DUCHY Square Centre for Creativity in Princetown is appealing for young people living on Dartmoor to help stage a special musical event to mark the first anniversary of the local village centre.

Integria — the creative consultancy that manages and operates Duchy Square —has joined forces with the village centre and Devon County Council to deliver a scheme enabling teenagers, aged 16 to 19, to learn about the technical support needed to help stage events.

Supported by Devon County Council, it wants to hear from young musicians living in the Princetown and Tavistock area who would not only like to perform at the event on April 24, but can help in the planning and staging too.

Experts are being hired to teach the young people lighting, sound and acoustics skills, as well as filming and interview techniques as the centre, a hub for youngsters in Princetown, gears up for the day long celebratory event.

After the event, the young people will be invited to take part in an on-going skills project, organised with the aid of Devon County Council, to give them the expertise to set up future events at the centre.   

As part of the lessons in filming, some of the teenagers are set to compile a documentary film, which will chart the learning process, as well as the big event itself.

Tracy Hill, South West regional manager for Integria, said the project was another example of Duchy Square's commitment to creating artistic opportunities for the local community, as well as visitors from further afield.

Tracy said: 'Duchy Square isn't just a venue for exhibitions aimed at tourists, although that is clearly a very important role.

'Since its inception we have had a real community focus, aiming to give local people the chance to take an active part in a diverse range of creative and artistic activities, where possible.

'The new village centre in Princetown should play a pivotal role within the community, providing access to a range of facilities and events.

'We saw an opportunity to enhance that function with a project aimed at teaching a group of young people the kind of skills that could prove useful in support of the village centre and also offer further qualifications with potential links to future career options.'

Since its launch just over a year ago Duchy Square has become an integral part of the Princetown community and a focal point for some of the most talented creative practitioners living and working in the Dartmoor area.

Supported by a number of organisations, including The Duchy of Cornwall and Devon County Council, the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity offers low cost workshop space on two floors and is helping boost the local economy by connecting local businesses with other key industry sectors.

The artists and creative practitioners take part in workshops organised by the centre, but also stage their own sessions with smaller groups in their own studios.