A CELEBRATION of the discovery of Tahiti is set to take centre stage of the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance.

Organisers have secured £10,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the project – Billingham World Explorers.

The project, which focuses on celebrating 250th anniversary of Captain Samuel Wallis discovering of the island in 1767, features direct links to Captain James Cook, who was born in Marton.

The legendary explorer later followed Captain Wallis's expedition when he discovered the Cook Islands in Polynesia. The project will be carried out in close cooperation with the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Marton, Middlesbrough.

Joe Maloney, festival director, said: “We are thrilled to have received support thanks to National Lottery players. Billingham World Explorers is an exciting project which celebrates and shares cultural heritage through the platform of the festival.

"The project encourages exploration of both personal and other people's heritage to provide a firm understanding of both traditional and modern cultures expressed through a variety of engaging art forms. We aim to present an enjoyable, enriching and interactive heritage activity for people of any age or ability.”

The project will engage a wide range of community participants, including primary and secondary schools, community interest groups and families.

They will visit the Museum exploring the lives and journeys of the two famous captains, which aims to encourage people from the local area to engage with these facilities, inspiring them to research and learn about the local British explorers.

The heritage research will be presented at the festival and interpreted through community participant’s visual art work, films, storytelling, poetry, drama and dance, created prior to the festival with the help of professional visual and performance artists.

The project will culminate in the creation of an interactive journey through the centre of Billingham, visually mapping out the expeditions of the two captains.

Festival visitors and audience will also be given a map, which they will use to follow the route, with finale dance and music performances by three visiting dance companies from Easter Island, New Zealand and Tahiti – the three destinations from the expeditions of two captains.

This year's festival will take place from August 12 to 19. Further information visit www.billinghamfestival.co.uk