Petworth Festival - Summer 2013 - 16 July-3 August

Launch parties for Festival Sponsors, Patrons and Friends were held on 29 and 30 April. Supporters collected their Summer Brochures together with priority booking forms.

Stewart Collins' (Artistic Director) enthusiasm during his presentation was so infectious that guests were completing their booking forms there and then!

Priority booking for Sponsors, Patrons and Friends in now on - booking for the general public opens on Friday 31 May.

*********************************************************************************

Petworth Festival - Summer 2013 - 16 July-3 August

For preview information due out in mid-March followed by priority booking from 9 May join the Patron and Friends scheme. Download a Patron or Friend gift form. Otherwise booking opens to the General Public on Friday 31 May 2013.

*********************************************************************************

2012 Literary Weekend - a great success!

Thank you to everybody who supported the second Petworth Festival Literary Weekend!

If you were able to attend any of the events we hope you will feel duly stimulated, entertained - or preferably both. From Adam Nicolson's opening words to Celia Imrie's final anecdote, we were treated to a succession of fascinating events with many a highlight. Our new events – the 'Petworth Reads' project with Kathryn Flett and the one-to-one sessions with Book Guru Clare Christian - also proved to be great additions to the weekend, and we truly hope that we will be back with a third edition in November 2013. Watch this space for dates.

In the meantime my colleagues and I are beavering away on producing the programme for July 2013 so please put the dates firmly in the diary (15 July – 3 August). As you may note, we will be running a slightly longer festival this coming year thanks to two special additional events that we feel will 'hit the sweet spot'. Do please look out for details when we unveil the programme in April.

But again thank you for your interest and, above all, support of the Literary Weekend whether as a sponsor, patron, friend or audience member. We hope we continue to reward your loyalty. Onwards and upwards!

Stewart Collins
Artistic Director

*********************************************************************************

Second Literary Weekend 15-18 November 2012

Due to the tremendous success of the Literary Weekend last year, the Petworth Festival is extremely pleased to announce a second weekend of top-class authors, a little music and comedy .... full details to be announced 6 October. Box office opens on 6 October, on-line, by telephone (01798 344576) and by post.

*********************************************************************************

Chamber Music at Petworth Festival 2012

One of the Petworth Festival's traditional strengths, the 2012 line up includes a remarkable range of soloists and ensembles. Benjamin Grosvenor, Cristina Ortiz and Martin Roscoe all give piano recitals, and the Skampa and Dante Quartet's (pictured) showcase the high art of the string quartet. Other concerts feature the clarinet of Michael Collins and the Hilliard Ensemble, the jewell in the crown being a performance of Mahler's 4th Symphony in a special reduction made for the CBSO's ICE ensemble.

***********************************************************************

Children's Events at Petworth Festival 2012

Family entertainment features large in this year's Petworth Festival programme. Brilliant improvisatory troupe Kepow bring their family show Whose Story is it anyway? to the Leconfield Hall on Sunday 15 July, the following weekend featuring a fully staged outdoor production of Roald Dahl's The Twits in the beautiful surrounds of Bignor Park. The Festival officially kicks off on Friday 13 July with a performance of the jazz cantata Captain Noah and His Floating Zoo, featuring 60 local children and top rank professional forces.

***********************************************************************

Speaker at Festival Service 12 July 2012- Maggi Hambling

The speaker at this year's PACT (Petworth Area Churches Together) Festival Service is to be Maggi Hambling. "When I was 14 my art exam was being invigilated by the biology mistress, with whom I was deeply in love. I had been trying to draw attention to myself by throwing paint at people, when suddenly I looked at the clock and it was 20 past three and I had to have a painting done by half past. I chose the subject of laziness. I produced a painting of a woman lying on a chaise longue with a book in her hand, but she was so lazy she wasn't reading it. When the results came out I was top of art." Extract taken from the Telegraph Magazine, 19 May 2012. from an interview by Georgia Dehn.

***********************************************************************

January 2012

Get the dates for Petworth Festival events in your diary NOW!

Summer Festival : 12 - 28 July

Box Office Opens: 18 May

Priority booking for Sponsors, Patrons and Friends Commences: 18 April

Literary Weekend: 15 - 18 November

Box Office Opens: Date to be advised

*********************************************************************************

September 2011

New for 2011 - Literary Festival - 10 - 13 November 2011

To download a brochure click here

Box office opens Sat 1 October

Summer Festival 2012 dates: 12 - 28 July

*********************************************************************************

April 2011

On-line booking commences 27 May

Fun starts on 9 July with street entertainers at the Community Fete in Petworth Park. Then a wonderful mix of classical and chamber music, jazz, comedy, young musicians and outdoor theatre starts on 14 July. It continues uninterrupted for the next fortnight. New for 2011 - treasure hunt window competition, literary series sponsored by Sofas and Stuff jazz in the Stables at Petworth House and win yourself a beautiful modern wing chair donated by Sofas and Stuff Fittleworth.

November 2011

Stewart is well on the way to putting the 2011 Festival together. Watch this space for updates and sign up for e-bulletins. If you would like information hot off the press as a newsletter posted direct to you at home then become a Friend or Patron or Sponsor. Download a Gift Form from the Sponsors and Supporters page. The next newsletter is due out at the end of November.

***********************************************************************************************

October 2009

Petworth Festival is pleased to announce the appointment of Stewart Collins as its new Artistic Director. Stewart will be responsible for programming the events for the 2010 Festival, which starts on 10th July.

As its Artistic Director, Mr Collins has for 17 years been responsible for the very successful Henley Festival; an annual event following on a few days after the Regatta, and will continue to arrange this important event. He has been for 11 years, and will continue to be, the executive artistic director at the Holders Season festival in Barbados. Also the chairman of the British Arts Festivals Association, Stewart Collins has enjoyed spells as broadcaster and writer and was a founder member of the international vocal group, Cantabile. Of Petworth, Mr Collins said:

"I am hugely looking forward to taking on the challenge of a quality festival that clearly enjoys tremendous local support. I’m absolutely aware of the dictum ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’, but equally I hope to bring some of my own specialities, passions and experience to a very special festival."

Robin Bryant, the Chairman of Petworth Festival said:

"We could hardly believe our luck in being able to attract Stewart to take us through the next stage of our development – I am quite confident that Stewart will enjoy himself here and I know we shall enjoy having him at Petworth."