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Totnes and Bridgetown Festival of Arts and Culture coming this August

16th May 2022

Categories: Visitor News

The countdown to the 2022 Totnes Festival of Arts and Culture is on!

NDP Circus are proud to announce the launch the Totnes Festival. The first festival of its kind locally, with over 30 participating venues and 70+ events over 10 days, situated in the medieval town of Totnes on the river Dart, it is not to be missed! 2022’s headline acts include the Globe on Tour performing Julius Caesar at Dartington, singer-songwriter Rasha Nahas making her Devon debut at St Mary’s Church and an outdoor aerial show by NDP Circus, taking place on and around a church steeple.

South Devon’s new festival is set to welcome acts of national and international renown with an exciting programme of shows, workshops and events spanning visual arts to music to theatre to circus to dance. The programme features a grand parade and procession on Sunday 21st August starting at Follaton and finishing in Bridgetown, featuring giant puppets, music, dancers & a spectacular firelit finale! Free for all, suitable for all ages and all welcome to get involved.

Totnes Festival is a festival with a difference – grassroots, non-profit and community led. It is a celebration of place and belonging, a chance to fill the town with creativity and make it burst at the seams with artistry. With a multitude of free events taking place outdoors alongside events at the Barrel House and Totnes Cinema, there is something for everyone.

Cllr Ben Piper, Mayor of Totnes, said: “I am so excited that we are finally getting a true broad-based arts festival off the ground in Totnes. This is an idea that has been in many people's minds for decades and I’m proud to have been part of the Town Council team that has worked with NDP over the last couple of years to help it happen.”

"Paul and NDP have worked really hard to develop the genuinely inclusive community partnerships that makes a thing like this possible. I’m hoping the festival will give a diverse range of people great opportunities to step up and allow the underlying skills and good will in our community to shine through. I’m confident there will be some truly memorable events, which will make a great contribution to the culture and wellbeing of the town we love and importantly, set the basic framework for events for years to come.”

Supported by Totnes Town Council, South Hams District Council and Visit Totnes, we want to celebrate the diversity of Totnes and Bridgetown and facilitate a cultural exchange with international and national artists.

South Hams District Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Hilary Bastone, said: “We are pleased that the ARG Community Business Grant we allocated on behalf of the Government is being used for this really great Festival of Arts and Culture.

“Totnes is a hive of creativity, and this event will really showcase all that it has to offer and bring the town alive with these many free activities. It’s definitely a festival not to be missed.”

Through the 2022 festival, we want to put Totnes on the map as a fringe festival destination and creative hub.