Can you tell me a little bit about Juice Festival and what it means for you?
Rachel: It is a festival for children and young people under 25 it encompasses all sorts of people and art forms from dance to circus and visual art to anime. It's a festival that's really for, by and with young people.
Lily: This is my first year doing Juice. There's loads of things going on which I hadn't seen or heard before so it's really good to be part of it and really good experience for the future
Ryan: With Team Juice there's lots of ways to stay involved, both me and Rachel started off volunteering and as an assistant so there's just been ways of getting more and more involved.
Chris: We are really trying to live up to it being with young people, not just for them, and really give them opportunities to get involved but then stay with us for a few years and progress.
How did you get involved?
Rachel: I was involved in Change-makers, which was a project to support young people to become leaders and through [them I heard] that Juice Festival were looking for assistants and from there I was just chucked into the festival and I have been here ever since.
Ryan: I was looking for more writing experience so I got involved in a spoken word project which was part of Juice festival. The next year I thought it seemed interesting so I applied for a few things to do with Juice. Then after the festival an application went round for Team Juice.
Chris: I have always had an interest in two things; working on festivals - I started off working on Bradford festival - and I had a lot of interest in working with young people and children. I spent time looking at Arts Council then the Artistic Director job came up for Juice and I thought 'That is just the thing for me,' it's working with young people, it's a festival so this is my perfect job.
What have your roles involved?
Ryan: Me and Rachel are both coordinators but we do very different things. I've been leading the Young Journalists' Project, running the blog, and admin work; sending out emails, hiring team juice and organising the volunteer schedule.
Rachel: I've been working on and coordinating a lot of the schools projects, helping with Arts Award Explore running alongside one of our projects and helping organise the Big Juice Read for the public and in schools. This year it's Alfie Bloom and the secrets of Hexbridge castle by Gabrielle Kent which is brilliant.
Lily: Team Juice is split into two so some people were organising the launch party and the rest of us are organising the launch day, so my practical role is going to be Compère on the day
What has been the highlight of working on this year's event?
Ryan: Seeing the Young Journalist's part in the culture magazine actually in print. It was really good to see that.
Lily: just being part of it, it's been a new experience, taking on things I wouldn't have done before.
Rachel: Working with Thimble Collective for All Night Tonight and seeing the trailer was just a really lovely moment. It had clips of all the children we had worked with, they were really engaged in the project and it was great.
Chris: Walking up the stairs and seeing all this tonight, I've had nothing to do with it and just seeing how team juice have transformed this space, it's happening and I can't wait.
What are you most looking forward to?
Rachel: House of Light in the Mining Institute, I don't know what to expect but it will be fantastic.
Lily: I'm excited for Vamos' 'Day of the Dead'. It looks so cool, it's colourful, bright and happy.
Chris: The unexpected things, seeing the team get up and perform and seeing young people enjoying themselves.
Juice Festival is taking place across Newcastle and Gateshead from 24th- 31st October. Visit www.newcastlegateshead.com/juice-festival for more information on the events.
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