Pre-Fringe Grand Carnival (and our new badge!)

It is less than 3 months to the start of the next Buxton Festival and Fringe. Last Sunday it snowed heavily across the Peak District, today it almost feels like Spring. The notion of Summer may seem fanciful but let’s trust to forces more powerful and reliable than we are.
One of the last events of Fringe 2017 took place at Buxton’s United Reformed Church when Marianne Kelly and Heather Sargeson played a stunning piano duet recital. The URC piano is a Broadwood grand and dates back to 1899. The instrument is a fine one but was in need of refurbishment. Thanks to a generous grant from Bingham Trust the piano has now been completely restored and is back in the Church.
To celebrate this exciting development Marianne and Heather are returning to the URC on Saturday 14th April to give the first public performance on the restored piano. Their programme includes arrangements of Saint -Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Greensleeves. The recital starts at 7.30pm and tickets will be available on the door (£10, £8 concessions, £5 children). It will surely be a happy and exciting occasion and we look forward to seeing many of you there. It will also be a first chance to collect your new Fringe badge!
Other events using the Broadwood are scheduled for later in the year and will be announced soon.
The 39th Buxton Festival Fringe begins on Wednesday July 4th. Already over 140 different events are listed on our website and we expect another 30 or so to be registered in the next 8 days when we reach our final deadline. Our three ‘managed’ venues - The Green Man Gallery, The Rotunda and Underground Venues  - have strong programmes announced already and will be finalising their schedules in the next week.
If you are looking to put on a show this July and have yet to negotiate a venue then we can tell you that the Rotunda currently has some weekday afternoon slots at very reasonable rates. If you are interested contact info@rotundatheatre.com soon.

Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe

Buxton International Festival - tickets on sale

Pianist Joanna MacGregor - playing in Buxton Festival, July 7th.

Sorry that we have neglected this blogging malarkey for a while. On the other hand no one has asked to see if we are still alive. So perhaps we aren't much missed?
There is a lot to catch up with and we'll do that in bits over the next day or two. Important news from the Buxton International Festival - tickets for the opera and music events are now on general sale and tickets are selling very quickly for some of the the recitals. Hurry to avoid disappointment. (If you wanted to hear Roderick Williams - well, unsurprisingly, his Schubert recital is sold out already).

It has also been announced that this Festival will be the seventh and last for Stephen Barlow as Artistic Director. That's a pretty good stint and he has helped bring some world class performers and productions to Buxton. In its press release the Festival said:
"2019 sees the 40th anniversary of the Festival, and new CEO Michael Williams is delighted to confirm that Stephen will conduct one of the Festival opera productions in this special anniversary year.

"Buxton International Festival Chairman Felicity Goodey said 'The Board of Buxton International Festival, the staff and I are incredibly grateful for the tireless work Stephen has undertaken to steer and support the Festival over the past 7 years. His imaginative artistic planning together with his remarkable skill and energy as a conductor will be sorely missed, but we wish him very well with his future plans.” 

Stephen Barlow commented “It has been my special pleasure and privilege to bring so many fine artists and ensembles to Buxton’s beautiful Opera House and surrounding venues, in a mix of the lesser and well known operatic and concert repertoire for a festival audience whose curiosity and enthusiasm has been truly gratifying. I shall miss enormously the exhilaration of the festival atmosphere and the scintillating immersion in Operas, Concerts and Books that enlivens the lovely spa town and wider region each summer, but look forward to returning as a visitor in whatever capacity. I wish the newly appointed Chief Executive every success in the next chapter of Buxton Festival’s development.”

As for our own Festival - we have 140 events lined-up already and there are still 10 days left to enter shows and guarantee being included in the printed programme. We'll be back tomorrow with a focus on the Fringe.

Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe

Fringe Venues: Free and Underground

St. Peter's, Fairfield

It's the end of the European football transfer window today which will spell excitement and heartbreak for some - but we have other things to concentrate on here in Buxton.

For many Buxton regulars - artists and audiences - Underground Venues is of huge significance. So the good news is that the Underground Team can confirm that everything is in place to secure a return for this July. Once again there will be a host of brilliant performances upstairs at The Old Clubhouse on Water Street right opposite the Opera House. There will be music, comedy, theatre and much more all day long. In the evenings Underground will present shows at the 90-seat Pavilion Arts Centre Studio. Keep an eye on the UV website and twitter feed for more information.

Buxton Festival Fringe is in its 39th year and over that time it has grown into a vibrant arts event - one of the biggest of its sort in England. At the heart of the Fringe is a cluster of venues within a stone's throw of the Opera House and this guarantees a constant buzz of excitement.

It also means that for some Buxton residents there are few Fringe events within comfortable walking distance. For 2018 the Festival Fringe organisers are taking some steps to try and bring the Fringe closer to home for some. It is hoped that performers and artists will take their shows and talent to residential areas a bit beyond the town centre.

The Fringe has identified some good performance spaces that have been underused in the past and is offering to cover the cost of room hire and rental for Fringe entrants putting on events during this July's Festival. The venue are:

The Town Library - on Kents Bank Road;

The Working Men's Club on Lightwood Road, Fairfield;

St Peter's Church, Fairfield.

The intention is that the Fringe will refund the hire fee after an event has taken place - subject to a maximum of 20 separate performances. For those who have already entered for Fringe, or are planning a show at other venues, this means that you have the chance to put on another event for a different audience at little cost.

The Library has set aside Thursday July 5th and 19th as Fringe days (from 1000-1700 hours) - though other dates may be available.

The Working Men's Club is generally available from Monday-Thursday.

St Peter's Church, Fairfield may be available all day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (after 3pm).

For full details about these venues and how to contact their managers please see the Fringe page here.

If you have any questions about how this scheme will work or if you want to discuss whether or not your show or event might be suitable for either of these venue please contact Keith Savage via entries@buxtonfringe.org.uk

Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe

Merry Christmas to you all.

Still Life: Arbor Low, 21 December 2017

We're shutting up shop at Fringe Towers for the next week or so. Before we do there are a couple of messages we'd like to share.

We've had a great time in 2017 and owe thanks to many, many people who contributed so much and made it possible. If you are taking the trouble to read this then you are one of those people. So, sincerest thanks to you.

We have started to receive entries for Buxton Festival Fringe 2018 and we shall be updating the website as quickly as possible with entries as they arrive. We had a lovely time formally launching Fringe 2018 with a party at the Green Man Gallery on December 9th and we did our bit to keep some Derbyshire carols alive.

If you are planning your Fringe event for next July, and you need a good piano, you might be interested to know that the Broadwood grand (which dates back to the 1890s) owned by the United Reform Church is currently away for a total recondition. (Thanks to the Bingham Trust for the grant that makes this work possible). It will be back - in the Church rather than the function room - in time for the Fringe and should offer a splendid experience for musicians and audiences alike.

All of us at the Fringe wish you peace, health and happiness for Christmas and the New Year. We look forward to welcoming you to Buxton in July.

Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe

We have a winner!

Joanna Allen and the artwork that will feature on Fringe publicity in 2018

Buxton Festival Fringe has announced the winner of its recent competition to design the cover of next year’s printed Fringe programme.

Joanna Allen, an artist and printmaker from New Mills with a textiles background, came up with the winning artwork, a vibrant collagraph print entitled Orange Festival Folk and incorporating features of Buxton’s architecture. She wins £100 in prize money and some 20,000 programmes featuring her artwork will be printed next summer.

Joint runners up were Amy Whelan with Festival Fun and Pam Smart with Buxton Circular. A selection of competition entries can be seen on the Fringe website www.buxtonfringe.org.uk.

A Fringe enthusiast, Joanna says: “There is something for absolutely everyone at Buxton Fringe: music, drama, comedy, film… even life drawing! I have enjoyed all manner of Buxton Fringe events numerous times in the past. My musician brother Will Hawthorne and my sister Susie Hawthorne and brother-in-law George Telfer (both actors) have been involved in Fringe events over the years, so I am very excited to be able to contribute something myself at last!”

She adds: “My collagraph print Festival Folk celebrates the diversity of people of all types and ages who take part in the Fringe and make it so special. I tried to combine all the elements that make Buxton such a unique town: the historical importance of the natural mineral water, the spectacular architecture and the people. Each festival person has a ‘hat’ which references one of Buxton’s significant architectural features, mostly the town’s numerous domes, both big and small. And of course I had to include an image of spring water flowing from the lion’s mouth at St Ann’s Well!”

Joanna’s winning design will also feature on the Fringe’s flyer to be distributed early next year while more of her work and details of her workshops can be found on her website www.joannaallen.co.uk. A recent member of Peak District Artisans, she will be exhibiting at The Dome in Buxton as part of Fringe 2018.

Keith Savage, Chair of the Buxton Festival Fringe states: “We love Joanna's design - it is imaginative, bold and burns with excitement. It shouts out 'Buxton' but is very different to our recent artwork. Everything we want Buxton during the Festival Fringe to be. We had no idea about the family connections - but are happy that the link is there!"

Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe

Buxton Fringe 2018 - call for entries

In what has become an annual event, Buxton Fringe is inviting everyone to celebrate the opening of entries to the 2018 Fringe with a festive village carols sing-along. 

The exciting Christmas Party, hosted by Buxton’s Green Man Gallery, will take place on Saturday December 9 from 7 to 9.30pm with Derbyshire Village Carols from 7.30-9pm. Wine and light refreshments will be provided with all donations going to the Fringe. 

On the same day, there will also be a free Derbyshire Village Carols Workshop from 2.30-4.30pm at The Green Man led by Kaleidoscope Choir's Carol Bowns for anyone who would like to practise the carols beforehand. 

Both events are free and everyone is welcome. Those unable to attend the afternoon session can still join the party and singing is optional! 

The party marks the December 1 opening of entries for next summer’s eagerly anticipated Fringe festival and party-goers will have a chance to meet members of the Fringe team and learn how to get involved or become a Fringe Friend. Following suggestions from last year’s performers, the Take Part information on the Fringe website www.buxtonfringe.org.uk has been comprehensively updated to be even easier to understand whilst the widely-praised online process is as simple as ever. The attractively low entry fees remain the same as last year’s. 

As ever the Fringe, praised by one entrant as “the friendliest fringe in the fringiverse”, is always on hand to answer any queries on venues, technical matters or other issues. 

Keith Savage, Chair of the Buxton Festival Fringe states: “We all of us have Dr Ian Russell and others to thank for collecting and sharing the dozens of carols sung in many Derbyshire villages. We are pleased that Buxton, the Green Man Gallery and the Fringe are becoming part of the tradition that ensures that these carols are learned and heard." 


Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe

Orange sky heralds return of Buxton Fringe

The morning skies over much of Britain today had an eerie orange tint about them. Social media sites carried all sorts of worried messages about the 'end of the world' and 'post-apocalyptic nightmares'. We are happy to report that it was a simple reminder to those of us responsible for these things to bring you up to date with news of your favourite orange tinted festival. And we have quite a lot of news.
1) Buxton Festival Fringe 2018 will run from Wednesday 4th through to Sunday 22nd July. For those of you that need to take account of the town Carnival and fair then please note that Carnival day is Saturday 14th. If nothing else this may mean that St John's Church will not be available for the first week of the Fringe while the wells dressing petalling takes place.
2) Your geodesic Dome Fringe venue of choice - The Rotunda - is already accepting bookings for shows next July and it will fill up quickly. If you have an interest in putting on a Fringe event at the Rotunda you are urged to contact them soon. (We will be open for entries for next year's Fringe on 1st  December - see point 5 below - but there is nothing to stop you sorting out dates and venues for your shows now).
3) We have an open competition for artwork for next year's programme cover. The closing date for entries is November 1st. We look forward to receiving your work. The Fringe programme at flyer gets seen by 30,000 people across the region and beyond and so it is a good opportunity for artists to get exposure - and a modest cash prize of £100.
4) Our AGM takes place on Wednesday 8th November at The Green Man Gallery starting at 7pm. There will be some informal time - for a drink and some nibbles and a chance to chat with friends and let the trustees and committee know your thoughts about how the Fringe might develop. If you want to become more closely involved in our work we always welcome new ideas and extra energy.
5) Also at The Green Man - on Saturday 9th December - we have a bit of a party in recognition of the fact that Fringe 2018 is open for entries - indeed by then the first batch may well be on our website. For the third year we will be joining local singers for some Derbyshire village carols. Food and drinks will be available from 7pm and we will be giving it our vocal all from 7.30-9.00 led by Carol Bowns. Food and drinks will continue until 9.30 - unless we run out earlier! Carol will also be running a workshop from 2.30-4.30pm for those that want to practice a bit in advance - but you don't have to do the workshop to join the party. Everyone is welcome for the evening -whether to sing, listen or meet up.

Buxton Fringe

Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe