The Stables

IF: Milton Keynes International Festival Appoints John Cove As Chair Of Festival Advisory Board

IF: Milton Keynes International Festival is delighted to announce the appointment of John Cove as Chair of its Festival Advisory Board.

A highly respected leader across the Milton Keynes region, John brings extensive experience in governance, strategic leadership and partnership development, alongside a longstanding commitment to culture, education and community development.

John currently serves as Chair of Destination Milton Keynes and Chair of the Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Deal and has held a number of senior leadership and board positions across the charity, education, sport and public sectors throughout his distinguished career.

As Chair of the Festival Advisory Board, John will help guide the strategic development of the Festival, supporting its ambition to deliver world-class cultural experiences that inspire audiences, celebrate creativity and contribute to the continued growth and reputation of Milton Keynes as a vibrant cultural destination.

John Cove said: "I am delighted to take on the role of Chair of the Festival Advisory Board. IF: Milton Keynes International Festival has established a remarkable reputation for bringing exceptional arts and cultural experiences to the city and attracting audiences from across the UK and beyond. I look forward to working with the Board and Festival team to support its continued success and future development."

Monica Ferguson, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of The Stables, which produces the Festival, said: "We are thrilled to welcome John as Chair of the Festival Advisory Board. His wealth of leadership experience, deep understanding of Milton Keynes and proven ability to build successful partnerships will be invaluable as we continue to develop the Festival and strengthen its impact across the city and region."

IF: Milton Keynes International Festival is one of the UK's leading outdoor and multidisciplinary arts festivals, presenting an ambitious programme of international and UK artists across a range of venues and public spaces throughout Milton Keynes. The next Festival will run from 23 July-1 August 2027. For more information visit www.ifmiltonkeynes.org

Four Days of Hands-On Music-Making for Young People

The Stables in Milton Keynes has announced details of MakeMy Music, a brand-new creative music programme designed foryoung people aged 12–14.Taking place from Monday 20 to Thursday 23 July, the immersive summerprogramme invites young people to explore music-making through DJing, livebeat creation, songwriting and world music workshops in a fun, supportiveand inspiring environment.Make My Music is open to any young person with a keen interest in music,but especially welcomes young people who have not had much chance totake part in practical and creative music-making. The Stables is alsooffering bursaries to help more of those young people who face barriersin attending to take part.Running from 10am-4pm each day, Make My Music gives participants thechance to try new musical experiences, collaborate with others and buildconfidence through creativity.Each day focuses on a different aspect of contemporary music-making:

• Monday 20 July – Turntablism: Introduction to DJingParticipants will get hands-on with the fundamentals of scratch DJingand learn the basics of mixing and turntablism.
• Tuesday 21 July – iPad Live Beats: Perform and CreateYoung people will use free iPad music apps to create and perform theirown live beats and electronic music.
• Wednesday 22 July – Sounds and Instruments From Around theWorldA practical workshop introducing instruments, rhythms and soundsfrom diverse musical traditions.
• Thursday 23 July – Creative SongwritingAn opportunity for aspiring songwriters to collaborate, write lyrics andcreate original music together.

Young people can book individual days or attend the full four-dayprogramme, with each day affordably priced at £40 per day, includinglunch. No previous musical experience or instrument knowledge arerequired to take part.The programme reflects The Stables’ ongoing commitment to music educationand creative participation for young people across the region. Founded by SirJohn Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine, The Stables has been championingaccess to music and the arts for more than 50 years.Graeme Surtees, Head of Learning & Participation at The Stables, said:“Make My Music is all about creativity, curiosity and giving young people thechance to explore music in exciting new ways. Whether they’re interested inDJing, songwriting, beats or discovering instruments from around the world, wewant participants to feel inspired, supported and empowered to expressthemselves through music.

”Places are limited to 30 people per workshop and advance application isrequired.

For more information and to apply for a place, visit https://stables.org/event/make-my-music