Hartlepool schools invited to join North East Festival of Languages, the UK’s largest festival of languages for schools which returns bigger than ever

Celebrating the region’s rich mix of languages and cultures, the Festival showcases creativity, inclusion and global outlook. Designed for children and young people aged 3–18, the Festival inspires curiosity, intercultural understanding and confidence in communication – helping young people prepare for an increasingly interconnected world.

More than 400 schools and 94,000 children and young people took part in Festival events in 2025, and organisers expect even greater participation this year.

From multilingual art, dance and writing workshops to language and careers sessions, competitions, and university campus experiences, the 2026 programme will bring languages to life in fun, creative and accessible ways.

The festival is now entering its sixth year and is bigger than ever enabling more schools, community schools and groups and celebrate the region’s rich mix of languages and cultures, showcasing creativity, inclusion and global outlook.

Part-funded by the North East Combined Authority via a grant to Newcastle City Council and co-ordinated by International Newcastle, the Festival programme is delivered through a partnership of more than 50 local, regional, national and international organisations and embodies the North East’s commitment to diversity, opportunity and education.

Declan Baharini, Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages Co-ordinator added: “Our packed three-month Festival programme encourages children and young people across the North East to build their skills and confidence. It will nurture their curiosity and understanding about the diverse languages and cultures around them and the region’s connections to the wider world.

Participating in the Festival inspires children and young people to study and progress languages at school and build intercultural understanding and awareness, which opens doors to wider education and career opportunities.”

Schools across the UK can join a range of online events and activities. Schools internationally are welcome to join in Festival activities with their North East and UK partners, as well as getting involved in ‘Together We Fly’, a world friendship art project.

2026 Festival Highlights include:

• Creative multilingual projects which enable children and young people across the region to express themselves through music, art, writing and world recipes
• Competitions in French (Crêpe design), Spanish (Spanish Omelette design) and German (Karneval Masks)
• Classroom activities for children aged from 3 - 18 years with teaching resources relating to different languages and countries – with films, quizzes, games, storytelling and more
• Languages and Careers webinars, events and resources to inspire young people to progress with languages
• World languages and cultures - activities, events and resources exploring the Arab World, Japan, China, South Asia, Africa and South America
• Live lessons with Durham, Newcastle and Northumbria universities exploring different languages and cultures

Teachers are invited to explore the programme with advance registrations now open for festival events running between January and March 2026 https://expressyourselfne.com/whatson/