Barnsley Libraries are excited to welcome Plot 17 to Barnsley Garden Party this weekend, bringing family-friendly eco hip-hop to the heart of our town centre.

Families can join underground hip-hop hero and eco-warrior Kenny Baraka and his DJ D’Vo at Library @ the Lightbox on Saturday (23 September) at 11am or 2pm.

Designed for children aged seven to eleven, join in the eco-friendly fun for a soundtrack guaranteed to make you want to plant and tree and help your trees grow.

The travelling mobile block party has been created to raise awareness, inspire action and spread the message of ‘making things green’. Taking place in a converted horsebox, the theme of the show is to encourage people to connect more with nature and enhance children’s literacy.

There’s no need to book, just pop by – and families enjoying what Barnsley Garden Party has to offer can also take part in making seed bombs, allowing you to bring the eco-friendly fun home with you.

For young ones looking to get in on the festivities, we will also have a face painter at Library @ the Lightbox throughout the day.

Plot 17’s visit will help us kick off our exciting ‘All In’ programme of events, supported using public funding from Arts Council England as part of our National Portfolio Organisation status.

This is the first time Barnsley Libraries has been awarded National Portfolio Organisation status, recognising the team’s hard work in developing high-quality and accessible cultural events.

We have lots planned over the next three years to make arts and culture accessible to everyone with our ‘All In’ programme, including events you may not expect to find in your local library.

Please keep an eye on Barnsley Libraries' social media channels and our ‘All In programme’ webpage to find out what we have planned. We will be sharing more details over the next few weeks.

Councillor Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “Our libraries are welcoming hubs in the heart of our communities, where you can learn, get creative and connect with our borough’s rich culture. I’m excited to welcome Plot 17 to Library @ the Lightbox this weekend, making our sustainable ambitions for Barnsley fun for all the family.

“Eco-friendly hip-hop may not be what you expect to see at your local library, which is why they’re the perfect guests to kickstart our ‘All In’ programme. I’m really excited about the new ways this project will help our communities express their creative side, so if you’re at Barnsley Garden Party this weekend, come down and join in the festivities.”