Highly Sprung Physical Fellowship Celebrates 10th Anniversary at the Belgrade Theatre

400 children and young people will come together to explore the role of human rights in today's society when Highly Sprung's Physical Fellowship returns to the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry this summer.

Celebrating its 10th year in 2019, the four-day event is the UK's only physical theatre festival for young people, founded to provide emerging performers with a professional platform to present their own work.

Taking place from 24-27 June, this year's event will be run in connection with Step Up To Serve's #iwill campaign, which aims to enable youth social action across the UK. Inspired by stories celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights and the Fly the Flag campaign, the festival will be themed around the question of "What makes us human?" looking at the unique characteristics and behaviours that define us.

Over the course of the four days, young people from participating schools and youth groups will have the chance to take part in workshops and masterclasses led by internationally acclaimed visiting physical theatre companies, as well as showcasing their own original, devised work.

Developed especially for the festival, over twelve provocative performances will support young people to find their own voices and fuel passions for social action. The headline show, Seen But Not Heard, will be presented by Highly Sprung's own Sprungsters group for children and young adults aged 4-21, featuring some of Coventry's most talented young performers.

From classroom to dining room, sit up and look sharp! Exploiting the chairs and tables that so often restrain us, a talented cast of teenagers overturn our expectations, using objects which usually repress our movement to elevate it, building a tower of chairs and tables to climb a monument of free speech, unreserved movement and self-expression. Just wait until you hear what they're just bursting to tell you...

Founded in Coventry in 2000, Highly Sprung creates physical theatre for and with young people, inspiring and empowering them to make sense of the world around them. Operating both nationally and internationally, the company delivers a range of participation, education, performance, artist training and art form development programmes, working with over 10,000 children and young people every year.

Highly Sprung director and co-founder Sarah Worth said: "Coventry has long been recognized as a city of peace and reconciliation. It is vital that the city's young people understand this title and ensure that the city continues to be recognized in this way in the future.

"Seen But Never Heard will partner with #iwill, Fly the Flag and Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, giving the young people engaged in the project first-hand opportunities to meet with and better understand the needs of refugees and migrants who have arrived to settle in Coventry, learning to support their integration and to find ways to better contribute to the life of the city."

Highly Sprung's Physical Fellowship takes place at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry 24-27 June. Tickets for public performances are available to book now by calling the box office on 024 7655 3055 or visiting www.belgrade.co.uk where prices are cheaper.

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