Lord Mayors Win!

ARTS Theatre School Shines at Norwich Lord Mayors Procession 2025!

What an unforgettable day! On Saturday 12th July 2025, Norwich city centre came alive with colour, music and movement for the Norwich Lord Mayors Procession 2025, and our ARTS Theatre School was right at the heart of the celebrations.

With this year’s theme of “Summer in the City”, our school brought together 110 incredible young performers who danced their hearts out in a high-energy routine that lit up the streets. Dressed in their bespoke, multi-coloured t-shirts, waving flags and moving in perfect unison, the children created a spectacle that brought smiles to every corner of the crowd.

But what truly made this event special was the extraordinary behind-the-scenes effort that turned our ambitious vision into reality.

The Magic Behind the Scenes

While the children dazzled on the day, weeks of preparation went into making sure everything looked seamless. One of the standout features of our procession were the 6ft high giant letters spelling ARTS – the name we’re so proud to carry. Built from water pipes and kite material, these letters were a challenge to construct (the “S” had to be remade three times before we got it right!). Carried high on flagpoles by our amazing volunteers, the letters towered above the crowd and could be seen from far across the city – a true showstopper.

We also unveiled our “crazy but brilliant” tricycle set-up: two bikes pulling two specially-adapted trailers, fitted with bars to carry our sound system and water supplies. This clever innovation meant the music could be heard loud and clear as the performers danced along the route, and our water monitors kept everyone safe in the summer heat. Aileen did a fantastic job painting all the tablos for the sides of the trailers helping bring the city theme together and one cohesive presentation, she was brilliant.

Parents and supporters played a vital role too – from those who built and painted props, to the support staff who marched alongside the children. A special mention goes to Carlo, our much-loved “High 5 Man”, whose giant foam hand on a 3-metre pole spread joy to hundreds of spectators as they reached out for a high-five.

A Celebration of Teamwork

The choreography, created by our wonderful disco teacher Lisa, was the heart of the performance. Her vibrant routine perfectly captured the energy of the theme, and our young dancers delivered it with confidence and joy.

In total, we had 20 dedicated support staff, a fleet of parent volunteers, water carriers, and technical helpers who all worked tirelessly. The behind-the-scenes gallery of photos and videos shows just a glimpse of the dedication that went into the day – from testing trailers to painting tables and assembling our giant letters.

Carlo our 'High-5 Man' testing the trycylces with his son in the back!

And the effort paid off in the best way possible: we were awarded 1st Place for Best Entrant! The rosette, cash prize, and recognition meant so much, and we proudly reinvested the prize into new gym mats for the school – a gift that will keep benefitting our students for years to come.

A Day to Remember

The sun shone brightly, the city streets were packed with cheering families, and our students gave it their all. But more than the music, the costumes, or the props, what shone through was the spirit of teamwork, creativity, and communitythat defines ARTS Theatre School.

To every performer, parent, teacher, and supporter who helped bring this day together – thank you. Together, we created something magical, something that will be remembered not just by our school, but by everyone who lined the streets of Norwich to watch.

Here’s to many more events like this – and to the unstoppable spirit of ARTS!