HUNDREDS of people are in the final stages of preparation for a festival celebrating street life in Barton and Wood Farm.

A launch event for the Oxford Urban Artz Festival, which was born out of the Youth Offenders Team, was held at the Port Mahon on Saturday.

Several festival events are planned, each combining the talents of local people in arts, music, dance, sport, food and fashion, to be held with the first taking place on Saturday, September 8, at Bayards Hill School in Barton.

Robz Joliffe, who is organising the event, said: "It's taken a long time to come together but we are now in a position where we will be doing a series of them over the next several months.

"We worked alongside community groups and had workshops within the arts community and the workshops led to the idea of doing some kind of festival. It's based around music of black origin and other art forms that represent that same move towards ethnicity in popular mainstream culture."

Budding MC Tom Lygo, who is 15 and lives in Barton, will be among those performing.

He said: "It's a really good idea because it will change people's attitudes and it lets people know what other things other people have got."

Yasmin Rennie, 16, is involved as part of the Messy Jam dance troupe and has helped work on dance moves for the fashion show.

Yasmin, a Cheney School pupil, said: "It's been a lot of fun so far because there are a lot of people getting involved and lots of different areas.

"I think it's going to come together really well on the day."

Fifteen-year-old Laura Kitching, of Wheatley Park School, said: "I started coming to youth club and got told about the festival and I was really interested.

"I think it will just prove that Barton isn't all bad."

Celeste Prytherch, 14, from Barton, has been involved in designing posters and CD covers to go on display in the show.

She said: "I wanted to show people that I'm not just one of those people who roams around the streets and show my friends what I can do."

Jaymo Hall, 18, of Barton, will be showing off his T-shirt designs in the fashion show.

He said: "I think events like this are important otherwise no-one has got anything to look forward to or to do.

"I would not be doing anything right now if I wasn't involved in this."

As well as the young people involved, rapper Zuby will be headlining along with Mr Shaodow.

The event will run between noon and 5pm. Tickets cost £3 and can be bought from website www.wegottickets.com