Free multicultural dance and movement festival International Spirit Fest ’25 is set to take place in the vibrant city centre of Wrexham on 19th July this year. Spirit Fest’ now in its third year is produced by Paallam Arts.
This year’s festival programme will offer entertainment for people of all ages and abilities in the community and offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience different styles of dance and movement in an accessible outdoor setting. Performances by professional individual artists, theatre and dance companies will take place in the heart of Wrexham in Queen’s Square celebrating local, national, and international artistry.
The festival which also includes a programme of workshops in local schools, is funded by Arts Council of Wales, Wrexham Council Community Cohesion team, Multicultural Hub and Community Foundation Wales. International Spirit fest’25 is part of the European Festival Association- a community of arts festivals that brings people and organisations together - to exchange, create and act.
Dancers and performers will fill Wrexham’s main square for a colourful and vibrant event for all to enjoy in a fun, accessible and inclusive environment.
Performers this year will include international artists, dancers and actors from across the UK as well as performances by dance groups from the local community. Visitors will witness spectacular performances by companies including Hijinx Theatre, No Sleep Dance Theatre, Le Physical and Krystal Lowes Daughters of the Sea amongst others as well as Paallam Arts artists. International artists will also feature including Roseta Plancia from Spain and Kalaripayattu artists’ team from Ayodhana Kalaripayattu Gurukkal, Bangalore, India.
The National Eisteddfod has also commissioned new work from festival producers Paallam Arts to be presented in SPIRIT FEST ’25 Festival as well as to be performed at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham in August with details to be announced shortly.
The festival not only highlights dance and movement but also creates a unique platform for cultural exchange and community connection. The outdoor setting offers audiences who might not typically visit traditional art venues the opportunity to enjoy and engage with dance.
Truly a community event for Wrexham, the festival will host local street food vendors including The Little Food Company and Koffee King amongst others and will also be an opportunity for visitors to the square to meet local groups including Refugees Kindness, North East Wales Multicultural hub and Edible Wrexham.
Volunteers from Wrexham University will also play a part in providing a warm welcome for all visitors to the festival as part of the events team.
Festival performers will be on hand throughout the day to speak to festival visitors following their performance in order to answer questions they may have in an informal and relaxed environment and to create a completely integrated event. The festival is accessible to wheelchair users and their families and further dedicated relaxation spaces allow people to take a timeout from the action.
Workshops for Young People at Ty Pawb
In addition to the main festival events, a programme of workshops for young people from local schools will take place in partnership with Art venue Ty Pawb in Wrexham for two days on 11th and 14th July. The workshops will promote wellbeing and movement and offer an early experience of dance and movement to create and foster a love of the art form at an early age. Children will be able to participate in workshops including Welsh clog dancing, the martial art Kalaripayattu at the venue.
Festival Producer and CEO of Paallam Arts, Krishnapriya Ramamoorthy said:
“Spirit Fest ’23 and '24 proved that art has the power to unite, inspire, and uplift, making it a cornerstone event for Wrexham and beyond.
Creating and providing free high quality experiences to the public outdoors in the centre of their community is the perfect way for people to enjoy dance and movement without any barriers. The festival is a celebration of dance and movement with artistic excellence at its core. At Paallam Arts our aim is to build an interest around the art of dance and movement and presenting this accessible festival each year takes us one step closer to our mission.”
Jo Marsh of Ty Pawb said “Spirit Fest is a unique part of the cultural landscape in Wales, bringing together exceptional artistic talent in dance and movement art from across the world, alongside local and regional performers. It is a privilege for Ty Pawb to be a partner with Spirit Fest, as part of our core aim of championing multicultural, participation, artistic excellence and togetherness. We are delighted to see the festival growing from strength to strength each year, for the benefit of both audiences and the artistic community. Paallam Arts, led by visionary leader Krishnapriya Ramamoorthy, is an asset to Wrexham”.