Join us for our free creative art events taking place in the October half term and across two days in November!
The Creative Lights Festival has been an annual celebration in Rose Hill for the past three years, with the community coming together to take part in free digital art activities, culminating in a lantern parade around the estate.
This year, the festival will be expanded across four days to include more community arts activities, all themed around ‘trees and reforestation.’
Film Oxford, Rose Hill Junior Youth club and Rose Hill & Iffley low Carbon group will be working together to develop these exciting creative workshops and community events, supported by Arts Council England and Oxford City Council.
Preparing for the festival
Children and young people at RHJYC sessions will have the opportunity to create their own lanterns, tree & forest costumes and leaf crowns throughout Oct and Nov, in the lead up to the main festival days on Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th November!
Young people (aged 11+) will also learn how to VJ, creating digital art projections related to the theme using Resolume software. These graphics will then be showcased at a youth-led indoor art exhibition and disco for young people in November.
October half term
We will be running two free open days for families during the October half term on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th, between 11am-2pm at Rose Hill Community centre.
Families can help local artist Mani to build a giant elephant lantern, as well as design and construct your own forest costumes with Groovy Su!
You can also make some cool forest crafts at our arts and crafts table!
Free filmmaking club
Would you like to learn filmmaking skills for free during the October half term?
We are running this club for ages 11-17 to learn key skills in filmmaking, including how to use cameras, setting up lighting and sound, directing, interviewing, editing and more!
The sessions will run at Rose Hill Community centre on Monday 28th, Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th October, from 10:30am-3:30pm.
The youth film crew will also have the opportunity to develop their skills further and film a behind the scenes documentary of the CLF across the event days in November!
Limited places available, click the button below to sign up!
Saturday 16th November
On Saturday, there will be free digital and creative activities for local people, including music, food and a lantern parade around Rose Hill to finish the evening.
Make a lantern, try out our green screen effects station, make a digital greetings card and so much more!
We had so much fun at our ocean themed festival last year, with our main whale lanterns featured as the star attraction (see slideshow above).
This year, we will be making two large elephant lanterns with help from local families, the children at youth club, and Chilworth House Upper School .
The festival will open from 2pm, with activities running until 4:30pm.
Those who want to join us on our lantern parade will need to gather at Rose Hill Community centre for the start of the parade at 5pm.
Poster competition
The Rose Hill & Iffley Low Carbon group will be running another poster design competition this year, where the winner will take home a £10 voucher and have their poster displayed locally around Rose Hill!
To enter, just design a colourful poster about why we should care about trees OR how we can care for trees!
You can hand in your poster on Saturday 16th November, you can also make your poster on the day as long as it is submitted by 4:30pm!
If you are unable to attend on Saturday 16th November, you can always take a picture and submit it by clicking the button below. Please keep your original design, so that we can display it alongside the winning entry!
Sunday 17th November
The last day of the festival will see children, local families and residents come together to take part in more arts activities, showcasing their costumes and creating a living forest, where we will sing and dance together.
There will be a free community meal, as well as other community stalls and arts activities.
The event opens at 3pm and the meal will be served from 3:15pm until 5:15pm, with the event finishing at 5:30pm.
You can also take a picture with our elephant lanterns, which will be displayed at the event!
The Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon team will leading this event, supported by us and Film Oxford, and will also be giving the public tours of the local trees and fruit orchard on the recreation ground, as well as a nature trail quiz led by Tony.
RHILC is a community group that seeks to make our local area cleaner and greener. One of their regular activities is working with members of the community to plant and maintain trees.
In January 2015, they planted 200 native species in Rose Hill Recreation Ground, followed by 600 more in November 2019 and February 2020, supported by Rose Hill Primary school, community groups and Oxford City Council.
The group, alongside volunteers, regularly watered, weeded and mulched the grounds and since 2023 the fruit trees have borne fruits, ready for the community to pick (see slideshow below).
Volunteer with us
If you would like to help us during the October half term or during our two day festival, please get in touch!
We would welcome help with arts and crafts, stewarding and general event tasks!
Films from last year
If you would like a taste of what to expect this year, watch our videos from our festival last year!
