Hoop La La

The festival offered the opportunity for young people to get involved in hands on creative workshops that explored hidden talents in a wide range of fields including photography, film-making, art, music and free-running.

Britain's Got Talent finalists Hoop La La hosted a two hour workshop on day one, teaching the twirls of their trade. A youthful team of reporters covered the three day event and produced a daily news sheet to keep people up to date.

Irene Rene Bakundukize, 23, was the festival's official photographer this year, having exhibited in it previously. In her works she wishes to capture an ethereal feeling of eternity previously represented in classical paintings with depictions of halos.

Irene is an example of how beneficial the festival can be for those with a creative streak.

Festival Coordinator Susan Eksdale said: "It is lovely to see young people getting involved in all these different activities. We want to spread the Access All Areas vibe all year round, offering creative opportunities throughout the year."

Access All Areas is reaching out to communities throughout the county, allowing inspiration to resonate far beyond the festival.

De La Warr Pavilion volunteer Jesse Martin said Access All Areas is the best event all year: "To be involved in it is just great."

After introductory speeches and a short performance by Hoop La La, the festival whirled into action. With so much going on at one venue, attendants had to choose their time wisely.

Outside on the seafront, Urban Shadows astonished audiences with extraordinary feats of somersaulting and flips as they demonstrated the art of parkour and free running. Workshops took place teaching the philosophy and fundamentals. For some, walking from A to B may never be the same again. Jesse described it as "fabulous".

In a teepee beside the motional madness of parkour and free running, Ghanaian master drummer Nana Tsiboe revealed an alternative way to create music using drums, the body, and the surrounding environment, alongside conceptual artist Jonathon Adie. Participants in this workshop performed alongside Nana and Jonathon, aka Ekorok, later in the evening.

Fashion workshop Re-duce, Re-use, Re-cycle, opened up imaginations to the fashionable possibilities of rubbish with demonstrations on how to create clothes and accessories on a small budget. All that is needed is a bin. Among the items on display were two dresses, one made of plastic cups, the other out of bin bags. Participants in workshops over all three days could showcase their eco-friendly creations at the Saturday Fashion Show.

Youngsters also had the chance to work as a film crew in Make a Film in a Day. Thursday's production, entitled Rush of the Blue, involved filming anything blue around the pavilion through a blue lens, teaching participants from an early age the basics of film production. All films will be screened in November .

For other budding artists, The Arts Award Hub provided free material and use of equipment. Professional advice and support was on hand for artists wishing to gain their bronze art award.

As well as the wide range of interactive workshops, various organisations and artists put on a number of theatrical, multimedia, and musical performances, including Robertsbridge Community College's version of the Chinese legend of the monkey king, and Alchemy Productions' innovative exploration of the life and work of Rudyard Kipling.