Professional artists will head into the classroom from May 18 until July 9 in the Alton Arts Festival Schools Programme.

Every local school is involved, with 64 free workshops for 3,500 children from Year R to Year 8.

Schools taking part are Alton Infant, Wootey Infant, Wootey Junior, Anstey Junior, Andrews’ Endowed, Bentley, St Mary’s Bentworth, Binsted, The Butts, Chawton, Four Marks, Medstead, Ropley, Selborne, St Lawrence, Treloar’s, Amery Hill and Eggar’s.

Workshops include African drumming, gamelan and samba by Sam Worwood, Amery Hill’s head of music, and creative writing by local author Sarah Lucas, of Putting Pen 2 Paper.

There is street art with Street Style Surgery, hip-hop with Boy Blue, contemporary dance with Boppin Dance School, yoga with Yo-chi and relaxation through story massage with Natural Balance.

Junk Jodie will sculpt from scrap and recycled materials, Crazy Comic Club will do comic art and Emma Callow's Imagination Art Bots sessions will blend art with science.

Secondary school pupils can try silversmithing with jewellery maker and artist Olivia Brown or taiko drumming with Luke Jones of the Hampshire Music Service.

Helen Reeves, joint programme leader with Sara Wood, said: “The schools programme is the festival’s outreach arm. It’s a huge undertaking but a project Sara Wood and I feel passionately about. We can’t wait to see what the children create.”

Andrews’ Endowed CE Primary School headteacher Gemma Gundry said: "The Alton Arts Festival Schools Programme is a catalyst for curiosity. It empowers our pupils to ask in-depth questions about their own creativity.”

Eggar’s School headteacher Sarah Holman added: “We are very grateful to the Alton Arts Festival Schools Programme for offering a variety of invaluable enrichment opportunities. It is a highlight in our school calendar.”

The Alton Arts Festival, which will showcase the children’s work, runs from July 3 to 12. For tickets visit www.altonartsfestival.com