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To provide an opportunity for people to engage in community activity.
To provide a bridge of common interest and meaningful interchange between different age, race, ability and economic groups in the community.
To provide a stimulus to the arts in the region.
To provide an outlet for the energies of young people.
To educate.
To promote North Hertfordshire, raising the national profile of the region as a cultural and commercial centre.

If you have any questions about ROTW why not check out our Frequently Asked Questions?

The festival helps ROTW achieve its objectives in the following ways:

1) To provide an opportunity for people to engage in community activity.

The following have contributed to ROTW:

Community groups

Performers: 700 people.
Volunteers: 250 people.
Committee: 30 people.

Schools

Samuel Lucas, Wilshere Dacre, St Christopher (Letchworth), Highover JMI, Samuel Lucas JMI, Woolgrove, Our Lady's RC Primary, St Andrew's JMI, Highbury Infants, Purwell Primary, Whitehill Junior, Hitchin Boys, Hitchin Girls.

Churches and other organisations

St Mary's, Quakers, Hitchin Christian Centre, Church of God, Christchurch.
Community Ravidassia Multi-cultural Community Centre, Letchworth Buddhist Centre, Friends of the Earth, Letchworth Majorettes, Knebworth Clog Dancers, Visions 2000 (Afro-Caribbean), Live Circuit, Rotary Club, Club 85, Henlow and Clifton Scouts, Hitchin Lions Club.

2) To provide a bridge of common interest and meaningful interchange between different age, race, ability and economic groups in the community.

The festival involves a broad cross-section of the community in organising and participating in the event. See list of contributors above.

3) To provide a stimulus to the arts in the region.

Performance arts:

To provide the stimulus of a professionally organised event with a large audience:
To give focus and support for new creative developments.
To provide a cultural showcase.

Visual art:

To provide exhibition space for artists. Banners and stage backdrops are prominent canvases with a huge viewing public.

4) To provide an outlet for the energies of young people.

The youth stage has an age ceiling of 24, and young people feature prominently in the overall programme.

Hundreds of local primary and secondary school children benefit from the Community Art Projects

5) To educate:

Audience:

ROTW aims to remove all the thresholds from experiencing something new.
To provide the opportunity for people to experience high quality live music and art of different cultures, in a tolerant and inclusive environment.

Volunteers:

To provide the opportunity for people to broaden their experience and skills by learning from professionals in the team and improving their CV and employment prospects.

Artists:

Inspiration and influence from new forms.
To provide work experience for students.

6) To raise the national profile of the area as a cultural and commercial centre.

ROTW and the Hitchin Festival draw visitors into the town and help to establish the historic Town Centre, with its interesting retail mix, as a tourist and regional destination.

Whilst many businesses experience an increase in trade over the weekend, we believe there is also a year-round increase in visitor numbers because of the “Hitchin promotion” effect of the festival.

ARTS FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION

what is it? history in pictures location the team

WHAT IS IT?

ROTW is a registered charity, organised by entirely volunteers with the following objectives: