Entertainment News

As 'festival season' dawns, Ecoffee Cup urges revellers to ditch single-use cups to lessen their plastic footprint

Ecoffee Cup, a new generation of reusable cup, launched to help tackle the ever-growing problem of single-use packaging waste, is calling on festival goers to trade countless single-use plastic or plastic lined paper cups for reusable ones this summer.

Choosing reusables will help lessen the environmental impact of single-use products going to landfill, while also working to encourage further awareness of the waste issue among the all-important millennial and family festival-going communities.

Glastonbury will spend £780,000 to dispose of an estimated 1650 tonnes of waste generated by 177,550 attendees this year, even despite its green policies, which attempt to deter high volumes of waste.

This year, Glastonbury is aiming for 60% of waste to be recycled (in 2014, half of all waste was recycled). The only way to guarantee that waste doesn't end up in landfill however, is to choose reuse over recycle.

While the vast majority of Brits still believe that takeaway paper cups are recyclable, the reality is quite different; the plastic lining of disposable cups makes the separation and recycling process very difficult. Over 100 billion single-use cups end up in landfill globally each year - that's 273,972,603 coffee cups every single day.

By reusing an Ecoffee Cup multiple times, attendees can support Glastonbury's commitment to 'reduce, reuse and recycle', as the organisers call on festival goers to take everything that is brought onto the festival site home.

“So much more work is needed on behalf of coffee chains, supermarkets and consumer groups in order to raise awareness and change attitudes and behaviours surrounding waste,” says Ecoffee Cup founder, David McLagan. “Coffee-drinking Brits need to be aware of their direct role and responsibility in helping to reduce waste. Everyone can contribute by taking simple steps towards using reusable and sustainable products.”

Throughout the month of June and conveniently ahead of peak festival season, Ecoffee Cup will be supporting the Marine Conservation Society's 'Plastic Challenge' by donating £1 of the sale price of every cup purchased via the Ecoffee Cup website to the MCS.

Palm Springs, California's famous desert playground, is gearing up for a summertime full of fun with a calendar jam-packed with exciting activities and events to suit all visitors. With 350 days of sunshine per year and a climate envied by us weather-beaten Brits, a visit to Palm Springs will guarantee an injection of colour and entertainment over the summer months, whether travelling as a family, a single travelling, as a couple or in a group of friends.

There is a spectrum of events to choose, from the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival to the poolside parties of the Palm Springs' Splash House music festival.  Whatever the holiday preference, summertime fun in Palm Springs is like no place else.

Among the many events and activities to choose from this summer are:

Palm Springs International Short Film Festival

One of the most acclaimed short film showcases in the world will take place at Palm Springs Camelot Theatre. Now in its 22nd year, the Palm Springs International ShortFest will showcase over 325 short films from more than 50 countries. The week-long festival begins Tuesday June 20 to June 27, 2017.

Wet 'N Wild Dive-in Movies

The 1950's themed water park, Wet 'n Wild will host a series of dive-in movies throughout the summer. Every Friday night from now until August 4th, the price of daily park admission gets you a front row pool floatie for some family-friendly entertainment. The line-up includes Secret Life of Pets, ZooTopia, Sing, Moana and Finding Dory.

Splash House Weekend 1 (August 11-13, 2017)

Splash House announces its return to the desert for another outrageous summer of poolside vibes and world-class music. Splash House will return to The Renaissance, Riviera, Saguaro Hotel and Palm Springs Air Museum. Over the past three years, those in the know have flocked to this SoCal destination festival that has managed to retain its sense of community and summer-camp vibe, even as it adds to its ever-growing crew of discerning pool party devotees.

Comic Con Palm Springs

For the 2nd year Comic Con Palm Springs will bring together some of the most passionate and talented people from the world of comic books and entertainment. Happening at the Renaissance Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Convention Center August 25-27th 2017, confirmed appearances include Stan Lee and Lynda Carter.

Britain’s Got Talent finalists The Missing People Choir are to join Bryan Adams, Kaiser Chiefs, Jools Holland and The Pretenders in a stellar line-up for this year’s Cornbury Music Festival. Having seen the Choir perform on the popular TV talent show, Festival Director Hugh Phillimore wanted to help the Choir raise further funds for UK charity Missing People and knew they would be the perfect addition to The Fabulous Finale.

Always ready with some surprise guests over the weekend, The Caffè Nero stage will host Leddra Chapman, Belle Roscoe, Gracie Falls and country singer Twinnie Lee Moore amongst others. Whilst The Berk’s Nest Comedy Emporium will be filled with the best of British; the brilliant Nish Kumar, superstar stand-up poet and former Fosters award winner Tim Key, who recently starred in the E4 comedy sitcom Gap Year, and Edinburgh fringe-favourites Austentatious – a full-length improvised Jane Austen comedy play, spun entirely from the audience’s suggestions! Expect bonnets, chivalry and musical accompaniment.

Revellers can reboot in style at MasterChef finalist Matt Edwards’ unique pop-up restaurant Salt & Dry, where diners can enjoy the delights of Sophie Ellis Bextor, Scouting for Girls, Right Said Fred and many more, from the comfort of their own table. Meanwhile, long-term Cornbury partners Waitrose are opening their restaurant doors for big breakfasts, lavish lunches and delicious dinners, along with a rooftop lounge where myWaitrose card holders can relax and soak up the summer sun. All on top of the usual Cornbury favourites; Paellaria, Wok's Happening, Goan Seafood and the all-new South Indian-inspired Dosa Deli.

In between the great acts, don’t miss the chance to experience the last remaining Mobile Cinema of just seven made in the 1960s. Climb aboard the charming ‘Audrey’ and you’ll be able to enjoy Cornbury’s own highlights film ‘A Brief History of Cornbury’, as well as a selection of classic vintage short films. Cornbury’s therapy tent is always a popular choice for anyone looking for a little bubble of bliss amongst the festival hubbub. This year, they’re offering more than ever — massage, reiki, reflexology, facials, and aromatherapy. Free yoga classes will also be on offer throughout the weekend.

And finally the all-important Kids Zone – a mainstay of the festival. Offering a host of delights for young Cornburygoers including Bollywood dancing, ukulele playing and circus skills, along with the usual enticing arts and crafts, joyful dressing up and fun. Meanwhile, nearly adults and still-got-it parents can learn to play guitar, rig a whole band, or just enjoy the bohemian vibes in The Mayflower Tent.

The Bagri Foundation Birmingham Indian Film Festival (BIFF) returns to the city this summer in partnership with the citywide USTAV celebration of South Asian culture.

Sister to the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, (LIFF) it is regarded as Europe’s largest Indian film festival and will run from Friday 23 June until Sunday 2 July 2017.

The festival opens at Cineworld Birmingham, with a glittering red-carpet Birmingham premiere of the historical epic, ‘The Black Prince’ by Kavi Raz, a powerful UK-produced film launched at Cannes.  It stars Punjabi singer Satinder Sartaaj, who will be guest of honour on the opening night, iconic actress Shabana Azmi (The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Fire), Jason Flemyng (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, X-Men:First Class) and Amanda Root (Jane Eyre). The film dramatises the true but little-known story of the last King of Punjab who was abducted by the British Raj to be mentored by Queen Victoria.

Back into the 21st Century for the closing night mac Birmingham will screen the surreal Malayalam road-movie thriller ‘Sexy Durga’ directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan. Winner of the prestigious Tiger Award for best film at Rotterdam International Film Festival ‘Sexy Durga’ set in Kerala tells the tale of a hitch-hiking couple who try to escape a road to hell after accidentally getting into a car of deranged gangsters.

The acclaimed festival features new and exciting cinema featuring cutting edge films that reaffirm the festival’s position as the ‘punk-rock of Indian cinema’ and is an edgy tie-in, to UK-India Year of Culture and complementing the BFI’s India on Film programme,

Further screenings include the regional premieres of Tamil comedy, ‘Ticket - The Movie’ (Raaghav Ranganthan, 2017), anarchic Bollywood comedy Badman (Soumik Sen, 2017) and N Padmakumar's inspirational Mumbai drama ‘A Billion Colour Story’ (2016). The festival experiments, for the first time, with horror with the disturbing ‘Hide and Seek’ (Vishal Furia, 2016), plus the regional premiere of Pakistani gangster thriller, ‘Whirlpool’ (Harune Massey 2017).

The Bagri Foundation Birmingham Indian Film Festival will also host an exclusive ‘In Conversation With’ including Bollywood Director, Ashutosh Gowariker who directed Bollywood superstar, Aamir Khan in the Oscar nominated ‘Lagaan: Once Upon A Time in India’ (2001) and the epic historical romance ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ (2008) starring former Miss World, Aishwarya Rai.

Cary Rajinder Sawhney, LIFF & BIFF Director, says: “We are delighted to bring Birmingham audiences a carefully curated selection of the very best new Indian and South Asian independent cinema; all films are English subtitled, offering a rare window into over a billion South Asian lives. This year's selection includes premieres of new comedies, gripping thrillers, shocking horror and insightful true-life documentaries as well as bringing together UK previews of major award-winning films from the world's greatest film festivals."

New venue partners for this evolving festival continue to help it serve a broader diverse audience and this year the festival is delighted to welcome The Mockingbird Cinema and Kitchen, based at the Custard Factory in Digbeth. The festival’s long-term venues include Cineworld Birmingham Broad Street and mac Birmingham.

The festival is title sponsored by the Bagri Foundation with major support from Grange Hotels, Sun Mark Ltd, and is funded by the BFI's National Lottery Film Festivals Fund. This year the festival is proud to be working with new partners; Asian Business Chamber of Commerce and Birmingham City University as well as new Media Partner BBC Radio WM alongside the continued support of Sampad South Arts and Film Birmingham.

Title Sponsor Dr Alka Bagri of the Bagri Foundation adds: "We are excited to celebrate with LIFF and BIFF the art of Indian independent cinema in this UK India Year of Culture. This year’s programme is a vibrant and diverse mixture of films which explore all aspects of human experience, tackling hard-hitting issues through fiction and documentary.

The films screened are in a wide range of South Asian languages to reflect the linguistic diversity of Birmingham’s Indian and South Asian communities and all films are subtitled in English.

Leading UK comedy club The Glee is ensuring a summer of fun by handing out 1,000 tickets - absolutely free!

Under the banner of The #BigGleeGiveaway, the event kicks off on Monday 5 June, and continues until Monday 10 July 2017.

For six sunny weeks, the club will slowly reveal a series of presently secret locations around the Birmingham where eager comedy fans can grab their freebies - these could be anywhere from local cafes and supermarkets, to major High Street stores.

The locations of the free tickets will be announced on the venue’s website every Monday morning at 10am, and via social media using the hashtag #BigGleeGiveaway.

Eager-eyed punters can then dash to the named locations for a chance to pick up their prize.

Tom Hunt, The Glee’s Marketing Director said: “Building on the success of last year’s give-away, we’re teaming up with leading local businesses in the four major cities where we have clubs.

“We believe strongly in working closely with local businesses to encourage people to get out and enjoy their city, so we hope this campaign will remind people of all the great places on their doorstep.”

The coming months see a host of great acts appearing at the multi-award-winning comedy venues, including Dane Baptiste, who helmed Sunny D, his own sitcom for BBC Three, and Rob Rouse, who starred as Bottom on Ben Elton's Shakespearian comedy series Upstart Crow.

In addition to grabbing free tickets to see some of the best comedians performing in the UK today, lucky ticket-holders will also stand a chance of winning other freebies when they attend the show.

Mr Hunt said: “We want people to have fun this summer and join us to see some comedy’s biggest names ahead of the iconic Edinburgh Festival. The #BigGleeGiveaway is our way of introducing people who perhaps have never seen a comedian to a spectacular live entertainment show.

“We also hope that those who’ve experienced The Glee before will go out and grab their chance to do so again, and enjoy a show on us this summer, free of charge.”

Since its 1994 arrival in Birmingham, the Arcadian-based venue has hosted performances by such acts as Dara O'Briain, Jack Whitehall, Sarah Millican, Shappi Khorsandi, Jack Dee, Lee Evans and Russell Howard. The venue recently won Chortle Awards’ Best Comedy Venue 2017 (Midlands and The East), and What’s On Readers’ Awards Best Midlands Comedy Night 2017.

Storywalks in the woods, campfire tales and family storytelling all day  are all on the programme for the sixth Martineau Gardens Storytelling Festival.  Community Garden Martineau Gardens and the Traditional Arts Team have joined forces to create the Martineau Gardens Storytelling Festival, a family friendly day of storytelling plus arts, music and crafts taking place on Saturday 17 June, 11am – 7pm.

There will be a full programme of storytelling taking place under cover, in hidden corners of the two and half acre leafy community garden, not far from Birmingham city centre. From woodland glades to the sundial lawn, there will be a continuous stream of storytelling performances during the day aimed at everyone from little children right up to adults. There will be stories with food, stories with walks, stories with masks and more. Hear rousing yarns around the pirate ship, and as the festival draws to an end, campfire tales will bring all around the campfire for the finale.

There are a host of storytellers from across the Midlands including leading storytellers, Graham Langley, Catriona Heatherington and Cath Edwards. Storytellers Studio will be there in full force with their high-energy and the continuous Pop-Up storytelling canopy will see the audience listening to one story or staying all day. Tellers from around the region and beyond include Sheffield’s Beth Guiver, Wales’ Bethan Mascarenhas and Nottingham’s Monika Johnson will be mask making as she tells her stories.

Live music will be provided by Moseley Village Band and troubadour Rich Stokes will be singing and telling stories. Festival goers can enjoy an entertaining musical version of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ and listen to stories whilst cooking around the Earth Oven. Juliette Green, the Gardens’ Education Officer, will be running minibeast hunting and wildlife craft  activities.  There will be storywalks, token gathering, stories and pictures in the Glasshouse gallery and a sparkling light show in the woods.

A festival wouldn’t be a festival without the food - delicious tapas, cakes and salads will be available all day from ChangeKitchen CIC.

Graham Langley, of the Traditional Arts Team said: “Martineau Gardens is the  perfect place to experience the magic of storytelling.”  Caroline Hutton, Director of Martineau Gardens said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming new faces to Martineau Gardens through this Storytelling Festival.”

Award-winning art featuring ceramic flowers and woolly creations goes on show at an Oldbury studio’s open day.

Creative Arts, in Cyprus Street, is encouraging people along to find out more about what it does when it throws its doors open on Friday June 23, from 11-3pm.

The community arts team was behind the recent ceramic flower exhibition which won a top award from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom Award in the It’s Your Neighbourhood category.

Also on show is an exhibition called The Pull of Wool which features interesting photos of people knitting in unusual locations as well as photos of people who don't normally knit and some quirky knitted items.

Sandwell Council-run Creative Arts, which provides day opportunities for people with disabilities, set up the project last year with arts organisation Creative Black Country.

More than 500 people from a range of community and education groups across the Black Country helped make the magical ceramic garden featuring 1,200 beautiful hand-made ceramic flowers and 500 mini beasts.

Some of the flowers will be on sale during the open day when there will also be crafts stalls, music from the George Formby tribute act, refreshments and a raffle.

The Isle of Wight's annual Festival of the Sea this year sets sail on June 23, for a voyage that will last until July 9, and with the range of nautical festivities - including a pirate festival on golden sands, delicious seafood fresh off the boat, and spectacular yachting extravaganzas featuring thousands of boats.

Highlights for 2017 include:

Pirate Plunder at Blackgang Chine

24th and 25th June & 1st & 2nd July

They will be hoisting the Jolly Roger to give young scallywags the chance to join a Scurvy Crew at Blackgang Chine, where there will be opportunities to learn how to sword fight like a true Blackgang Buccaneer and take part in the smugglers' next treasure hunt.

Challenge the Wight

24th June

A strenuous 26.5-mile hike/run across the Isle of Wight at night.  It's a chance to walk from the Needles Landmark Attraction to Yaverland to raise money for Challenge & Adventure a local charity that helps disadvantaged and challenging young people on the Isle of Wight.  A 'lite' route (12 miles) or kids route (4 miles) is also available.

Round the Island Race in association with Cloudy Bay 2017

1st July

This most famous of annual yacht races, and the largest of its kind in the world, regularly attracts entries exceeding 1,500 yachts and upwards of 12,000 sailors racing the 50 nautical miles westabout course around the Isle of Wight, starting and finishing in Cowes.

Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra present "Carnival at Sea"

1st July

A 'Carnival at Sea' by the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra at Medina Theatre, from 7:15pm.  This family friendly concert will celebrate the Islands strong links with the sea - with a programme that includes Rule Britannia and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Mardi Gras Parade in Ryde

1st July

A day-long carnival event by the sea.  Take advantage of a free day of fun and celebration with a parade and festival at the beach.

Shipwreck Isle 2017, Appley Beach, Ryde

2nd July

Ahoy there!  Join in a thrilling pirate festival set on a spectacular beach, on an enchanted isle.  Expect live pirate music, cannon and firearms demonstrations, stunt action sword fights, young pirates entertainment and much, much more skullduggery.

Panerai British Classic Week 2017

6th - 13th July

The Classic Week, now in its 11th year takes place in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.  Since 2010, it is the only UK regatta forming part of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge series, the leading international circuit for classic and vintage yachts.  Social events included as part of the week include an Open Yachts Pontoon Party on the July 9; a Themed Crew Party – “Pirates of Penzance”- on July 10; a prize giving Gala Dinner on the July 12 and the famous Parade of Sail past the Royal Yacht Squadron on the final day, July 13.

The Edinburgh Cup and South Coast Championship, Cowes

9th – 15th July

A Regatta for the International Dragon fleet.  Designed in 1929, the International Dragon combines classic elegance with grand prix performance, the world's greatest sailing venues and some of the best sailors from around the globe.  One of the Dragon fleet's most prestigious trophies is the Edinburgh Cup which was presented to the class in 1949 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and is awarded annually to the winner of the International Dragon British Open Championship.

A University of Wolverhampton Music graduate from Kingswinford was in tune with one of the world’s greatest classical singers when she supported Russell Watson on his UK tour.

Laura Wright, 23 from Kingswinford, was performing as part of professional choir, Birmingham Voices.  They supported Russell Watson on his latest UK Orchestra Tour which covered Birmingham, Blackpool, Glasgow, Bournemouth and the London Palladium.

Russell Watson’s debut album, The Voice, held the number one spot in the UK charts for a record 52 weeks and his second album, Encore, sold two million copies worldwide.  He has won four Classical Brit Awards during his fifteen year career and has performed for some of the world’s greatest figures including The Queen.

Now a Recruitment Administrator at the University of Wolverhampton, Laura studied for a degree in Music at the Walsall Campus School of Performing Arts and is now studying for a Master’s degree in Event and Venue Management at the Wolverhampton Business School.

She said:  “It was an absolute privilege to be part of the choir that supported Russell on his tour. We got the opportunity to sing at some truly iconic venues in front of amazing crowds and I’m really pleased to be continuing my love for music after finishing my degree.

“Without a doubt, my studies have opened doors for me and I’ve been involved with Birmingham Voices since March 2017.  This was an opportunity that everyone on the choir embraced to the full – even being on the road, all the rehearsals – it was all worthwhile to be on the stage with such a renowned, international singing success.”

A Poster Competition and Painting Exhibition was organized by Sadequain Art Spectrum in collaboration with Rawalpindi Arts Council to provide platform to young talent of the region. Member Punjab Assembly Lubna Rehan Pirzada inaugurated the exhibition accompanied by Naheed Manzoor, Resident Director RAC Waqar Ahmed, Ch. Waseem Sajjad, Gulzar Ali, and Sundas Qayyum.

Senior artist Ayub Wali adjudged the competition. The students from APS Fort Road, APS Westridge, Rawalpindi Institute of Art and Design, Government Post Graduate College for Women, Sattelite Town, Rawalpindi, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi participated in the exhibition.

Impersonator, singer, actress and TV host Véronic DiCaire will join Céline Dion as her opening act on her LIVE 2017 European Tour this summer. Véronic has been a very popular complement to Céline's tours in previous years... starting with the Taking Chances tour in 2008, and most recently opening up for her in Belgium in 2016.

Véronic is able to recreate many of the greatest voices in the world with uncanny accuracy, impressing audiences everywhere she goes. She’s an incredible talent and truly one-of-a-kind!

In 2008, Céline Dion and René Angélil personally requested Véronic to open for the Taking Chances show at the Montréal Bell Centre. In one night, her life had changed!  With this huge success, she performed to sold-out shows everywhere in Québec and travelled with her multiple voices on a European tour.

Véronic began a residency in Vegas in 2013– Voices – at Bally’s Hotel & Casino’s Jubilee Theatre. The show was co-produced by Céline Dion and ran until the end of 2015.  It garnered much critical acclaim and she was chosen as Best Singer for the 2014 Best of Las Vegas Awards, and voted winner in the category of “best impressionist successor to Danny Gans” in Vegas SEVEN’s Best of the City 2014.

Véronic will open for Céline’s shows across Europe and the UK, which heads to the Barclaycard Arena in July and August.

As thousands of fans across the UK begin their journey with The Harry Potter Film Concert Series by attending one of the sold out performances of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™, CineConcerts, Senbla, and Warner Bros. Consumer Products announce that the second in the series – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ will have its live UK concert tour premiere in December.

The second magical tale from J.K. Rowling’s will be brought to life around the UK this December finishing in Birmingham on 10 December.

The film, which follows Harry Potter’s second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was released in 2002, and became (at that time) the seventh highest-grossing film of all time.

The tour will feature a live symphony orchestra performing, to picture, every note from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™. Audiences will be able to relive the magic of the film in high-definition on a 60-foot screen while hearing the orchestra perform the unforgettable score by award-winning film composer and Oscar winner, John Williams.

On touring the follow-up, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™, and also the success of premiering Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™, Senbla CEO Ollie Rosenblatt said: “Since we first launched the Harry Potter in Concert Series, the response from both film and music fans has been phenomenal. The shows really are unforgettable and remind us why Harry Potter has touched so many of us. To see these seminal films with a huge orchestra is beyond enthralling. We are delighted to bring the Chamber Of Secrets to audiences around the UK and to continue this magical and immersive experience”

This June, Birmingham Royal Ballet performs the world premiere of Arcadia at Birmingham Hippodrome, as part of a mixed programme alongside Michael Corder’s Le Baiser de la fee and John Cranko’s ever popular Pineapple Poll.

Choreographed by Birmingham Royal Ballet First Artist Ruth Brill, designed by Atena Ameri – exceptional student from Birmingham School of Acting – and accompanied by a striking new score from renowned saxophonist John Harle, this brand new work unleashes the Ancient Greek god Pan in all his glory and complexity.

Arcadia was born when David Bintley (Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet) mentioned John Harle’s beautiful music to Ruth Brill, hoping that it would inspire her. After watching a sample of her initial work, David Bintley commissioned Ruth to choreograph Arcadia. Ruth comments, “It is rare for an artistic director to trust a young choreographer with such an important commission. I’ve learnt so much from David throughout this process and it’s an honour to continue the choreographic legacy of Birmingham Royal Ballet.”

Ruth is no stranger to choreographing for diverse and exciting projects, but Arcadia represents her biggest challenge to date. As she explains, “So much of this experience has been completely new to me, so it’s really been a case of learning as I go. I enjoy the collaborative process, building relationships with people and then pulling all the elements together. It’s an amazing feeling to see my vision come to life on stage.”

Arcadia’s young, vibrant creative team is typified by designer Atena Ameri. When Birmingham Royal Ballet invited Birmingham School of Acting students to design their brand-new ballet, Atena stood out due to her exceptional portfolio. She has taken a year out of her degree to design Arcadia and gain valuable experience of the theatre industry. A talented artist, Atena has developed a unique style for the Arcadia designs, characterised by an expressive use of colour and texture inspired by nature.

Atena’s costume designs have been created by the in-house costume department at Birmingham Royal Ballet, assisted by renowned ballet costumiers Parkinson Gill. Head of Costume Elaine Garlick explains, “It’s been a really good exercise in allowing people to gain experience whilst being mentored by Parkinson Gill, who really are experts in their field. We want to invest in people who want to live in Birmingham, making sure they have access to the correct training to develop their skills to a national, or even international, level.”

Arcadia’s young creative team have been pushing the boundaries, working with scale and ambition rarely seen in a one-act ballet. This world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome represents an exciting new opportunity for the artistic talents of the future. As Ruth Brill comments, “We need to push the boundaries, form new collaborations and engage the next generation with the arts. Creating Arcadia has been a learning curve for me, but art is about exploring; you shouldn’t always feel safe. We need platforms to push new choreographers, designers and composers – the leaders of the next generation.”

People are being encouraged to pull on their boots for a special challenge taking place during this year's Wolverhampton Walking Festival.

The Walking for Health Challenge Trail will be held on Saturday 20 May, with residents invited to tackle either a Silver (four miles), Gold (seven miles) or Platinum (12 miles) route.

All the trails start at WV Active Aldersley, Hugh Porter Way, Aldersley, at 9.30am, and are way-marked and marshalled.

The Challenge Trail is just one of more than 30 free walks taking place during the seventh annual Wolverhampton Walking Festival, which is organised by the City of Wolverhampton Council's Healthy Lifestyles Service and takes place from Saturday 13 May until Sunday 21 May.

Ros Jervis, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Director of Public Health, said: "The Walking for Health Challenge Trail is a fantastic opportunity to get out and about and put your fitness to the test over distances of four, seven or 12 miles while exploring parts of Wolverhampton you may not be familiar with."

Entry to the Challenge Trail is free, though participants are invited to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation if they wish. Places are limited to 300, and so pre-booking is necessary. For an entry form please call 01902 553838 or visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/walkingfestival. Please note that no entries will be taken on the day.

Ros added: "The Challenge Trail is the biggest event in this year's Walking Festival and a real highlight, but if you cannot make it don't worry as there are dozens of other fantastic walks, long and short, to take part in – and with walks for people of all ages and abilities, there’s sure to be something for everyone."

ARY Digital Network set forth the 1st ARY Film Festival which ended on 7th of May, 2017 with a star-studded closing night hosted by the multitalented Faysal Qureshi and the beautiful Madiha Imam. The event was attended by the top celebrities and personalities of the media and film industry. Amazing performances by Sheema Kirmani, Sanam Marvi and Hamza Qawwal along with a stand-up comedy act by the social media star Danish Ali.

The 3 day festival screened 33 films, which were shortlisted from around 400 entries received from all over the world. The jury included local and international award winning filmmakers, writers and media personalities such as Anwar Maqsood, Khalil Nainitalwala, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Marilyn Agrelo, Ram Kishore Parcha, John Gann, Andy Merkin, Jack McDonald and Amna Khan.

The festival also came up with special screenings of internationally acclaimed films such as Maheen Zia’s ‘Lyari Notes’, ‘Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velazquez Story’ contributed by the American Film Showcase and Anjum Shehzad’s ‘Mah e Mir’. Additionally, Academy award winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s ‘Song of Lahore’ was also premiered at the festival.

Award for Best Story Feature Film was given to ‘Choora Ek Pratha’ and Best Short Film (Silver Category) to ‘Amrita and I’, both were screened in collaboration with Delhi International Film Festival. Serajus Salikin won the award for Best Short Documentary for his film ‘Masters of the Sky’; whereas award for Best Director Short Documentary goes to Ali Ijaz for ‘Pangolins in Peril’.

‘In Search of America’ won the award for Best Short Film (Gold Category); Syed Fazal Hussain won the award of Best Actor (Short Film) for ‘Dil Tau Bacha Hai’. Best Documentary Feature award was given to ‘K2 and The Invisible Footmen’ and Maheen Zia’s ‘Lyari Notes’ won the Red Category Excellence in Documentary Feature. Purple Category Excellence in Documentary Feature was given to Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy for her film ‘Song of Lahore’. Anjum Shehzad’s ‘Mah e Mir’ won the award for Best Film – Feature.

Mr. Salman Iqbal, President and Founder, ARY Digital Network, in his message about the festival said “It has been our primary objective since the establishment of ARY Films to develop and foster the film industry in Pakistan. We have now embarked on yet another journey with the first ARY Film Festival, whereby we will provide a break to new and creative filmmakers from Pakistan and around the world to come showcase their talent and get known for their efforts. This is our first year for the festival and we intend to make it bigger and better in the years to come”.

Presented by Italiano and powered by Rooh Afza, the ARY Film Festival did special collaborations with American Film Showcase and Delhi International Film Festival. It was held from 4th to 6th May 2017 at the Cinepax Cinemas, Ocean Mall Karachi.

Located on the South Coast of England,the waterfront city of Portsmouth provides a backdrop for ten days of some of the summer's most diverse, exciting arts and cultural experiences. With a great destination and a fantastic programme, why not plan a visit to Portsmouth and Southsea during the festivities?

The theme for this year's festival is PLAY with an interactive city-wide experience, PLAY CODE CITY. Combining over 100 events in the main programme, PLAY CODE CITY, offers participants a multitude of extra FREE live performances and events. Join the game, find the happenings, and collect the codes; uncovering interactions with game characters, performers and installations in locations throughout the city.

With so many events to choose from, here's just a taste of what's on offer. Download the full programme from the website.

• Opening Gala Concert: The Maggini Quartet featuring Peter Donohoe, 16 June 8pm to 9.45pm Performing works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, and Whitacre, the evening features Peter Donohoe, acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time and the Maggini Quartet, one of the finest British string quartets who've twice nominated for Grammy Awards.
• Everything comes from the Egg: 16- 18 and 21-25 June 11.00am–4.00pm Stephen Turner's Exbury Egg was created on the Exbury Estate as a studio/home/resource for the artist. The wooden structure will be at Gunwharf Quays' Quayside Canal and the accompanying exhibition detailing Turner's journey will be on display at Aspex Gallery.
• Playing Live on Albert Road: A guided walking tour, 17 June 7pm-9.15pm. A guided walk like no other, taking in the sounds of Southsea through performances by local musicians in unusual Albert Road venues, starting at the Kings Theatre.
• Hotwalls Studios: Open Studios 17-18 and 24 - 25 June 10.00am–4.00pm Artists and designer-makers work together in an exceptional heritage location, to start and grow their creative venture. The Open Studios event is a great opportunity to view the work of each studio and meet the designer-makers and artists.