Artists and performers from Mansfield and Ashfield are being invited to be part of this year’s The Full Shebang, the annual one-day festival in Mansfield town centre.

Applications are open for the likes of singers, musicians, cabaret performers, circus performers, dancers, actors, poets, and spoken word performers, and more, for up to 15 minutes of fame on the Shebang Introducing stage.

The Full Shebang, organised by local arts charity First Art, is now in its fifth year and will take place on Saturday, 7th September.

Free and open to everyone, it features acts from close to home and further afield, and is a chance to bring high-quality performances to a wide range of people.

First Art marketing and audience development manager Kate Learmouth said: “Every year we receive hundreds of surveys from audiences to look at ways to improve The Full Shebang.

“The idea of showcasing local talent on a dedicated stage came from local people, so we’re really excited about co-producing this with the local community.”

Applications for the Shebang Introducing stage are welcome from both individuals, groups, and organisations who live, work, or are based in Mansfield or Ashfield.

Performers will be paid a fee, together with costs on the day that include travel and subsistence, access, and technical and production costs. Every act will also be supported by a technical and production team on the day.

Applications close at 10am on Friday 10 May. More information about the opportunity and details on how to apply are at www.firstart.org.uk/shebangintroducing

First Art aims for the festival to be shaped increasingly by the local communities, working towards a festival co-produced by the people of Mansfield and nearby areas.

A panel comprising First Art and members of the community will select the line-up for the Shebang Introducing stage. Community members on the panel are part of a group of people helping the charity shape cultural events and activities in the area.

Karl Greenwood, First Art director, said: “Since last year’s festival, we’ve brought together a group of local people to help develop arts and cultural events in Mansfield, including The Full Shebang.

“Co-producing events and activities with local communities is key to what we do and crucial to making sure people in the area are getting to see and take part in things that are representative and relevant to local people.

“We’re excited about this opportunity to have more local artists involved and are looking forward to seeing applications from artists we know about, but also those we’re unfamiliar with

“If you fancy the chance to get in front of a bigger audience, this is a great opportunity to showcase your talents in front of thousands of people. We’ve tried to keep the application process straightforward as we want to encourage applications from a diverse range of artists and art forms.”

The Full Shebang Festival is produced and presented by First Art and made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England and support from Without Walls and Mansfield District Council.