Richmond Council is set to host its brand-new, completely free event, Centre Stage, tomorrow (Saturday, 13 September), which will see key roads George Street and Whittaker Avenue closed.

Part of the Council's wider vision for Richmond town centre, the event aims to reinvigorate the high street as it continues to see "the effects of changing public habits".

That is why the Council partnered with multidisciplinary design studio HemingwayDesign two years ago, to develop this vision and produce an event like Centre Stage, giving George Street a renewed attraction.

Partner at the design firm, Jack Hemingway, told Nub News: "Our kind of specialism is in people and place really, and we've got a co-creation approach to the work we do and quite often our urban design work doesn't just focus on physical interventions, it focuses on activation of spaces and how people, communities interact or live in a place."

Kinetika Bloco is a youth music charity with brass, woodwind, drum players and dancers who will be at Centre Stage (credit: Richmond Council).

A key aspect of Centre Stage is how the festival connects with the community and its residents.

Richmond Council found from its consultation on the town centre vision that 54% of young people felt there was not enough variety of things to do.

As a result, HemingwayDesign and the Council put particular focus on how this multi-arts event could bring young people together on the high street.

"We've been trying to think of it from a lens of what young people might be interested in," said Richmond Town Centre Lead, Councillor Katie Mansfield.

"There's going to be a marquee up, there's going to be workshops and opportunities for them to build things and do things.

"When it comes to slightly older younger people, so teenagers mostly, there will be an interactive skate art installation.

"There's also a sustainability fashion area as well where people can learn about creating different items of fashion from what they have.

"And then we've got the beauty of Richmond, the diversity of London balanced with the blue and green. That's its unique offering and George Street is pretty much the only place that has that."

The festival will feature independent design makers and charity retailers (credit: Richmond Council).

Another attractive aspect of Centre Stage for residents is not just that it's free to attend, but the calibre of artists and organisations involved.

Mercury Prize-winning artist Femi Koleoso from Ezra Collective, neo-soul vocalist Hillarynx, and a live theatre performance from Richmond's very own Orange Tree Theatre will all feature.

Hemingway said: "I think it's a real coup for an event in its first year to be able to secure someone like Femi Koleoso to headline the event."

Cllr Mansfield continued: "We're trying to make sure it's the diversity of offer across the entire high street that meets the needs of everybody.

"It's also the market stalls, craft stalls, the potting lessons from the Petersham Nurseries.

"It's very important because a high street is kind of by the community for the community, and a high street will only work if the community are fully involved."

A section of Centre Stage is dedicated to street food with a long dining table for residents to sit (credit: Richmond Council).

Centre Stage is a new concept from the Council and a trial to demonstrate the potential of utilising the high street in a creative way.

Depending on the event's success and feedback from residents, the Council will consider more innovative uses of town centre spaces.

"The idea is that the long-term ambition can become an annual flagship in Richmond town centre but this is a pilot test and the first step on the journey to just thinking about how the movement is addressed in Richmond town," explained Hemingway.

Cllr Mansfield added: "It's an opportunity, a trial, and people have got on board with that vision.

"We created that vision initially for the whole of Richmond Town Centre as a whole, and it's what's going to be driving everything we do going forward."

For parents and kids there will be hands-on creative workshops to experience (credit: Richmond Council).

The day-long festival runs from 11am to 7pm, with George Street and Whittaker Avenue closing to vehicle access from 6am, giving organisers only five hours to prepare the space for residents.

"I think it's going to be totally worth it fill that street, to allow joy to fill that street and seeing how people respond to it," said Hemingway.

Visit Centre Stage's website to access the full programme and festival map.

READ MORE: Richmond's new Centre Stage festival reveals full line-up for debut.

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