Heart of the Heatons is an annual local festival of inspiration and connectivity, spreading collective joy through arts, music and culture.

During this festival people can expect three things:

1. Get to know more about what’s going on in the area with many community groups, venues and existing events putting on Heart of the Heatons taster sessions or special events/activities
   
   
2. Experience specially created events that aim to spread collective joy across the Heatons and Reddish
   
   
3. Connect with other members of your community through shared experiences

We are particularly looking to connect with disconnected or disengaged local community sectors to help combat loneliness and exclusion.

Many events are being created from scratch, not only by us, but by inspired individuals and fantastic community groups, with our support. Each event aims to spread collective joy, provide inspiration and to connect people through a shared experience. We have also partnered with performers to bring special events to the area.

We are also delighted to act as a loud platform to help publicise existing events, bringing them all under one platform to show all the excellent opportunities already happening, with each event having a Heart of the Heatons twist.

In 2018, our inaugural year, we curated and created 55 events across 25 venues. In 2019, we had over 1,000 people come along to various events. Thank you to all the amazing performers, organisers, venues and all those who took part. 

2020 was a little bit different, but we all know why!  2021 was a mix of live and hybrid and it worked really well!  Then 2022 it was all live again! 

This year will be another jam-packed programme!

An important aspect of Heart of the Heatons is to operate with a social conscious. The festival aims to cover its operational costs, which we always keep as low as possible, but in the future we hope to make a profit to reinvest back into local projects and future festivals. Heart of the Heatons is a project of Drawing Board Productions, a Community Interest Company that also produces the Heatons Post, Arts & Culture Stockport magazine and other local community newspaper publications for South Manchester.

Bringing this festival to you this year are Mel Page and Amanda Fourie. We are community engagement facilitators working with social enterprises, entrepreneurs, charities, community groups and amazing individuals to help them do brilliant things.

We are supported by our Intern Imogen Roberts who joined our team for the summer along with three other Interns as part of the On The Up Internship programme, and a brand new and fabulous volunteer Claire who has helped to build the programme this year.