IT’S all about the arts in the family fun zone at this year’s Morton Stanley Festival community area.

The no-cost family-friendly attraction at Redditch’s upcoming free two-day festival features guitar sessions, fun competitions in painting and poetry organised by members of the Redditch Art Centre Project, and Music in Motion who combine singing with sign language will also be performing.

There will also be soft play equipment for the under twos provided by Noodle Doodle’s Children’s Parties, and come along and find out about The YumTum Club’s famous Olympic Power Bar created by local school children!

The zone is part of the community area at the festival that will be open from 1pm to 6pm on both days of the weekend festival, which is run by Redditch Borough Council in Morton Stanley Park on August 17-18.

Local groups and organisations have a direct link to the borough council through the Redditch Community Forum.

Forum chair Sue Yeng, who is also a representative of the Redditch Chinese Association, which is hosting the family fun zone, added: “The zone started life from a summer play scheme at Abbeydale Community Club and has grown into this event at the Morton Stanley Festival.

“The marquee we hire for it is owned by Astwood Bank Cubs and Scouts and is a prime example of how funding can support a whole ecosystem of community activities as it was a local grant that helped to buy it in the first place.”

Morton Stanley Festival takes place on Saturday, August 17 from 1pm to 11pm and Sunday, August 18 from 1pm to 7pm, with the community area – including the fun zone and lots of interesting stalls - open from 1pm to 6pm both days.

This year’s main acts will be internationally-acclaimed French circus La Famille Goldoni who are visiting Redditch on their short UK tour, the South American sounds of Los Chinches and Cambridge folk act Ezio. Saturday night is set aside for local bands to rock the stage.

Car parking is available via Green Lane. This is the park car park at the other end of the Morton Stanley Park where the football pitches are, the car park at the main entrance will be required for event crews.