The sound of brass band instruments playing popular modern music filled the city’s centre and parks as The Arches Worcester Festivals’ Same But Different drew to a close on Friday.

Heavy Beat Brass Band delighted residents and visitors to Worcester in a tour that visited The Pump House in Gheluvelt Park; Worcestershire Woods Country Park; Latimer Court Care Home; Cathedral Square, Crowngate Shopping Centre and Worcester Foregate Street station on Friday 23 July. Their New Orleans style covers of modern music surprised people of all ages around the city.

The band tour came at the end of a week of playful moments in the city that transformed the streets with giant tentacles and a beanstalk along with a large-scale poetry installation featuring the voices of local creatives and pop-up shop front performances.

Across the week, The Arches Worcester Festivals brought brand new work to the city from graduates and Without Walls commissions . Cathedral square saw Kaleider’s Robot Selfie created a giant canvas of local faces with a robot and a spray can. Emergency Exit Arts’ Recovery Poems visited city centre locations and inspired local communities to be creative at The Horizon Centre and KGV Centre.

For those who weren’t in town, there were digital experiences and elements of the programme that you could participate in from the comfort of your own home via your digital device.

What did you discover during Same But Different? The Festivals team are asking everyone to share their experiences by tagging @archesfests #SameButDifferent on Social Media.

The Arches Worcester Festivals will be back in October with large-scale projection artwork at Light Night Worcester.

Laura Worsfold, CEO, Severn Arts said: “We are proud to have presented some wonderful creative work in the city giving the people of Worcester some memorable and inspiring experiences to enjoy. We hope this week of the unexpected brought a smile to faces and gave just a taste of what is still to come.”

David Edmunds, Festivals Director, Severn Arts said: “With Same But Different, we wanted to bring colour and life and vibrancy to the city for a week in contrast to the difficult 18 months we have all experienced. Whether you are 5 years old or 97 years old, we hope you found something that made you smile or laugh, or just changed a little part of your day to be more fun and positive!”