Kids and Youth Festival with the participation of retailers

Kutrumbajsa Kids and Youth Arts Festival is the first international festival of performing arts targeting children in Malta. It will be held between Monday 14^th November and Sunday 20^th November 2011 in a variety of localities in Valletta.

Venues include –  St James Cavalier, Manoel Theatre, MITP, Auberge d'Italie, Auberge de Castille, the President's Palace, Private Palaces and St George's Square

The festival caters performances for Kids and Youths within the 0 – 15 years range. Targeted age groups: 0 – 4 yrs, 2 – 4 yrs, 3+, 6+, 8+, 11+ There is a specific performance specially designed for children with special needs.

Participants hail from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Malta

The structure of the festival is as follows:

• Monday to Friday – morning shows for school children
• Monday to Friday – evening shows open to the general public
• Saturday and Sunday – shows all day open to the general public
• The luminarium in St George's Sqaure will have the following opening hours:

09:00 – 13:00 & 16:00 – 19:00 week days

10:00 – 19:00 weekends

The festival has a multi performance structure, that is there will be various events happening at the same time. All events are free of charge

Why the festival?

Because the performing arts are extremely important for the development of children

• It stimulates their creativity
• It helps them make sense of their emotions; it develops
• their ability to understand
• It allows them to face their fears in a safe environment
• It challenges their preconceptions about the world in which
• they live
• It develops their aesthetic sense
• It develops their language and communication skills
• It introduces them to new ideas and allows them to express opinions

How has it come about?

The festival is under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Malta, who very enthusiastically set the ball rolling for the creation of this international arts festival.

The organisation has been entrusted to St James Cavalier, Centre for Creativity, with the artistic direction of Sarah Spiteri.

The ideas and discussions have been going around for years, but never quite took off for a variety of reasons until now!

This is a very exciting moment…the creation of a children's festival is based on energy, fantasy, a target of excellence and a major objective to portray the performing arts with all the different disciplines, as a fun experience for the kids and youths.