HUNDREDS of school students across the county will steal the spotlight during a two-week celebration of arts and culture.
Staff and students at Magdalen College School will host the seventh MCS Arts Festival in Oxford.
The festival, which starts on June 20, runs until July 5.
Guest speakers include poet Roger McGough, historian and broadcaster Michael Wood, former Observer editor Will Hutton, director of campaign group Liberty Shami Chakrabarti and Tower of London’s poppy display designer, Tom Piper.
Young people from more than 35 Oxfordshire schools have been busy preparing for the event.
Sue Croft, principal of Oxford Spires Academy in East Oxford, said her students have been getting involved with poetry workshops with nearby primary schools.
She said: “I think it’s really important for a school to open their doors and link with other schools.”
Other secondary schools involved include The Marlborough School in Woodstock, Matthew Arnold School,Cumnor Hill, St Gregory the Great Catholic School in Cowley, North Oxfordshire Academy, Banbury Academy, along with primary schools.
More than 100 events will take place across more than 20 city locations.
It will be the seventh year Magdalen College School, in Cowley Place, has hosted the festival.
Festival director Anne Cotton, 35, said: “It’s a festival that takes root in the school but the whole point of it is it’s for everybody.”
Dr Cotton said Arts Council England funding of £13,000 was awarded for two parts of the festival, the Oxfordshire Youth Poetry Slam and the Alice’s Adventures Youth Engagement Programme.
The poetry slam will see top literary talent perform alongside slam artist Mark Grist, who grabbed the spotlight after a video of him battling teenage grime artist MC Blizzard went viral.
Funding for the Alice’s Adventures Youth Engagement Programme will enable primary schools to join workshops before a performance of the classic tale on July 3.
Magdalen College School student Rebekah Nash will take the leading role as Alice at the Oxford Playhouse show. The 17-year-old said: “The festival is a really good way of connecting the school with the city and helps the community to get to know the school better.”
About £5,000 was also received from Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford University.
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