returns by demand from the enthusiastic budding sculptors who once again wish to create a masterpiece to take home.
If you would like to take part or just watch children giving total and prolonged concentration to an activity then come along and join us.
 Jane Body
Photography workshop.
The photo workshop at the fringe festival promises to be a whole lot
of fun. Lead by photographer Jane Body with extracts from her photography beginners course she runs at Jewell's Farm where you can also see her work on show as part of Newbury Open Studio Scheme. Jane who has taught art and photography in schools and colleges trained as a painter, and then studied photography; her recent work combines both as her photographs are printed onto large canvases.
Fun, memorable, without any frightening technical jargon
The workshops series includes:
Ever wished how to banish blurry pictures forever? Then this is for you- or any one of your family [age 6 upwards] an easy and amusing way to learn and remember how to hold a camera steady without a tripod and never have wobbly photos again.
Had enough of family photos with heads or feet missing? Join in on 'framing a view' with this hands on workshop you get to learn aspects of composition in picture making. Followed by a humorous look at viewpoints so you can avoid the photos with the signpost or poles coming out of some ones head.
Although these practical and interactive workshops require no previous skill they are also an excellent way to improve and equally suitable for children and adults. In the final session, catch the moment, when to press the button and four rather useful techniques for better people pictures.come along and find out more.
Sponsored by 
 Fionnaghal
Fionnaghal is a well known and experienced storyteller who has enchanted groups of adults and children alike at schools and festivals. Most of her tales are
British including some from Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire.
She also takes her mix of stories myths and legends to adult audiences in clubs and organisations such as the Women's Institute or the Rotary Club and runs workshops to pass on her skills.
Her tales in Victoria Park will be enjoyed by listeners of all ages and we are delighted to have her with us at the Fringe.
Fionnaghal can be found in the demonstration tent at 11.30 until 12:45 and then again at 2.00 until 3:15pm.
 Charles Burns
Traditional Victorian silhouette cutting artist.
The original Roving Artist, Charles will freely admit to anyone that his life is completely dominated by silhouettes! Obsessed with drawing from an early age, Charles is now widely regarded as the finest silhouette cutter practicing in the country today. He is constantly searching for new ideas and new applications for his art.
Charles was featured in the BBC2 series Tales of Tools (in the episode about scissors!), and in the course of his travels has been fortunate to meet and cut silhouettes of many of the notable figues of our times including (among others) The Queen and President Clinton. Today he has a busy schedule bringing his art to an extraordinary variety of events all over the UK and abroad.
Charles will be In the Open Studios tent demonstrating the skill and technique, using by-passers as models and making a collage of the resultant silhouettes.
Walk-up music
Try a musical instrument for the first time, with professional musicians on hand to give guidance and assistance.
Ever wanted to blow your own trumpet - now is your chance. An opportunity for everyone to unleash that latent talent. Your chance to choose one or try a variety of instruments. Come and have a go - the nearest windows are double glazed!
 Open Studios
Meet some of the Open Studios artists and collect your copy of this year's Open Studios Directory of artists, exhibitions and workshops.
 Encaustic art
Demonstrations in creative art using warmed wax.
Ironing is not normally this interesting!
Trinity School
Student drama showcase.
The drama department from Trinity school and Performing Arts College has gained many accolades. As a performing arts specialist school they bring not only skill but a great deal of enthusiasm to their presentations. We are delighted that the Year Seven Drama Club is joining us today.
1pm in the demonstrations tent. Trinity Youth Theatre will perform three Greek legends with a healthy attitude of seriousness mixed with irreverance as the Greeks themselves.
 Harley Art
 Long Riders UK Harley Club
Static display
of show-winning Harley Davidson motorcycles (hogs), lovingly customised
and air-brushed by their owners.
 Folk Effects
Folk music in a tent!
Lots of people play instruments, lots
of people like to sing, yet in these
days of high technology, would-be performers have to spend longer setting up mixers and mikes and monumental giant thingummy
repeaters and speakers and squeakers and tweeters than they do playing actually playing or singing.
Folk music is a misnomer, for what used to be exclusive Cecil Sharpe territory has quietly expanded, thanks to literally thousands of informal little groups in pubs and backrooms, expanded into a new inclusive culture which is happy with blues and moderns, sea chanties, sixties, seventies, jazz, world music, more or less anything that is tuneful and thoughtful.
So Folk is essential Fringe material and in Victoria Park the session will be led, albeit very gently from the back by more experienced performers, to produce a flowering which will be different every time. Come along. Bring your unamplified instrument and undistorted voices. This is for everyone.
Mike Cooper Karaoke
Karaoke for children! Good family entertainment and maybe a chance to see a singing star of the future.
 Mosaic -
celebrating diversity in and around Newbury
Mosaic, where families from West Berkshire share and celebrate international cultures, traditions and heritages, is providing a fantastically varied programme of multicultural arts, music and dancing.
Mosaic will be entertaining and involving you with art displays and workshops, information stands, juggling, didgeridoo workshops, storytelling, drumming, martial arts displays, fire engine and more - all reflecting and celebrating their varied cultural heritages. So come along and get involved in a vibrant, lively, unique group of children, young people and their families.
 Bouncy Castle
Hours of exhausting fun for kids!
Please note, the Fringe programme may be subject to last minute changes beyond our control.
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