Stendhal Festival teams up with college for '˜fantastic weekend'

North West Regional College has been announced as official education partner at the 2017 Stendhal Festival.
Ross Parkhill, director and founder of the Stendhal Festival of Art, with Megan Cronin, Level 2 Hairdressing student at North West Regional College. Picture by Martin McKeown.Ross Parkhill, director and founder of the Stendhal Festival of Art, with Megan Cronin, Level 2 Hairdressing student at North West Regional College. Picture by Martin McKeown.
Ross Parkhill, director and founder of the Stendhal Festival of Art, with Megan Cronin, Level 2 Hairdressing student at North West Regional College. Picture by Martin McKeown.

Taking place on the weekend of August 11-12, this award-winning Limavady event features a top line up including Ash, The Magic Numbers, Sharon Shannon and Ciaran Lavery.

It also includes NWRC Music Performance student ROE, who has also been unveiled as one of the acts for this year’s Glastonbury programme at the end of the month.

Patrick McKeown, NWRC director of Finance and Economic Engagement, said the college is delighted to partner with a festival welcoming visitors into the Roe Valley area.

He added: “Stendhal has grown year on year since its inception and is not only making a significant contribution to the arts in the North West but also to tourism in the area.

“Our college has for many years promoted the arts not only through education but also in supporting and facilitating events and we are delighted to extend this support to the Stendhal Festival.

“Staff and students look forward to being part of what promises to be a fantastic weekend.”

As education partner, the college will be showcasing a wide range of areas of the curriculum to support the festival.

Representatives from the Hairdressing and Beauty Academy will be offering styling and beauty treatments during the weekend and Art and Design students will be able to highlight their work to art curator Melissa Hogg with the possibility of it being put on display.

Students from across campuses in Limavady, Londonderry and Strabane will also be given the opportunity to volunteer during the festival including those from Training and Skills programmes at the Greystone Campus, Limavady, who have been working with the Stendhal team in the run up to the event.

Ross Parkhill, director and founder of Stendhal, said: “We are over the moon about our education partnership with NWRC.

“Stendhal is all about capacity building and promoting the arts to tomorrow’s innovators so the opportunities this partnership will bring to both the students at NWRC and Stendhal means that this is a hugely positive step forward for the festival and I’m positive that both organisations will feel the benefits for many years to come.”

Stendhal was established in 2011 and has steadily grown since with up to 8000 people expected in 2017. Tickets are on sale at www.stendhalfestival.com and several local outlets.