Hungerford & District Community Arts Festival (HADCAF)

Hungerford & District Community Arts Festival (popularly known as HADCAF) takes place annually in July and aims to encourage, promote and celebrate the talent, expertise and skills that abound within our community. In addition to offering a platform to local individuals, societies and organisations, the Festival brings to the community performances of music and theatre that would not otherwise be seen locally.

The Festival seeks to include something for all ages, tastes and interests, and the programme encompasses a wide range of arts- and leisure-related events and attractions: the performing arts, visual arts, music of all kinds, exhibitions, talks, craft workshops, local history, antiques, horticulture, conservation and wildlife, guided walks, plus gardens and artists' studios to visit.

Contact:
Catherine Hill, Secretary
1 Little Hidden Farm Cottage
Hungerford Newtown
Berkshire

Tel: 01488 683719
catherinehill@dsl.pipex.com
www.hadcaf.co.uk

Newbury Comedy Festival

Newbury Comedy Festival runs fror two weeks in mid July. Tickets are available from mid February for Friends of The Corn Exchange and from the last Monday of February for the general public.

Box office: 01635 522733 online: www.newburycomedyfestival.com.

Newbury Comedy Festival is sponsored by Vodafone, with additional support from other local and national organisations.

Contact:
Director
The Corn Exchange and New Greenham Arts
Market Place
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 5BD
admin@cornexchangenew.co.uk
www.newburycomedyfestival.com

Newbury Festival Of Choirs

Aims: To further the cause of amateur choral music in Newbury and district - to enable small choirs to unite to sing larger choral works once a year. Other small choral societies or choirs would be most welcome.

Contact:
Mrs B.S. Oliver
Hon Secretary
2 The Oaks
Tadley
Hampshire

Tel: 0118 981 4188  Evening: 0118 981 5600

Newbury Spring Festival (NSF)

Newbury Spring Festival has become a unique and eagerly awaited annual highlight within the West Berkshire region. Two busy weeks during May provide the finest artistic entertainment at many beautiful venues in Newbury and the surrounding area. The diversity of events on offer includes a wide variety of classical concerts, jazz, world music, opera, family events and a visual arts programme. Free brochures are available from February.

Contact:
Administration Office
1 Bridge Street
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 5BH

Tel: 01635 32421 or 528766
enquiries@newburyspringfestival.org.uk

www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk

openstudios scheme

Artists in West Berkshire and North Hampshire are getting their studios ready to showcase their work in the annual
Open Studios event. It all began in 1988 to help to raise the profile of the visual arts. Since then, hundreds of artists have opened their studios and thousands of visitors have enjoyed meeting and talking to artists.

Some artists have been in the scheme from the beginning and are visited each year by members of the public keen to see new developments. Others are new.

A huge number of artists are involved in the scheme. They are all represented in an exciting 'taster' exhibition called Insight which is presented in the gallery at New Greenham Arts. This is linked to satelite exhibitions around the district at venues such as bar 1861 at the Corn Exchange.

For visitors who want to experience making art themselves there is a free hands-on workshop programme providing exciting opportunities. May is the time to discover talent in the studios and invest in contemporary art and design by buying works of art. All the works are for sale in the studios and exhibitions. The idea behind Open Studios is to inform and inspire and to show quality and diversity in the visual arts.

Copies of the openstudios Directory of Artists can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre, Corn Exchange or Central Library in Newbury, or from the Basingstoke and Deane Council Offices in Basingstoke.

admin@open-studios.org.uk
Pat Eastop

Phoenix Brass Festival

Started in 1995 to encourage the real amateurs of the brass band world in their endeavours, the Festival, now held annually at the John O'Gaunt Community Technology College at Hungerford at the end April, beginning of May has become an established event, with last year attracting the support of the Greenham Common Trust.

Only 4th section, unregistered and youth bands, with no limit on numbers other than size of stage, are invited to play in the spirit of friendly rivalry, so that they could have the limelight for the day.

The event is split into two parts with bands invited to play an "entertaining programme" in the first part after which prizes would be given. There would be an open adjudicator to award technical awards and a panel of ordinary people who would award a prize for the most entertaining programme. The second part of the festival is a massed band concert made up of Phoenix Brass and players from the other bands that had played during the day.

From the outset the festival has been successful in its aims particularly with reference to the encouragement of young players. It remains, for most, a relaxed and enjoyable day for both players and listeners, with many bands returning each year to renew friendships and enjoy the day. Members of Phoenix Brass work hard to ensure this continued success.

Contact:
Mr Richard Fradgley
secretary

Tel: 01488 685004
admin@phoenixbrass.com
www.phoenixbrassband.co.uk

Tilehurst Eisteddfod

This Festival of the Arts has been running in Tilehurst (Reading, England) for over 50 years.

Each year it includes Dancing, Arts and Crafts, Music, and Original Verse and Short Story Compositions.

Anyone of any age can participate as a member of a school group, an organisation, or separately as an individual, in any one or more of the sections.

Contact:
Mrs Miriam Williams
Chairman - Tilehurst Eisteddfod
3 Downs Way
Tilehurst
Reading
RG31 6SL

info@tilehurstfest.clara.co.uk
www.tilehurstfest.clara.co.uk