Bazza Deaf: Why you should come to the Wey Aye! Deaf Festival in Newcastle on 1/2 November! (BSL)

The first ever festival of its kind in the North East of England is happening at Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd of November 2024!

This unique Deaf-led Community event is embracing and showcasing talented Deaf people through an eclectic set of workshops during the two days and two evenings of performances. There will be an art exhibition and stalls from local Deaf organisations.

What’s more? All the people involved are either born in the North East or lived and studied in the North East or simply moved and settled in the North East. The Wey Aye! Deaf Festival will definitely give a true local flavour of the diversity of skills inhabited in the community that is just bursting to be seen.

It all started when Paul Kerr started working with Gateshead Community Bridgebuilders. His colleagues agreed with his proposal to fund a Deaf Festival in the North East. Being Deaf himself, he knew there weren’t many local opportunities for Deaf Creatives. As such many have moved away and achieved successes outside of the region.

A steering group was convened to explore the feasibility of a Festival. It was Chaired by me, Barry Avison, a Deaf Newcastle-born event planner, recently retired after working over twenty years with DaDaFest (Deaf and Disability arts Festival) in Liverpool. The aim was to develop a leadership group from within the Steering Group. It did eventually evolve into a core group with such a diverse mix of skills, ages and experiences. I continued to chair meetings but became hands-off when the collective leaders, all Deaf, were emerging and making decisions.

Sarah O’Dowd, a landscape artist brought her flamboyant straight talking (or signing) on organising the art exhibition and the Deaf crafters. EJ Raymond, an actor who brought cheerful and infectious laughter in mapping out the workshops schedule and the performance programme. Tahreema Khatun is so cool taking photos and films, contributing to the group with her social media expertise and what/how young people think “Facebook is for old people” she says!!

Sophie O’Dowd, another young person gifted in graphic art, illustration and design. And Ewan Fox, who played a great part in developing the logo design. Ruth Craig-Murphy, a former teacher of the Deaf and now a textile artist, brought in her education experience. This is the core group alongside Paul Kerr, who is a brilliant negotiator and keeping tabs on the budget.

Two other people are involved in an advisory capacity. Bernard Quinn, a visual artist advising on the exhibition and encouraging people to realise their artistic skills. And Christine Frazer, who works with Paul Kerr with Gateshead Community Bridgebuilders, making sure we are aware of safeguarding etc.

The next big decision was to think of a name!

A long exhaustive list was added to a flip chart. To cut a very long discussion short, the name “Wey Aye!” was agreed because signing it made us laugh and it was a North Eastern expression meaning “Yes of course!” Ewan Fox developed a logo concept using an icon of the North East, The Angel of the North.The finished artwork was completed by Rory Studio/Paul Miller.

The next part was to invite our workshop artists and performers with a North East connection.

Not a lot of people know that John Smith, the Deaf comedian was born in Newcastle! He was only too happy to “come home” from travelling all over the globe! The other performer is David Sands, an actor who has appeared in films and on TV, He also does a stand up comedy at his own theatre nights in London. There will also be a troupe of local Deaf performers doing an improvisation show.

Workshops on offer lead by local Deaf people are from EJ Raymond and Unfolding Theatre, Danny Murphy on his Danny’s Skits, Punk Chef doing a cookery demonstration and Julie Becket on being a Vet Assistant. Gary O’Dowd will be coming home with his partner for their Real Arts Workshop, creating sculptures and Denise Armstrong, another exile is bringing her mindfulness workshop.

There will be art exhibits from Sarah O’Dowd, Graham Innes and Bernard Quinn. Photography from Tahreema Khatun and Click Click Click (a photography group from Sunderland. Sophie O’Dowd, an illustrator is looking forward to showing her work too.

And that’s not all!

There will be an After Show party lead by a Deaf DJ, David Page (Geordie Deaf Booze Gang) at the Maldron Hotel in Newcastle City Centre.

The Leadership Group looked around for a potential sponsor and we are thrilled that SignVideo by Sorenson has agreed to be our main sponsor. We are delighted as one of their employee is Charles Murphy who is very well known in the North East Deaf Community. SignVideo is a video relay sign language translation service.  And then, while looking to organise the festival’s Sign Language Interpreters, Becoming Visible agreed to give us In-Kind support. They are an innovative local Deaf-led organisation.

The workshops are Free! … But make sure you register for them in advance.

Performances are £10 each evening, £15 for both evenings.

“Wey Aye! All the making of a truly Deaf Creative-led Community Festival is happening!

Hearing people are very welcomed to attend and experience the diverse world of Deaf Arts and Culture.

For more information visit our social media: Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok and visit our website: www.weyayedeaf.org.uk or email: info@weyayedeaf.org.uk