Countdown to Hailsham Festival of Arts & Culture

Hailsham is braced for a regional line-up of exceptionally talented artists and a feast of music, dance, drama, literature and street entertainment as the town prepares to host its annual Festival of Arts & Culture in September.

The Hailsham Festival of Arts & Culture, one of the highlights of the town’s events calendar, attracts a cross-section of artists and performers from the South East and further afield, and offers a wide variety of exhibits and performances to suit all tastes.

The 11-day series of events will take place at various locations in and around Hailsham from Thursday 8th September to Monday 18th September and is being organised for the tenth consecutive year by the Arts Festival Committee and the team at Gallery North.

There is a fantastic array of events lined up and confirmed performers announced for this year’s festival include three-piece rock band The Memphis Flyers, contemporary folk group Hatful of Rain and popular blues band Howlin’ Blues.

The Pete Willson Promenade Orchestra will provide the music entertainment for the festival’s opening event — Prom in the Pinetum — which takes place at Lime Cross Nursery at 7pm on Thursday 8^th September.

This year’s programme features the biggest art trail yet with over 20 venues participating and well over 100 local artists exhibiting, plus visiting artists from Hailsham’s twin town of Gournay-en-Bray in France.

A number of competitions form part of the line-up including those for poetry, short story writing, short film and children’s sculpture. The Square Youth Café will host a Miniville workshop from 11am to 1pm on Saturday 10^th September, at which children can make their very own miniature town based on their very own design.

Hailsham Festival FM will be broadcasting for the duration of the festival (87.7 FM).

Town Mayor Councillor Nigel Coltman said: “Hailsham and the rest of East Sussex has such an amazingly rich seam of arts and culture. There is a wealth of artistic talent and it will be an honour for me to be part of this year’s festival and invite the community to put the festival dates in their diaries.”

“Alongside new events, old favourites will return to keep residents entertained and bring visitors from across the region to our fantastic and vibrant town.”

“We’re extremely grateful to the Arts Festival Committee and Gallery North team for putting together an exciting program again this year — its tenth anniversary year – and supporting the arts and local artistic talent.”

A full listing of events over the festival is available now. For more information, visit www.hailshamartsfestival.wordpress.com.