23rd April - May 2nd 2010

George Alagiah, who appears almost nightly on the BBC News, is coming to Thornbury to open the Thornbury Arts Festival 2010. Known also as a Foreign Correspondent reporting from the hot-spots around the world, on this occasion, it will be his investigation into the global food chain. He believes it to be one of THE issues of the Twenty First Century.

Ian McMillan, poet, comedian and broadcaster, often to be heard on ‘Have I Got News For You?’ and ‘Just a Minute’ brings his Orchestra and an amazing variety of instruments for a night of scintillating music, words and laughter.

Straight from their Edinburgh Festival multiple award success, Guy Masterson and Ronnie Toms perform a thriller and black comedy all in one, ‘The Sociable Plover’.

Local interest is represented with an afternoon concert to appeal to all ages with Thornbury Orchestra, and Professor Gareth Williams brings a talk about Jenner of Berkeley and Fewster of Thornbury and the defeat of smallpox.

From her many appearances on television and her fascinating series ‘The Incredible Human Journey’ Dr Alice Roberts tries to answer the questions, who are we and where do we come from, through the study of stones, bones and genes!

Nina Rajarani MBE is bringing ‘These are a few of my favourite things’ with her dance company, ‘Srishti’ from London. She mixes Indian classical dance in innovative ways and within contemporary contexts, even using the theme of football in “Bend it...”.

Once again we have a varied programme of lunchtime events.

We start the week with a look at the growth of holidays at the seaside in Victorian times with Peter Street.   

There is then an illustrated talk by Gina Merrett Smith on the famous botanical artist Marianne North whose work can be seen at a gallery in Kew Gardens.

Our musical event is given by Musica Mundi, a baroque chamber music group comprising harpsichord, cello and vocal.   The musicians specialise in early music from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, which they have performed in this country and abroad.

Our next event brings us right up to date with a talk and tasting of the special liqueurs produced in Thornbury by Bramley and Gage Ltd.

We then go back in time again when we have an illustrated talk on delving into the history of old buildings with Averil Kear of Gloucester Records Office.

There will be a film night, an historical walk around one of our nearby villages and this year we will be highlighting Fringe events that range from a book happening, storytelling and music in the pubs.

The young peoples’ Saturday mornings are to include a theatre event and an art workshop on a popular pair of characters!

The concluding evening brings Claire Martin and her Musicians. She declares she was born to sing and she has a string of albums to prove it! ‘A world-class performer, offering proof-positive that jazz can be sung in a British accent’. Enjoy!

For more information, please visit www.thornburyartsfestival.com or phone 01454 412272.

Click here to download the Art Festival's December 2009 newsletter

Severn Vale Art Trail 2010

Many hundreds of people took to the Severn Vale Art Trail in 2009 and enjoyed seeing the work of our local artists and makers. The trail is to go ahead again in 2010 between the 1st and the 9th of May extending from Almondsbury to Berkeley on either side of the A38.

The “Showcase Exhibition” in Thornbury Town Hall will run during the Thornbury Arts Festival week from 22nd to the 29th of April, and will display examples of the Artists’ work. Please put these dates in your 2010 diary.

This year we were lucky enough to have a wide variety of interesting venues for visitors following the trail. Artists and makers were generously given space in the Whitsun Hall by those at The Hatch and the Golf Centre proved to be a very popular venue for a group of artists to display their work.

In addition The Castle School Octagon Gallery became a stage on the trail, as did the beautiful Thornbury Community Garden, where artist Ed Salsbury showed his garden bird sculptures.

Many artists opened their own studios, which may have been in their own living rooms, barn or a marquee in the garden!

For those of you who have not yet taken part, a wide range of art and crafts is to be found on the trail including painting, photography, sculpture, batik, textiles, woodturning, stained glass and jewellery.

Watch again for the colour brochure to be widely distributed. Copies will be available nearer the time from the Town Hall and your local shops, pubs and restaurants. These show an example of each Artist’s work, their venue address and times of opening.

From this you are able to organise your own trail to make an entertaining excursion. A map and signs show the location of each venue. All work is of high quality and Artists are on hand to explain how they go about their work.

We are grateful again to be supported by The Castle School Visual Arts Department, who are keen to build contacts with local businesses, which will benefit their students. If you could offer work experience places or could share your business skills through talks or demonstrations for pupils, please contact the number below for possibilities to be discussed.

Following the Art Trail offers a most enjoyable, cultural activity and a chance to invest in good quality works of art and craft made by talented local artists.

For a leaflet or artists’ images contact Jane Parfitt on 01454 414221 or - or visit the virtual gallery.

Art in the High Street

It is hoped that you will also be able to see some of the Artists’ work in Thornbury shop windows.

The Thornbury Arts Festival committee are pleased to offer this Visual Arts aspect to its already popular festival week and are keen for local Artists to share and promote their work.

It is certainly fascinating to discover the talent and variety of Arts and Crafts on our own doorstep.