A free creative festival showcasing the talents of young people in Wolverhampton is back for a second year this August.

Same Difference will take place in Wolverhampton's West Park on Sunday 13 August from 11am - 5.30pm, and is led by young people for young people aged between 11 and 18 years old. 

There will be music from local bands, spoken word, bhangra dancing, drumming workshops and drop-in creative sessions from a range of Wolverhampton Cultural Education Partners (CEP) including RAW real arts workshop, The Art of Being Holly, Aazard Art, Hit the Dhol, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Kathleen Fabre, The Way and The Fabric Tattoo Company. 

A range of young people will be performing on the main stage, organised by Wolverhampton Music Service, along with spoken word from young people curated by Wolverhampton Arts and Culture and compared by Emma Purshouse of Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists - linking to Wolverhampton Literature Festival.  

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Visitor City, Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, said: “Children and young adults are the city’s future as they help us in developing a culturally diverse city. 

“The Local and Wolverhampton CEP is a fantastic platform for children and young people aged 0 to 25 to share their resources, knowledge and skills as part of the projects, events and activities they want to be involved in.”

Wolverhampton CEP, which is part of Department for Educational Local Cultural Education Partnership, was set up in 2015 and believes children and young people should shape the city’s cultural offer and provides opportunities for 0 to 25 year olds across the city. Membership is made up of organisations that work with children and young people including cultural organisations, education settings, artist educators and teachers. 

Same Difference is supported by a young volunteering program co-ordinated by Wolverhampton CEP and Creative Volunteering Futures Project - Creative Black Country working with Gazebo, RAG arts, Wolverhampton Art Gallery’s ArtForum, #YES and local young volunteers aged 16 to 25 years. 

This year there is also a fringe program at Newhampton Arts Centre for young people with additional needs, curated by Curiosity Productions. 

Get your FREE #WvSameDifference tickets for West Park at Eventbrite.