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The Big Draw Festival

Get your draw on at our free family fun event ✏

πŸ“Œ Hitchin Campus | Tuesday 27th October 2026, 9:30am – 1pm

The Big Draw Festival is for anyone who’s creative, as well as those who think they aren’t. It’s a worldwide celebration of all things creative that brings communities together for some amazing artistic activities.

Our Hitchin campus will be transformed into a creative hub, with exciting workshops and interactive experiences led by our talented staff and students across a range of curriculum areas – and we’re inviting families, children, and the local community to join us.

The 2026 Big Draw theme is: Make a Mark ✏️

This year’s theme celebrates drawing not only as a visual language, but a form of playful inquiry, reflection and expression.

Important notice: This is a hands-on creative event involving paints, inks, and other art materials. While every effort is made to minimise mess, clothing may become stained or damaged. Participants are therefore required to wear suitable attire and should not wear valuable, delicate, or formal clothing.

Throwback to The Big Draw 2025

Our October 2025 event was themed around ‘Drawing Together‘. This theme celebrated how creativity unites us, how collaboration and connection are at the heart of making and creating and this theme resonates with one of our core values here at NHC, ‘community’.

Activities on offer at The Big Draw 2025 included:

πŸ™οΈ Creating a sustainable and happy mini city

✏️ Crafting a mini scarecrow

πŸ‘Ύ Drawing with Virtual Reality

🎨 Face painting and mask making

 

Nearly 400 people joined us for the event and it was great to see so many happy faces – we had an average customer rating of 4.56 stars!

One guest told us: “All the activities were absolutely brilliant, great for children and their parents.”

Read more about The Big Draw 2024

Part of the national Big Draw Festival