FUSE INTERNATIONAL – the show goes on despite suffering flood damage at its core venue

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Just a week before the upcoming FUSE International festival, Creative Youth’s flagship venue FUSEBOX has been severely damaged by flooding. 

A blocked pipe above the space caused seals to burst and toilets to overflow earlier this week, forcing last-minute event cancellations and placing vital fringe shows in jeopardy. The incident is a major blow for the Kingston-based charity, which has spent months preparing for its biggest annual event.

Despite the setback, the main FUSE International festival will go ahead as planned, with performances and events taking place at the Rose Theatre and ACT Theatres in Kingston from 28 June to 6 July.

“FUSEBOX has become a vital creative space for young people in Kingston and beyond,” said Archie O’Neill and Daniel Cartlidge, Co-Directors of Creative Youth. “We urgently need community support to help us recover and keep these platforms alive.”

Creative Youth is now calling on audiences to show their support more than ever. As a registered charity, the organisation champions young talent through events like FUSE International, which gives emerging artists from around the world a platform to push creative boundaries and share their voice.

While the loss of FUSEBOX for this year’s festival is deeply felt, the team remains committed to delivering an inspiring programme. 

This year’s festival highlights include

The Kpop Hop (29 June) – A high-energy celebration of street dance and cultural exchange between the UK and South Korea, bringing together dancers from Siheung City Youth Foundation, Vital Signz Dance and Kingston College.

The World Peace Concert (4 July) – An unforgettable evening of classical, musical theatre and jazz-pop from the Seocho Philharmonia, ARKO Ensemble, and guest world-renowned Korean artists, led by acclaimed conductor Jong Hoon Bae.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2 July, pictured top) – The 2024 festival favourites from Bucharest return with a bold adaptation reimagined through the neon-soaked lens of the 1980s

The full schedule and tickets are available now at: creativeyouthcharity.org/whats-on/?ts_event_cat=fuse-international 

To learn more about Creative Youth’s work and how you can support, visit: www.creativeyouthcharity.org