Lancashire Encounter to return this September

Preston City Council has been successful in securing £70,000 from Arts Council England to deliver a full scale festival in September, following the successful pilot of Lancashire Encounter last year.

Utilising the city’s outdoor spaces the event will aim to deliver a bigger and more ambitious programme. The event will open on Friday 23 September with a mass performance piece utilising light and combining physical theatre, playful movement and slapstick.

The large red canopies featured last year will return providing pop up temporary venues linking the city’s spaces together with top quality performances programmed across three days.

Streets surrounding the main hub will be populated with theatre and buskers, along with pop up artisan markets showcasing Lancashire artists and organisations, as well as a range of free creative workshops celebrating and sharing the county’s different cultures.

The quality festival programme will showcase Lancashire’s tradition of great art, making and participating, and will attract visitors from all over the region. 

A co-ordinated programme from other venues in Preston will add to the festival’s offer across the weekend and will include performances, installations and exhibitions. 

The spectacular finale will bring the weekend to a close, including a large scale light procession engaging communities from all over Lancashire. 

Artist, participant and volunteer opportunities will launch over the coming months with full details of how the public can get involved, making Lancashire Encounter a true community celebration. 

Lorraine Norris, Chief Executive of Preston City Council said: 
“Lancashire Encounter is a fantastic event. Last year it attracted thousands of people into Preston City Centre with a real celebration of arts and culture across Lancashire.  We are delighted with the funding from the Arts Council which is wonderful endorsement for Lancashire Encounter and for Preston. It means we together with our partners can put on an even bigger and better festival programme which offers something for everyone.”