Find out what’s on at the fifth Takeover Festival at The Customs House in South Shields

A group of youngsters have planned a packed programme of entertainment for other young people in South Tyneside as part of an annual festival.
The yougsters taking part in the Takeover Festival at The Customs House.The yougsters taking part in the Takeover Festival at The Customs House.
The yougsters taking part in the Takeover Festival at The Customs House.

Now in its fifth year, the Takeover Festival will return to The Customs House in South Shields, from Monday, May 27, to Friday, May 31.

Programmed by young people, for young people, aged 25 and under, the event features an eclectic mix of activities.

The Takeover Team taking part in the Takeover Festival at The Customs House.The Takeover Team taking part in the Takeover Festival at The Customs House.
The Takeover Team taking part in the Takeover Festival at The Customs House.
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Highlights this year include live music with The Lake Poets, supported by The Young Musicians Project, cabaret masterclass with Bonnie and the Bonnettes, a drag make-up masterclass with Dixie and song-writing, acting and tattoo design workshops.

Izzy Finch, Learning and Participation officer at The Customs House, said: “The Takeover Team have been working hard to plan, programme, market and deliver their dream festival for young people and we are thrilled to announce the line-up for this year.

“Takeover Festival is an unusual arts-based project, because we take the risk of recruiting young people aged 11 to 25 with little or no experience of arts programming and put them in control of a week’s worth of innovative, young person-led arts programming and leadership.

“Generous funding from Scottish Power means that in 2019, we have been able put our trust in young people’s ability to reimagine our arts programme for a week based on what they tell us young people want and need from a week of programming and events.”

The Takeover Festival is  programmed by young people, for young people.The Takeover Festival is  programmed by young people, for young people.
The Takeover Festival is programmed by young people, for young people.
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The festival will welcome its first international artist this year as BBoy Redo, from Ill Abilities, a breakdance crew comprised of dances of different ability dancers, delivers a dance workshop and judges the Mean Teens breakdance jam.

Other events returning this year include The Takeover Open Exhibition, The Terry Kelly Poetry Prize and the North East Young Film Maker Awards.

The festival will close with the premiere of Isolation, by Elijah Young, who was appointed Young Writer in Residence at The Customs House in April.

Izzy added: “Takeover gives young people the opportunity and a platform for self-expression, to be celebrated, validated and to interact with professional mentors.”

All events are Pay What You Decide, but places must be booked in advance.

For full listings and booking details, visit www.customshouse.co.uk.