A ten day celebration of the written word...

With its signature blend of award winning writers, world-renowned thinkers and international star names The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival is a hotbed of debate and discussion with a unique regency style. In this year’s literary line-up Man Booker Prize winners rub shoulders with the finest classically trained actors, whilst top class comedians appear alongside leading political figures. With more than 450 writers and over 350 events this promises to be an exhilarating ten day celebration of the written word.

30-07-2008

Cheltenham Music Festival success!

This year's Cheltenham Music Festival was a critical and box office success selling over 15,500 tickets and attracting more bookers than ever before.

"I was really delighted with the way my first festival went as director in Cheltenham," says Meurig Bowen.

"Having managed to attend almost everything in the 16 day programme - that's nearly 150 hours of concert-going in a fortnight! - I was struck by how fantastically enthusiastic and attentive our audiences are, and by the sheer number of incredibly moving, exciting, inspired performances we were all treated to. There was humour and profundity, a sense of shared musical exploration, and a sense of enjoyment and buzz. Racing on the last night from a Pump Room performance of premieres and thematic interconnection to the Town Hall, where hundreds revelled in the thrilling musical antics of Romanian gypsies Taraf de Haidouks, powerfully highlighted for me the depth and breadth of this year's Music Festival.

I'm really looking forward, after a summer break, to finalising the plans for the July 2009 programme, and making sure it delivers just as much as this year's, and more."

And Chief Executive Donna Renney is simply thrilled with Meurig's success;

"I am delighted with the success of Meurig Bowen's first festival as director. The quality and new work has been as inspiring as ever, and we have taken major steps in attracting new audiences which has been very well received. With superb concerts from performers as far afield as Venezuela, Estonia and Romania, the festival has continued to secure Cheltenham's international status as a crucible of culture."

29-07-2008

Jazz Festival hits iTunes!

The HSBC Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2008 is proud to announce that we are now live on iTunes! By simply logging on to the iTunes Music Store and entering the 'Jazz' section, you will be whisked away to the HSBC Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2008's section featuring singles and albums of this year’s artists.

This offers the perfect opportunity to sample the finest Jazz sounds before hearing them live in Cheltenham. Everything from Eartha Kitt's Purrfect Collection to Mr Scruff's Keep It Unreal can be purchased right now or previewed to get a teaser of the delights that are yet to come!

With a massive pool of MP3s and thousands upon thousands of downloads daily, iTunes really will help get the word and sound out about this year's HSBC Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

23-04-2008

Albion Media working with Cheltenham Festivals

We are delighted to announce that Albion Media are joining us as the new PR company working with Cheltenham Music Festival.

Formed by Simon Millward, Albion Media works with artists, musicians, festivals, and organisations both in the UK and internationally. It will be an exciting partnership as we look forward to the 2008 Music Festival.

18-12-2007

The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival - Sponsorship Launch

We had our very first look at what may be in store at this year's Literature Festival at our sponsorship launch on Tuesday.

Festival Director Sarah Smyth introduced a programme which will this year explore the theme of family - how does the family shape who we are, how we see the world, how we live, how we read and how we write? She also hinted at some of this year's headlining acts who will be lead by Guest Directors Kate Adie and Ian Rankin.

Just a few of the names we hope to welcome in October include Sir Roger Moore, Antony Sher and Rick Stein. All names are very much still to be confirmed - but it looks like it will be the biggest festival yet. Full programme and booking will be available in early August so keep checking here for the latest news.

18-04-2008

Creative minds: Sleeping and dreaming

The Cheltenham Science Festival Education team, together with artist and scientist Dr Lizzie Burns, have been running a fascinating series of workshops exploring the mysteries of sleep. Community and school groups in and around Cheltenham and Gloucester have been finding out about the science behind sleep and discovering their own artistic inspiration in this unusual theme. Participants of all ages have been creating pieces of artwork inspired by the brain, sleep and dreams by painting and decorating a simple white mask. These beautiful masks offer a fascinating glimpse into the emotions and memories experienced during this mysterious state of mind. Take a look at some of the artwork created so far.

Cheltenham Science Festival is also running a series of events on these topics, exploring human consciousness in its many forms. To find out more, and for ideas of further reading and info, visit our special States of Mind resource page.

16-05-2008

Jazz Festival artist of the week - The Heritage Orchestra with Bonobo

The almighty 45-piece Heritage Orchestra is developing into one of the most exciting and radical young orchestras in the UK. Their unique approach, integrating the rules of jazz, electronica, DJ culture and contemporary-classical, has hit a nerve with a wide-ranging audience. During the summer of 2004, in the heart of London's East End, the Heritage Orchestra introduced itself to an unsuspecting crowd of revellers drawn in by the unlikely prospect of a full orchestra playing in a club. From thereon, the ensemble has developed its unique style and thrives on its appreciation of all types of music. If it's traditional classical orchestra repertoire you're after, then please look away, as the Heritage insist on cross-genre programming to keep your feet tapping from the very start.

Famous for collaborating with a selection of top-flight musicians, the Heritage make their first appearance at the HSBC Cheltenham Jazz Festival along with DJ and producer Bonobo. Covering styles from hip-hop, jazz, Latin, funk, soul, rock and drum and bass, the partnership promises to deliver dance floor delights while utilising the live instrumentation of a full orchestra. But don't take our word for it - get yourself down to the Town Hall on Saturday 3rd May for bumping beats, infectious rhythms and rocking grooves.

16-04-2008