Puppeteers, hula hoopers and comic actors took to the stage at the Rose Theatre on Monday night for the launch of Kingston’s International Youth Arts Festival.

This year will see another extravaganza of theatre, film, music and dance by performers under the age of 26 as the eighth IYAF hits the borough between July 8 and 17.

Festival director Andy Currums, 26, said: “I have been involved with the festival since the very first one.

“I’m really nervous but really excited. It is kind of like the nerves I had standing in the wings waiting to go on stage in previous festivals but just multiplied by a thousand.

“This year we have tried to have genre specific venues so for example the Rose main stage will showcase all the big musicals and huge production while the studio will be almost completely new writers and we have comedy in the Library nightclub.

“Everyone has been so supportive and the standard has been so high. This could be our best year yet.”

IYAF is considered a precursor to the Edinburgh Fringe and is regarded as one of the best platforms for emerging artists.

The programme is run by charity Creative Youth and sees about 70 visiting companies, 200 events and 5,000 people involved over the 10 days.

Founder of Creative Youth Robin Hutchinson said at the launch: “This is such a lovely event because it is like seeing a child grow up.

“This festival really represents the feeling and spirit of Kingston.”

Anna Rowland is performing at the festival in play Leandro as part of theatre group Total Insight.

She said: “Leandro is about a young boy from Rio who want to run in the Olympics. The show is all about his journey. It’s great to be taking part in such a big, wide ranging festival here.”

The full festival programme can be found at iyafestival.org.uk.