AN OXFORD School is hoping the community will embrace its two-week long arts festival.

Magdalen College School launched its annual fortnight of cultural activities back in 2009 and is this year hoping to expand what is has to offer.

The festival, rebranded as MCS Arts Festival Oxford this year, will kick off on Saturday, June 28 with a free celebration in Broad Street featuring circus performers, music from pupils, dance, fairground games and face painting.

The independent boys’ school is hoping it can engage more with the community with the rebranded festival. The festival’s director Anne Cotton said: “We really think this will appeal to people across the board. It has evolved and grown over the years and we want to build on that.

“It is a resource for the city as well as for the school. We want it to bring the school into the city.”