Travellers Got Talent Final

On Friday July 9^th 2010, talented Gypsy, Roma and Traveller performers from across Britain will be arriving in Stowmarket to compete to the nationwide talent contest. Travellers Got Talent, or Bari Radt (Big Night) in Romani.

Contrary to the prejudice expressed by columnist Richard Littlejohn in the Daily Mail last week, the final won’t feature “tarmacking, tyre-burning and lawnmower racing”, but 21 acts featuring breakdancing, stepdancing,  singing and rapping. The final is the culmination of Britain’s third Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.

But with talent contests across Britain, why has the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community felt the need to organise its own?

“Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are perceived to be guilty of many things, but capable of nothing,” says organiser Jake Bowers of the Gypsy Media Company. “But this final and the 9 regional finals that led up to it quash that myth. They have all demonstrated that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people, in particular, have talents, skills and abilities that are largely unrecognised by the world beyond their communities.”

The 21 final acts will perform on a stage at the heart of the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, between 6:30pm and 10:00pm, continuing the museum’s long history of celebrating Gypsy and Traveller heritage and culture. In front of a display of traditional Romany tents, wagons and caravans, acts will perform in front of 300 strong crowd and 4 community judges who will decide the winners.

The winner of Travellers Got Talent / Bari Radt will receive £500. The act in 2^nd place will receive £300 and the act in 3^rd place will receive £200.

• The national final of Travellers Got Talent will be held in the grounds of the beautiful Museum of East Anglian Life, Crowe Street, Stowmarket IP14 1DL from 6:30pm on July 9^th 

The running order and the contestants for the national final is as follows:

Videos of 3 of these finalists Chloe McDonagh, Johnny Gregory and Scarlett Lee can be viewed online at: www.youtube.com/travellerstimes