Urban artz wowz kidz

8:29pm Sunday 7th September 2008

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Youngsters celebrated the street life of their Oxford estate with singing, dancing and rap performances.

More than 100 children and teenagers went to Barton's second annual Urban Artz festival at St Mary's Church in Bayswater Road yesterday.

The free event, organised by the Families Reunited community development project, featured a T-shirt design workshop, a racing car simulator, graffiti art, music, dancing and a barbecue.

Youth worker Robert Joliffe said many of the youngsters had helped organise the event as well as taking part in the day itself.

He said: "We are doing things with art forms we think young people would really like to do."

The day ended with the unveiling of a totem pole made of recycled household items that had been built by the youngsters to reflect the spirit of Barton.

Cheney School pupil Jacob Fleetwood, 15, of Bassett Road, said: "These kind of events make the community stronger and the adults get to see kids doing what they do best."

Glenys Goodenough, 67, of Brampton Road, said: "We should have something like this every six months at least.

"You meet people, you see the kids happy and the dancing is fantastic."