THE line-up for a Basingstoke festival has been officially announced, with 40 acts and attractions ready to entertain all ages.

All in the Mind Festival, which is now in its seventh year, is a free day out for the whole family offering an inspiring selection of music, dance, spoken word, theatre, interactive activities, and - for the first time - live comedy.

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The not-for-profit festival will be held on Saturday, September 10 from 11am to 6pm in Glebe Gardens near the town centre and aims to celebrates the power of the arts to boost mental wellbeing, ignite more open conversations and combat stigmas around mental health issues.

Leigh Johnstone, artistic director, said: “We’re passionate about the power of the arts to boost mental health and wellbeing and getting that message across in an uplifting, inspiring way that people of all ages can engage with and relate to.

“There really is something for everyone: acts that’ll make you laugh, make you think, move and inspire you – as well as lots of interactive activities to entertain the kids.”

Festival-goers can explore acts and attractions across six specially-curated zones in Basingstoke town centre’s Glebe Gardens: The Rabbit Burrow, The Playing Field, The Brain Food Zone, Relaxation Station and The Copse.

There are also walkabout performances throughout the day.

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Critically-acclaimed performances and installations, like Artizani’s The Bees! and Commotion Dance’s characters, Will and When, appear alongside local and up-and-coming talent like musicians Parker Turner and Noeh and poet Lawrence Nicholas.

Fluid Motion Theatre Company, the charity behind the festival, will also be premiering its new piece, The Greatest Show on Earth.

Children can let their imaginations run wild with plenty of things to see, make and do, from The Brick People’s big Lego build, The Shed of Stories, making flowers with Junk Jodie, to practising their football skills with Get Your Head in the Game, trying a musical instrument at The Musication Station, or taking a ride on cycle powered carousel, The Bewonderment Machine.

They will meet lots of wacky and wonderful characters along the way, with a host of interactive performances.

Leigh said: “Children are a really important audience for us. NHS figures from July 2020 state that one in every six children aged between five to 16 were identified as having a ‘probable mental health problem’ – and that’s before you consider the full impact of the pandemic.

“Our children’s activities and performances are carefully selected to be fun and entertaining, but also positive and uplifting, with themes like mindfulness, being happy to be yourself and how physical activity can be good for your mind as well as your body.”

Organiser Fluid Motion Theatre Company, a Basingstoke-based registered charity, has worked directly with thousands of people through its workshops and performances.

All in the Mind Festival first began in 2016 to encourage performers and artists to explore mental health themes and break the stigma that still surrounds many aspects of mental health and personal wellbeing.

Since then, the festival has grown from 79 people in 2016 to an audience of 4,000 in 2021.

Fluid Motion is committed to keeping the festival free to attend, which will be welcome news for many in the current economic climate.

“Thanks to the generosity of our funders and kind donations from the public, tickets to All in the Mind Festival have always been free”, said Leigh, adding: “After the expense of the school summer holidays and with household bills growing, many families will be feeling the need to cut back on ‘non-essential’ expenses, so we’re delighted to be able to make the festival free and accessible to all, whatever their budget.”

All tickets are free but must be booked in advance at universe.com/aitmfestival22.

The full line-up and festival details can be found at aitmfestival.com.