Stratford’s first Community Scarecrow Festival is being held this year during Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebration Weekend 27th and 28th April 2019 on Bancroft Gardens and Escape Arts are joining forces with Stratford Town Trust to deliver some exciting new community activities. Community groups, schools, and families are being invited to make scarecrows that will form a display on the Bancroft Gardens over the Birthday Celebration weekend.
As it’s Shakespeare’s birthday, the theme for the scarecrows, of course, is books and plays. So it’s time to celebrate characters from your favourite books or Shakespearean idols! There are no rules regarding how many characters a group produces, the only limit is your imagination will it be Sherlock Holmes; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or maybe the whole magical cast of Midsummer Nights’ Dream?
Entry is free and entrants will be able to access a ‘Scarecrow Making’ guidance pack with recommendations on how to create their inventions by visiting www.escapeart.org.uk. Charity and community groups with a qualifying Stratford postcode can apply for a £100 grant from Stratford Town Trust to help with their scarecrow builds, for further details please visit https://www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk/funding/how-to-apply/ The closing date for applications is Thursday 18th April. However, no matter where you live, all interested parties are welcome to join in and it shouldn’t cost too much to be involved, as we are recommending and promoting the use of recycled materials throughout.
Across the whole weekend Escape are delivering a host of free creative workshops on the Bancroft Gardens, including community scarecrow builds with willow artist Spencer Jenkins and recycled sculpture artists, Ros Ingram and Ali Allen. There will also be mini scarecrow making, Kate’s StoryTree will be on hand with wonderful story telling and ‘Jigs and Reels’ music performed by local musicians.
Whether you are making a scarecrow or not, please visit during the weekend and let us know your favourites. We will be just in front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre or simply follow the trail of straw…..