Celebrating Sidmouth’s Festival Circuit, a new vibrant digital art piece is now on show at Sidmouth Wallspace.
This colourful artwork by Tara Greifenberg, perfectly captures the lively energy and festival atmosphere that has become synonymous with Sidmouth’s grassroots music movement.
Inspired by the eclectic mix of music that is staged in spring and summer, it celebrates the unique ecosystem for grassroots music.
Through a 4-way collaboration championed by Sidmouth Sea Fest, with The Sidmouth Folk Festival, Sidmouth International Jazz & Blues Festival and Sidmouth SidyFest, this celebration of music is also a demonstration of the power of collective working, pooling ideas and resources.
Festival organisers have come together to jointly celebrate at the start of the summer festival season, the incredible cultural offer for Sidmouth across each of the, now four, music focused festivals.
Sidmouth Sea Fest which kicks off the season on 16/17th May at Connaught Gardens is facilitating through its Sidmouth Sea Spot programme, a more connected network of venues, festivals and others who support grassroots music in Sidmouth.
Festival organisers and volunteers work incredibly hard to bring an array of musical talent and provide vital learning and performance opportunities to musicians and djs and music industry creatives, a particularly hard task when the current cost of living crisis has led to the closure of many festivals and performance venues.
Louise Cole, Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub who produce Sea Fest, said “We have an incredible music-based offer here in Sidmouth, important for both a local audience young and older, and for visitors, all contributing to our tourism-based economy, not to mention community wellbeing. Nurturing grassroots music, sharing stages with experienced bands, has always been how musicians learn their craft. At Sea Fest we platform many young people who are at the start of their journey.
It’s a difficult time for events and festivals, as organisers we support each other, share the same joys and challenges. Sea Fest experiences amazing support from the community who come along to our free daytime event and support our ticketed evening event. It’s the same for all our events, our collective offer is worth celebrating as we prepare to let the music play...!”
Sidmouth Sea Fest – Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub
Ian Bowden, Festival Director of Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival, who follow Sea Fest from 23rd to 26th May added
“We are proud to be working together on this artwork project and others. We create a rich seam of fantastic live performances from emerging artistes to the internationally acclaimed plus a wonderful free education programme. There is perhaps no other coastal town that can boast the cultural music identity that this town is developing.
Festivals are so important to ensuring not only that new music is heard alongside the bigger artists, but that each one creates new memories for festival goers. That’s very special.”
Sidmouth International Jazz & Blues Festival
Tash Daly, Sidmouth Folk Festival Co-Director added
"Across the national folk scene — and beyond — Sidmouth is synonymous with folk. Our tradition is rooted in grassroots culture and always evolving, the Sidmouth Folk Festival (1st to 8th August) invests in the future through week-long workshops for all ages and abilities, a dynamic youth stage, new artist showcases, and opportunities for emerging performers to appear alongside established names. We are proud to be an established part of Sidmouth’s vibrant festival life - and celebrate the spirit and setting that is unique to the town."
Homepage - The Sidmouth Folk Festival
Stuart Nairne-Clark, Director or Sponsorship and Corporate Partnerships at Sidmouth Rugby Club, organisers of Sidy Fest said:
“Sidmouth Rugby Football Club have just completed our 140th anniversary season and there is no better way to celebrate that our very own “Party on the Pitch” at our home, The Blackmore, in the heart of our town. The inaugural SidyFest on July 12th, brings together a line-up of local talent, food and traders and most importantly our community that transcends rugby.
The festival will be opened by The Revival who are also playing at Sea Fest, an upcoming local band, with 4 members who play rugby in the clubs Junior Section. We’re delighted to be part of Sidmouth’s Community of Music Festivals and to be working in collaboration. It’s going to be a great summer.”
To find out more about the project visit Sidmouth School of Art’s website Vibrations In The Valley | Sidmouth School Of Art
Follow Sidmouth School of Art on Facebook and Instagram @sidmouthschool_art for updates.
Donations to support Sidmouth School of Arts work can be made via SSA’s website Donate | Sidmouth School Of Art (sidmouthart.org).
Sidmouth School of Art is about creativity and wellbeing through art and culture. Co-founder David Shrigley, OBE: “Art is about discovering what something means to you and expressing what you think and feel.
”Encouraging and engaging with art and our creative selves is a path to wellbeing and happiness."