A day where young voices, stories, and ideas come together to spark change. This day has been created by and for young people and young adults.
11:00am – 12:00pm – Welcome
Words and sharings from Rochdale’s young people to open the day.
Where: Temporary Touchstones
11:30am – 3:30pm – Teenage Market
Experience the lively market with the whole family and browse the stalls filled with home-made goods from our fantastic local young people.
The Teenage Market is a fast-growing nationwide initiative set up by teenage brothers Joe and Tom Barratt in Stockport to transform our town and city centres with the creativity of young people. The energy, diversity and vibrancy of the young people who take part in Teenage Markets is helping to breathe life back into high streets, town centres and market areas all across the country, with events now being run in over 25 locations.
Where: Rochdale Town Hall, The Bright Hall
12:00pm – 2:15pm – Creative Sharings
Performances and activities by and for young people from Rochdale Borough.
- 12:00pm & 1:30pm – Skylight Circus Arts: Performance of Flight by Spotlight Group, followed by a have-a-go circus workshop.
- 12:30pm & 2pm – M6 Youth Theatre: Performance about what belonging means to young people, made especially for Side-by-Side with M6 Youth Theatre Groups.
- 1pm – Elevate Young Minds: Short production about young people going through changes in life, finding friendship and belonging with peers.
Where: Temporary Touchstones
12:00pm – 4:00pm – Playful Anywhere
Playful Anywhere will be creating a vibrant pop-up play area for children and people of all ages to enjoy. Expect chalks, games, giant marble runs and more!
Where: Rochdale Town Hall Lawns
12:00pm – 4:00pm – Wellbeing Zone
A soft, welcoming wellbeing installation, designed as a calm retreat space within the festival. You’ll find cushions, mats, and tactile colourful elements. There will also be gentle, drop-in wellbeing art activities.
Where: Rochdale Town Hall Lawns
12:30pm – 3:00pm – Film Screenings
Watch work on screen created by and with young people from Rochdale Borough.
12:00pm – Manners Cost Nothing by Rochdale BFI Academy Cohort followed by Q&A with young people.
When two young workmen arrive on a job to a local historical site for some easy maintenance, it soon becomes a whirlwind of pressure to escape in time, as they are forced to learn the meaning of ‘respect your elders’ and learn that manners do, in fact, cost nothing. Starring John O’Neill, Macaulay Cooper and Jaqui Carroll.
Manners Cost Nothing is the product of weeks of hard work by the participants of the BFI Film Academy 2025 at Touchstones Rochdale. After industry masterclasses, planning, research, and lots of learning, the young people who made this film are excited to invite you to this one-off screening at Side-by-Side 2026.
The BFI Film Academy is an opportunity for young people aged 16-19 in Rochdale and surrounding boroughs to bring their creativity and learn more about working in the film industry. Industry professionals taught the young people everything they know about their specialisms, giving over the skills to be in control of the set. Everything you will see was decided, designed, chosen, filmed, and created by the participants.
2:00pm – Power to the Pennines by Jo Barker-Marsh and young people from Pennine followed by a storytelling workshop.
“There’s been a shooting up Belfield, you alright…”
Power to the Pennines is a no budget film created by three teen boys and filmmaker and campaigner, Jo Barker-Marsh. The film was made in response to the recurring conversations at home between Jo and her teen son, around crime, poverty and a lack of listening from the systems meant to help.
Early Help and Schools lead for The Pennines, Debs Stelling, offered three teen boys a space to speak their truth and supported the making of a film to protect their identities. In this collaborative space, we heard the raw testimonies of boys who feel misunderstood, pushed towards crime and worse, and who want to be heard by the ‘powers that be’.
This is a raw film documenting how the data we see belies the stories that lay underneath. Our storytelling activity after the film’s screening will ask you to question who has ownership of a story, and why it matters that we get this bit right.
Where: Historic Council Chamber
Book here2:30pm – 4:00pm – Music Mash Up
Have a go workshops and activities making music for you to enjoy.
- 2:30 pm – Make Mouth Music: Beatboxing Workshop with James Lyons
- 3:15pm – Open Mic Session: Hosted by Isha Hafeez
If you would like to take part in the Open Mic session, please register your interest below.
Where: Temporary Touchstones
Register your interest