THE ARTS scene in a North-East town will receive a much-needed boost when a major festival arrives this Autumn.

A four-day celebration of theatre staged by the internationally-acclaimed Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) will take place across Darlington in October.

The first ever Jabberwocky Market is part of a UK tour intended to entertain crowds in areas not normally associated with high-calibre performing arts.

It will see the town – which recently suffered blows to its arts scene with the closure of its Arts Centre and Darlington Arts Academy – transformed into a hub of creative activity.

Taking its name from the creature invented by Croft-born Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, highlights of the event include a host of pop up theatre and dance performances taking place at venues across the town centre.

Recreation of Trendy London, a bazaar of theatre, music, street food and drinks will take place in music venue The Forum while puppetry and live music will take centre-stage in a performance of The Paper Cinema’s Odyssey, a take on Homer’s epic tale.

Mouth Open, Story Jump Out will keep children entertained with the life-story of a master maker-upper, featuring international assassins and dog eating boa constrictors.

To highlight the upcoming festival, which will take place from Thursday October 3 until Sunday October 6, the Jabberwocky Market will take over the town’s indoor market with short performances and showcases from Thursday September 19.

Darlington-born theatre producer Caroline Pearce has been working with BAC on the project for 18 months.

She said: “We are so lucky to have been able to take part in this project, and have been working really hard to make it happen.

“The festival builds on everything that we know how to do, and care about - bringing the very best theatre and culture, working with inspiring and brilliant artists and presenting it on the doorsteps of people in Darlington.

“Organisations and venues in the town have been so receptive to all the ideas, and we are really sure that the first event will be a huge success.”

The Jabberwocky Market is the first festival of its kind to be staged by BAC, with Darlington being the only North-East stop on the national tour.

For more information, visit jabberwockymarket.org.uk or follow @JabbMarket on twitter.