ingénu/e 48, Summer 2025

ingénu/e

creative talent revealed

Summer Festivals

fabulous festivals –a multitude of genres

Open Studios & Art Trails

south downs and high weald : issue 48: summer 2025 plus art fairs, galleries & exhibitions

live music, theatre & dance book reviews, flash fiction & poetry creative courses & workshops

ingénu/e

creative talent revealed contents

Hellodear readers and welcome to our summer issue of ingénu/e, your accessible local magazine for art and culture.

I was musing over what to write today. I skated mentally over various topics and couldn't decide. Then I thought, what is my attention on and what am I passionate about?...

In the current global climate it's sometimes hard not to worry or wrench one's attention from those large, and small, issues that can clutter our thoughts and impede our forward progress in life. Bad news is pumped into our homes continually, mainstream and social media salaciously reporting on, or even manufacturing, conflict. While some people can just turn a blind eye to the state of the planet and the plight of others, most socially aware folks feel that one should be doing something, but what? Most of us are not in a position of power or responsibility sufficient to bring about the changes that we feel need to happen. We can sign petitions, donate to worthy causes, go on marches, but is it enough? Even voting for the most likely candidate is no guarantee that anything will improve or change. It is sometimes easy to feel powerless, like a cork bobbing about on an uncertain tide.

editor Gill Kaye editor.ingenue@gmail.com sales & marketing Roger Kaye roger.ingenue@gmail.com 07583 944546 subscriptions subscribe@ingenuemagazine.co.uk

Abbie Harding, saxophone player and singer with indie rock band the Zutons, who are performing at various festivals this summer. Find out about the festivals happening in our region starting on page 4.

But there is hope. A culture is created by artists. Not just the obvious things like your favourite painting, music that gives you goosebumps or books that transport you to other realities. Look around you. I guarantee that most of what you see has been created by someone with some artistic vision – the chair you're sitting on, the cup or glass you're drinking from, the decor of the space you're in, or if you're outside, the architecture of the buildings around you or the garden designer responsible for the landscaping. Even this magazine was assembled with a creative eye. So it stands to reason that the more aesthetic the environment the easier it is to elevate one's own mental and emotional state and shake off feelings of impotency. And the more people can take control of their own feelings the less easy they/we are to manipulate and be kept fearful. Thus we can be more effective – albeit in our own spheres of influence – but imagine if we were all able to do that, there would be a sea change in society.

In other words ART is necessary to society. It is vital to the wellbeing of those who create it as well as those who consume it. It is the heartbeat of a culture. So let us all switch off the hypno-box in the corner of the room and turn off our smartphone, cancel our daily newspaper, indulge in creativity and bring about a saner world.

"if it's not in ingénu/e ...it's

And to that end here is a positive plethora of creativity in which to immerse yourself: artists of all genres – painters; ceramicists; printmakers; glass, wood and textile artists; sculptors; jewellery makers – musicians; actors; singers; dancers; writers; even organisers, all have been pouring their heart and soul into their chosen field of creativity to bring about a better world. Read about them here, support them or join them, get creative and let's make a difference!

–Gill Kaye, editor

Summer festivals

Here comes summer!

Here is a plethora of local festivals for your delectation. Indulge yourself and include your family and friends. You deserve some beauty, joy and fun!

The Shipley Arts Festival Silver Anniversary Year

“One of the UK’s finest Classical Music Festivals” –West Sussex Deputy Lieutenant, Gary Shipton

Artistic

Director Andrew Bernardi introduces the Silver Anniversary Festival summer concerts:

Thank you Shipley and Sussex Friends, for making our Silver 25th Shipley Arts Festival celebrate the land, people and music of the region. We have enjoyed the most diverse group of capacity audiences and performers who have brought together our communities to form the region’s top classical music festival of arts. We continue to honour our original ambitions of commissioning new music, supporting young musicians, and at an international level of performance.

Friday June 6th 7:00pm at the beautiful Lackenhurst Estate generously hosted by Lady Louise Burrell. We have included our commission which describes the Lady Blunt Stradivarius travelling through Shipley and amongst many of our well known and much loved residents who are portrayed within these pieces of music. ‘We will Baroque you!’ includes music by Cecilia McDowall in Great Hills; J.S.Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto no.4 (soloists Bruce Martin and Andrew Bernardi); Malcom Singer’s Eli Eli Fantasy, reminiscent of Schindlers List; plus Mozart’s Concerto movements for Clarinet with Nicky Baigent. We will also be sharing a special Silver Strings arrangement of Bye

Bye Blackbird by Henderson/Dixon as arranged by Bud Caputo.

Friday June 27th from 7.00 pm: Jazz at The George and Dragon amongst Food and Friends. To book a table for dinner call 01403 900831.

Sunday June 29th, 7.00 pm at Durrance Manor amongst the exquisite gardens generously hosted by Dr Gordon Lindsay, and where we founded our Festival. Audience and performers will enjoy favourite tunes indoors under marquee cover, with the return of our friends Dominic Bevan and Charlotte Broker.

The Shipley Arts Festival Silver Jubilee Opera Gala will include: Verdi’s Overture to La Traviata; Delibes' The Flower Duet from Lakmé arranged for strings; Mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana; Verdi Parigi o cara from La Traviata; Massenet's Meditation from Thais for violin and piano; Puccini Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut; Bernstein Maria from West Side Story; and Puccini’s ‘Nessun Dorma’ from Turandot.

July 6th, arrival for 6.30 pm, the Wilding Concert in the drawing rooms of Knepp Castle, generously hosted by Sir Charles and Lady Issy Burrell, with a programme to include Schubert's Trout Quintet, with a private viewing of portraits by John Piper, Godfrey Kneller, Van Dyke, Graham Sutherland, Lucian Freud, our friend Svetlana Cameron and accompanied by Nyetimber and canapés.

Sunday July 20th, arrive 6.30 pm for 7:00, concert generously hosted by Sue Jay at the very historic Great Ballard in Eartham House, complete with paintings by Romney. Internationally acclaimed musicians Andrew Bernardi, Maria Marchant and Jonathan Few perform music as Stradivarius Piano Trio, inspired by the art of Michael Joseph who will himself be present.

Michael’s paintings were in turn inspired by much of the music that you’ll hear in a remarkable Stradivarius arrangement, including Cole Porter’s Anything Goes; George Gershwin’s Summertime;

spotlight on... summer festivals

Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio; Ravel’s Bolero; Bob Dylan’s All along the Watchtower, better known in its Jimi Hendrix version than as a work for a piano trio. Enjoy the special experience with a complimentary glass of Nyetimber bubbles in the fabulous setting of Eartham House, a beautiful Lutyens-designed country house where many artists have worked including George Romney (1734-1802) whose works are also on show here.

Sunday July 27th, arrive 6.30 pm for 7:00 pm, Silver Strings in Concert at St Andrew’s Church, Nuthurst. This very beautiful, newly renovated and historic church inspired Vaughan Williams and many of our finest commissions from Jon Lord of Deep Purple to James Whitbourn. We will be sharing a diverse collection of popular classics from Ralph Vaughan William’s Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus, to Gershwin's I've got Rhythm.

Tickets for our June and July Concerts are limited. To book now and to view August and September’s celebration concerts go to www.bmglive.com

With great thanks to all our Festival Friends and sponsors in Tooveys, Kreston Reeves, NFU Chichester and Horsham, and Nyetimber.

The Loxwood Joust

Embark on a Legendary Adventure this Summer First three weekends in August, 2nd to 17th

This summer, Loxwood Joust (Loxwood Meadow, West Sussex, RH14 0AL) will transform the West Sussex countryside into an alternate universe, as epic jousts, brave knights and thrilling quests come to life all in the name of Queen Helena 4

opp top: Sedgwick Park; above: Bernardi Music Group; above right: portrait artist Svetlana Cameron with Clare Davison, owner of Sedgwick Park who hosted a charity concert presented by Bernardi Music Group alongside Svetlana's paintings, for Shipley Festival

spotlight on... summer festivals

and her timely need for marriage!. This unique experience immerses explorers into a kingdom filled with adventure, music, and captivating stories, as well as offering the chance to camp amongst the magic and feast at lavish banquets!

Loxwood Joust is a kingdom where history and fantasy collide. Experience the thrill of live jousting tournaments, dramatic performances, and an immersive atmosphere filled with music and vibrant characters. Watch knights clash for glory, cheer for a champion, or witness the majestic Birds of Prey performances in an action-packed spectacle. The kingdom is alive with energy, offering quests, side stories, and hidden secrets, with new adventures and evolving storylines for both newcomers and returning adventurers from previous jousts.

The clock is ticking for Queen Helena! By ancient law, she must marry before the final clash of the next

Summer Joust or risk losing her crown. Suitors from every corner are coming to fight for her hand, with bold displays, grand riches, and fearless skill. Will the royal heart be won through true love, or will duty decide her fate? Witness this dramatic tale unfold at Loxwood Joust, where the final joust of the season will not only crown a champion but also determine the future of the kingdom!

The Royal Quarter sector offers even more for adventurers of all ages to explore. Step into a world of hands-on adventure, with activities like archery, axe throwing, and crossbow, perfect for those wanting to try their hand at these legendary age-old skills. Whether diving into quests, enjoying the jousting matches, or soaking in the vibrant atmosphere, there’s something for everyone. Children and adults alike can revel in the action or simply relax and enjoy the music, food, and entertainment, all while exploring the kingdom at their own pace.

This summer, Loxwood Joust is raising the stakes with exciting new experiences. Indulge in new banquet entertainment, a fresh food menu, and an exciting experience hosted by new characters and an evolving storyline. For the first time, camping will be available all three weekends, including campervan pitches alongside pitchyour-own spaces, allowing guests to fully immerse in the kingdom while also offering them the opportunity to experience exclusive live entertainment. Additionally, new quests and storylines will bring fresh surprises and twists to the ever-evolving world of Loxwood Joust.

At Loxwood Joust, adventurers can forge their own path, engage with the vibrant characters, uncover hidden secrets, or take a moment to enjoy the spectacular jousting, live music, and dramatic performances. Don’t miss the drama, the battles, and the grand wedding finale that will define the season! Those looking to explore a new reality are encouraged to secure their spot now, day passes start from £8 and weekend passes from £45.

Visit www.loxwoodjoust.co.uk for full details.

spotlight on... summer festivals

Summertime Swing 2025

20th July, Saint Hill Manor RH19 4JY

Getready for the hottest vintage event of this summer, Summertime Swing, back by popular demand on a Sunday, opening at 2pm!

The Jive Aces present another packed afternoon of swing, jive, rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues with some very special guests.

Joining us this year so far are British rock 'n' roll legend Marty Wilde and the Queen of Swedish hot jazz, Gunhild Carling, American jazz and blues singer Kai Hoffman, Western Swing fiddling sensation from Caesar's Cowboys Mary Lee and sultry songstress Noelle Vaughn.

Plus DJs Eight-Beat Mac & Eight-Beat Mabel, vintage stalls, classic car display and all proceeds going to charities including The Not Forgotten, C.O.P.S. (Care of Police Survivors) and other local charities. Visit https://jiveaces.org/summertime-swing

top: Summertime Swing at St Hill Manor; above: Gunhild Carling

Shoreham Wordfest

27th September to 12th October 2025

Theannual festival of words in Shoreham-by-Sea launches another exciting programme in July with headliners already announced, including Michael Rosen, Elly Griffiths, Gyles Brandreth, ITV presenter Charlene White and Gill Hornby, author of Miss Austen.

Drawing an audience from across the South-East region, Shoreham Wordfest always delivers a lively mixed programme. ‘Meet the Authors’ is a new venture where you can meet up close and personal with ten or more best-selling writers from very different genres over an afternoon, followed by an in-conversation session with Wordfest patrons Elly Griffiths and William Shaw who are each launching a brand-new series of detective novels.

The 250th anniversary of Jane Austen will be marked with two plays based on her much-loved novels, Emma and Pride and Prejudice, performed by This is My Theatre, and an interview with Gill Hornby, a scene from This is My Theatre's Pride and Prejudice

spotlight on... summer festivals

Hailsham Festival of Arts & Culture

6th to 21st September

Thefestival returns for its 19th year with a vibrant September programme that celebrates the creative and cultural community at the heart of Wealden.

Visitors are invited to join in and book a range of joyful, diverse and affordable events taking place in and around Hailsham.

This year, new acts include Voices of Volya – a Ukrainian choir that performs locally, raising funds for medical equipment sent to frontline soldiers in Ukraine. In addition, there will be various live theatre acts, cult cinema screenings, Meet the Author events, Immersive theatre Jane Austen-style, Jazz, Pottery, Art Workshops at Gallery North, classical music recitals, a Carpenters Tribute … and much more.

For eager artists, poets and authors there is plenty to get involved in. The annual Children’s Art competition & Creative Writing Competitions will all return

author of Miss Austen, which was successfully adapted for the BBC. There will be immersive theatre for small groups in the historic Marlipins Museum featuring four talented actors portraying Sussex poets in ‘Rhyme and Reason.’

Shoreham Wordfest has a mission to support local creativity and this year the festival will feature two new experimental works mixing story-telling, song, soundscapes and new technologies to produce a deeply moving and thought-provoking experience. ‘Snow Along the Lines,’ the life story of an ordinary woman, and ‘Long Ago and Far Away’ a soundscape featuring the voice of a WWII soldier to mark VJ 80th anniversary.

Shoreham Singers-by-Sea, the community choir, will be performing a musical interpretation of Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge to open the festival programme, and The Singing Salon will be performing arias and musical operetta as the finale.

In between there is a whole day of history, walks, discussions scanning the domestic and international political scene and many opportunities to hear from new writers and national speakers. There is always a warm and convivial atmosphere at Shoreham Wordfest with a dedicated team and a splendid book stall supported by City Books Hove.

Tickets and further information are available from July at www.shorehamwordfest.com

top left: Charlene White, Shoreham Wordfest; above: Longman Morris; and Duo Millers Circus Performers, Hailsham Festival

and the Hailsham Art Trail is back – with local artists and makers showcasing their works of art in and around Hailsham’s retailers, cafes and restaurants. For a full-bodied flavour of all that the Hailsham Festival has to offer, please browse the What’s On programme and book at www.hailshamfestival.co.uk

Lewes Baroquefest 2025

17th to 19th July

Early instruments such as harpsichords, lutes, woodwind instruments and the incredible long necked theorbo, not to mention gorgeous harmonies and melodies of fascinating music; all this and more will, I am sure, be in store for us at this amazing festival, brought to us by John Hancorn and Julia Bishop, the creative inspiration behind the sixth Lewes Baroquefest.

The Festival brings live music to this wonderful town, which has such a strong vocal and instrumental tradition and plethora of international musicians.

The concerts take place at St Anne’s Church, with the final concert at Lewes Town Hall. This year there are five concerts which include a vocal recital by Rebecca Leggett (mezzo soprano) and Hugh Cutting (countertenor) with Daniel Murphy (lute); chamber recitals by Flutes & Frets: Beth Stone (flutes) and Daniel Murphy (lute); Piers Adams (recorder) and David Wright (harpsichord); Richard Tunnicliffe (solo cello) and the grand finale, Handel's Dixit Dominus, J S Bach’s Double Violin Concerto and Magnificat, with the Baroque Collective Singers and The Baroque Collective directed by John Hancorn. Visit www.lewesbaroquefest.org for full information.

Petworth Festival 2025 17th July to 2nd August

Followers of Petworth Festival have already been wowed by May’s second edition of the Petworth Proms – the festival’s new collaboration with the National Trust and Petworth House – but now comes news of this summer’s ‘fortnight in the sun’, the Petworth Festival itself.

Running through the height of summer, the Petworth diary will be packed with forty events that promise to connect with the widest of audiences.

What to pick out? A superb line-up of the country’s top classical names ranging from the stellar saxophonist Jess Gillam, via the exquisite tenor voice of Mark Padmore, to the violin of young star Braimah Kanneh-Mason; brilliant jazz from Ronnie Scott’s superstar pianist James Pearson in programmes saluting Oscar Peterson and Burt Bacharach, plus chanteuse Claire Martin in tandem with the one-off that is pianist Ian Shaw; a trio of very much ‘fringe’ style events including the top comedian Ed Byrne; and the fixture in the diary that is the festival’s three night residency in Petworth House’s atmospheric Stables.

“I know you’re not supposed to be able to please all of the people all of the time”, says Artistic Director Stewart Collins, “but we’re having a really good go!”

Visit www.petworthfestival.org.uk for full details.

above: Flutes & Frets, Lewes Baroquefest. Photo, Johan Stone; right: Braimah Kanneh-Mason, Petworth Festival.

Photo, Jake Turney

spotlight on... summer festivals

Brighton Early Music Festival

Love – 10th to 26th October

Brighton Early Music Festival returns this autumn under its new co-artistic directors – soprano Hannah Ely and recorder player Olwen Foulkes. This is the first Festival to be programmed by Hannah and Olwen, and it explores the theme of Love in all its forms – a festival theme suggested by BREMF’s late co-artistic director Deborah Roberts.

This year’s Festival sees more than twenty events across the city, starting with pre-festival workshops and participatory events from Saturday 13th September, and culminating in three busy festival weekends of concerts from Friday 10th to Sunday 26th October.

Highlights include the UK premiere of a lost French baroque opera by 17th century female composer Mlle Duval (10th October); a return to Brighton by vocal ensemble The Gesualdo Six (12th October); the Festival’s now-annual showcase of the latest emerging early music talent (18th October); a full performance of Monteverdi’s Tancredi e Clorinda by Italian medieval and renaissance specialists La Fonte Musica (25th October); and a programme of Lieder performed by mezzo soprano Helen Charlston alongside the Consone Quartet.

Tickets go on sale on Monday 4th August following priority booking for Festival Friends. Find out more and join the mailing list at www.bremf.org.uk

top: Helen Charlston, photo Julien-Gazeau; right: The Gesualdo Six; below: La Fonte Musica

Deal Festival

3rd to 13th July

Thefestival returns this summer bringing the best in music and culture to the churches, theatre, castle, museums and streets, with over sixty events.

Of many highlights, one will be a concert given by their President and renowned soprano Lucy Crowe OBE, in a programme that includes Strauss, Gershwin, Handel and Vivaldi, performed with the Fantasia Orchestra after their recent début at the BBC Proms.

As well as the finest classical musicians giving lunchtime and evening concerts, the festival brings world-class opera with the return of Wild Arts performing Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love. There’ll be sublime jazz, with youthful energy of a Harlem Renaissance programme by Tomorrow’s Warriors and young artists the Maddy Coombs Quartet and four young virtuoso musicians from the top French orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, come together as Quartet Page Blanche.

The Festival is delighted to welcome awardwinning folk duo Spiers and Boden and back by popular demand, Chaps Choir, who’ll raise the roof with their heart-warming ballads and joy-inducing songs. Anna Phoebe star violinist will be appearing at Deal Castle on the opening night with an exciting dance led project in collaboration with Canterbury Christ Church University.

Festival 2025 brings a host of culture to Deal, Dover and Sandwich: children’s events, walks, author talks, films, community events and much much more. Look out for the full programme detailing all events on www.dealmusicandarts.com

from top: Fantasia Orchestra; Quartet Page Blanche; Anna Phoebe, photo Rob Blackham

spotlight on... summer festivals

Broadstairs Folk Week 60th Anniversary

A Seaside Celebration of Folk, Culture and Community, 8th to 15th August

Inan era when cultural heritage often slips quietly into the background, Broadstairs Folk Week stands as a vibrant, living testament to the enduring power of music, tradition, and community. This year, the festival proudly marks its 60th anniversary – an extraordinary milestone for one of the UK’s oldest and most beloved folk festivals.

Celebrate sixty years of Broadstairs Folk Week in the heart of this charming Kent seaside town. One of the UK’s most respected folk festivals, it offers over 400 curated events in more than twenty atmospheric venues. Enjoy headline performances from legends including Lindisfarne, Martin Carthy, Eddi Reader and Flook, alongside intimate concerts, expert-led workshops, traditional dance and a refined craft and music fair.

From exclusive concerts and curated workshops to artisan markets and elegant dance displays, this is folk tradition elevated. Discover refined, vibrant artistry in a historic coastal setting. Visit https://broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk for full week and individual concert tickets.

Southdowns Music Festival

19th to 21st September

Asusual, the Festival has a variety of music genres to experience.

The Friday & Saturday Marquee evening concerts have Merry Hell headlining on Saturday with support from Gerry Colvin, followed by The Alistair Goodwin band on Saturday with support from the French Geordie, Flossie Malavialle. Both evening concerts commence at 7.30pm.

And of course there are the Pier concerts, an exciting new addition for the 2025 festival: Saturday will feature two Americana bands, further details to follow, and Sunday sees a Celtic theme featuring The Courtiers from Portsmouth and Gaelforce from Yorkshire.

And last, but definitely not least, is the Southdowns Ukulele Festival, now entering its seventh year, which started in 2018 as a new segment of the already established Festival. This free festival for ukulele players and the public became a great success and has grown in popularity each year. It is held in a large marquee on Waterloo Square in Bognor Regis.It has, over the last seven years, been able to book many of the top performers on the ukulele circuit and has provided the opportunity for many local ukulele jamming groups to perform to the public. There are also Open Mic sessions and several Free Workshops for absolute beginners and experienced ukulele players.

The Mission of this Festival is to be 'Free to All', so totally relies on funding. The Festival organisers hope you will come and enjoy this fantastic event this year which will feature performances from The Hedge Inspectors, Plastic Jeezus, Only Ukes and The Mighty Lemons.

Visit www.southdownsfolkfest.co.uk for all the information about what's on.

top left: Eddi Reader; Flook, photo Naoki Fujioka (Broadstairs Folk Week); below: Merry Hell (Southdowns Music Festival)

spotlight on... summer festivals

LOVE

FRIDAY 10 – SUNDAY 26 OCTOBER

Join us this autumn for more than 20 events including the UK premiere of a lost French baroque opera by an 18th century female composer, Monteverdi with Italian ensemble La Fonte Musica, and poetry and prose inspired by Oscar Wilde. Plus emerging artists, music and dance workshops, family concerts and more.

Tickets on sale 4 August. More info and join the mailing list at bremf.org.uk

@brightonemf

Rebecca Leggett & Hugh Cutting • Flutes & Frets Piers Adams & David Wright • Richard Tunnicliffe

Handel: Dixit Dominus • Bach: Double Violin Concerto Bach: Magnificat • Alison Bury & Julia Bishop, violins The Baroque Collective Singers & The Baroque Collective directed by John Hancorn lewesbaroquefest.org

art trails & open studios

South East Open Studios

6th to 22nd June

South East Open Studios (SEOS) is one of the most established annual artist open studio events in the UK and has been running since 1996. It takes place during June, showcasing creative talent, and strengthening visual arts in our corner of the South East.

SEOS brings together the work of hundreds of contemporary artists and makers around parts of Kent and East & Mid Sussex. Each year in June, artists and makers open their working studios to welcome the public. Every type of work is on show – sculpture, glass, jewellery, painting, wirework, woodwork, photography, textiles, and more – for visitors to view, purchase or commission. Plus, it’s a fantastic opportunity to meet makers and artists, as well as discover some of your favourite local artists; follow their work and exhibitions on the SEOS website all year round, and enjoy being part of your local artistic community!

SEOS brings the creative talent of Kent and Sussex artists to you and invites you to discover and learn about their inspiration and ideas behind the work.

There will also be the opportunity to watch the artists at work, if they have indicated that they will be demonstrating their skills.

You can explore who’s taking part by picking up a guide in the many outlets, cafes, libraries and local venues, as well as visiting the website. There you can find artists by their medium, which is especially exciting if you’re an enthusiast for a particular medium of art or craft. This allows you to plot your own trail of discovery. In addition to a map of each studio, the new features on the website also show you which other studios are taking part nearby. There will also be art trails for some of the areas available to download on the website to help plan your visits and days out in a particular area.

Quoting one of our artists, Bill Gowans of Ashdown Pottery shares his experience of being an SEOS artist and what visitors can expect to find when visiting his studio:

“As a potter, I have been part of SEOS for several years and have enjoyed the many encounters, new connections and sharing of ideas that the event has brought me. We make, exhibit, sell and teach here in the idyllic surroundings of Ashdown Forest and specialise in classical stoneware ceramic forms with a modern twist for house, table and garden. Colour is at the heart of our work, and I develop and mix all our glazes with a palette that reflects our life in the forest.”

top left: Scarlett Woodman, fine artist above: Katie Brinsley, ceramics

Charles Dickinson, artist blacksmith

Pot and mugs by Ashdown Pottery

Find out what members of your communities are up to. You never know, it might inspire you to have a go yourself and start a new hobby or discover a hidden passion. Many of our artists offer taster workshops and tuition in their studios, some even teach online. Start your journey of discovery this June! South East Open Studios runs from 6th to 22nd June. For all details visit www.seos-art.org and follow @seopenstudios on social media.

Vee Pease and Ferelith Molteno Hampshire

Open Studios

16th to 25th August

Mother and daughter artists exhibiting together. West Sussex jeweller Vee Pease will be taking part in Hampshire Open Studios with her painter mother, Ferelith Molteno. Visit their garden studio and see Ferelith's stunning paintings and cards and Vee's beautiful silver jewellery.

Vee designs and makes beautiful jewellery in her West Sussex studio. She works predominantly in silver with semi-precious stones and beads, finding inspiration in her daily walks on the Downs, and also from her travels to India and Morocco.

Ferelith Molteno has travelled extensively in India, drawing and painting the landscape and people wherever she goes. She paints predominantly in watercolour, using collage and pen and ink. Ferelith also produces handmade cards, often with an Indian theme, but also British scenes and still life.

As a child, Vee and her sister spent many happy hours painting, drawing and making with Ferelith. They still paint together whenever they can.

Find them at North End Studio, Broughton, SO20 8AN, 16th to 25th August, 10am-5pm. Visit www.hampshireopenstudios.org.uk

left: Sarah Bourne, mosaic sculpture; above & right: Gaynor Pattle, mixed media artist; top right: glass vessel by Beverley Bunn

silver jewellery by Vee Pease

art trails & open studios

Arundel Gallery Trail

16th to 25th August

Our 36th year sees the Trail once again embracing a wide variety of artistic endeavour. In homes and studios, you can discover a plethora of diverse creativity to absorb and inspire you.

Our artists and makers are on hand to inform you about their work and the myriad ways they approach their practice, so feel free to engage with them and ask questions.

The Secret Artist Exhibition and Auction returns, in which bids can be placed silently, either online or in person at the auction exhibition at the Victoria Institute on Tarrant Street, throughout the Trail. This year, forty-five artists are taking part – see our guide or website for details.

Art has a singular way of connecting us to ourselves and to others, expressing what lies beyond words. It can move us, uplift us, or make us reflective – and the artist’s ability to evoke these feelings is their unique gift to the world.

The Trail is easy to navigate with most venues within the town centre. Pick up a free guide from all venues displaying the blue and yellow numbered flags or from many outlets in the town.

The Trail runs concurrently with Arundel Festival of the Arts 16th to 25th August, open from 12noon to 5pm daily. www.arundelgallerytrail.co.uk

above: Josse Davis; opp page clockwise from top: Liz Hammond; Frances Knight 'Summer Morning'; Karen Ongley-Snook, glass art; Cherie Lubbock 'Traces'; Manny Woodard; below: Susie Olford, 'Through the Pass'. All at Arundel Gallery Trail

Susie Olford Arundel Gallery Trail

16th to 25th August

They say a change is as good as a rest. Well, change it will be for me exhibiting at the Arundel Gallery Trail. No longer at the top of the town (whoopee you say!) I am exhibiting at the bottom of the hill. Tarrant Street is the lower of the two east-west roads and the location of many of the shops and cafes. Also the hub of venues on the Trail.

Find me in the unique, quirky building The Old Printing Works, an arcade hosting several interesting shops and businesses. This will be my ninth year of Gallery Trail and loving every minute of it.

As always, I will be displaying framed and unframed paintings, mainly in oil – just a few acrylics; my moods of land, sea and sky but never sad moods. Bright colours, or soft blended colours are in my contemporary paintings. They lean towards the abstract but always for you to see your own interpretation of the world around us. Living near the sea, I paint seascapes in all weathers, but there are dreamy landscapes too.

The ten days of Arundel’s Festivities (Theatre, Art, Music, Street entertainment and more) are Saturday 16th to bank holiday Monday 25th August. Normal Trail hours are from noon to 5pm. But I will be open from around 10.00am; you might find a few other artists opening early. All venues are admission free. Full details will be at www.arundelgallerytrail.co.uk

In August you can find the colour brochure in venues and many local libraries. Why not travel into Arundel by train and avoid the A27; the station is a short walk into town and you will pass a few venues en route.

V Pease Jewellery

Gill Bustamante, Beyond the Hedgerow

6-22 JUNE 2025

MEET THE ARTIST DEMONSTRATIONS

ARTWORK FOR SALE FREE ENTRY

SEOS-ART.ORG ART TRAILS

ARTIST GALLERIES

STUDIO GUIDE & MORE

ACROSS KENT AND EAST SUSSEX

Arundel Gallery Trail

16-25 August 2025 12-5 daily

90+ artists and makers

42 venues

+The Secret Artist Auction

Free

arundelgallerytrail.co.uk

Image: Roy W oodard

HEIDI LAUGHTON

'Tales, Traditions, and Curious Beasts' Art and Sussex Folklore

The Crypt Gallery, Seaford

Wednesday 11th to Sunday 22nd June 2025

This is an exciting exhibition of work by a group of eleven skilled artists and makers, realised using a wide range of media including painting, print making, ceramics, glass, jewellery, and sculpture.

Folklore is expressed not only through tales, myths and legends related to the landscape itself but also, amongst other things, through colloquial language, poetry, dance, music, rituals, celebrations, and even local building styles. Using the rich and diverse folklore of Sussex as their inspiration, the artists have created a specific body of work for the show that references the mythology, social history, and the natural and built environment of our beautiful county.

The artists exhibiting are: Jennifer Bisset (painting), Vicki Disney (painting), Keely Lawrence (ceramics), Lynda Lindfield (jewellery), Charlotte Matthews (printmaking), Anthony McIntosh (ceramics and glass), Roz Nathan (painting and sculpture), Alan Pearce (ceramics), Lindsey Pearson (mixed media), Kate Sayers (painting), and Julie Snowball (ceramics). The show is open every day between 10am and 5pm and at least two of the artists will be on hand every day to chat about the work.

The Crypt Gallery, 23 Church St, Seaford, BN25 1HE Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm thecryptgallery.com/whats-on

opposite page clockwise from top: Roz Nathan, Beachy Head Corvids, painting; Lindsey Pearson, Celestine, elegant dragon, mixed media; Anthony McIntosh, Pride of Sussex, fused glass panel; Charlotte Matthews, Grew, woodcut; Kate Sayers, Moonlight Mystique, painting; Julie Snowball, Spirit of the Oak, ceramic; Keely Lawrence, The Lyminster Knucker, ceramic; above: Jennifer Bisset, The Rackham Wraith, painting; right: Jennifer Bisset, White Horse Rising

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Jennifer Bisset

The month of June will host two exhibitions for local artist Jennifer Bisset. Along with ten other artists, she will be exhibiting in The Crypt Gallery, Seaford for the Sussex Folklore and Art Exhibition from 11th to 22nd June.

“This is my first time at The Crypt”, she said, “and I am especially pleased to be part of a show under the aegis of Anthony McIntosh and Julie Snowball. I have known Anthony and Julie for a number of years and love their work. This exhibition with a particular theme has stretched all of us to explore new ideas and produce, I hope, exciting new work.”

Francesca Duffield, artist and poet

Fresh from her recent exhibition with fellow Lewes artist Glenys Ruane, Francesca will be taking part in Artwave in September with two artists, Pete Cheek and Jill Butler, showing paintings, prints, drawings and illustrations.

They will be listed as ‘The Pells Artists’, showing at 1 St. John’s Hill, Lewes, BN7 2DP on 6th/7th, 13th/14th and 20th/21st September, from 2.00 to 5.00pm.

Lewes-based Francesca is an artist and poet; her oil paintings, handmade prints and drawings are inspired by imagination, dreams, fairytale, and history, which can be seen in her recent work drawn from the world of circus and burlesque.

Jill Butler is new to Artwave and will be showing her children’s book illustrations in delicate watercolour.

Pete Cheek is returning to Artwave after a few years' sabbatical. Many in Lewes will remember his previous exhibitions, and he is looking forward to showing his work again to admirers old and new!

In addition and, unexpectedly, she will be part of an interesting pop-up gallery at the Lansdowne Hotel, on the Eastbourne Open Houses weekend of 13th, 14th and 15th June from 11am till 4pm. This show will be in aid of FOES sponsored by the hotel and organised by Catherine Simpson an ardent FOES supporter.

The artists involved will be giving a substantial part of their sales to the cause.

Find Jennifer on Facebook @jenniferbissetscottishartist

Find Francesca on Instagram @francescaduffield www.artwavefestival.org by Francesca Duffield –left: Entrance of the Infanta; above: Waking Dream

An exhibition of paintings and photos 15th to 21st July, 10am–4pm Montague Gallery, Worthing www.judeevansart.com www.montaguegallery.co.uk

COLONNADE

Tuesday

LINESCAPES

Askey-Brown White Geranium 2025 Oil on canvas 90cm x 60cm

visual arts & contemporary crafts

A Warm Welcome from THE ATTIC

The Attic Art Club was founded with six members just before the Second World War. Currently our numbers are about thirtyfive local, talented and professional artists in a wide variety of disciplines both 2D and 3D. We continue to exhibit twice a year in Ditchling Village Hall.

Our August Bank Holiday exhibition runs from 12noon on Friday 22nd and then from 10am to 5pm on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Visitors are warmly welcomed to come and browse or buy our work which is all for sale.

We are democratically run with a committee of eight overseeing the general business and all other members expected to take part in the running and publicity of exhibitions. Membership is limited to the number of screens the hall can accommodate, so that everyone is able exhibit together and standards remain high. New members are voted in by the whole membership at the AGM and the ethos of the club is that all should share a serious passion for painting and other art forms.

A group of volunteers arrive early on the Friday morning to accept delivery of the screens and then to assemble and put screens and tables in position around the hall and stage. Artists arrive a little later and install their works and labels. A final tidy up and the exhibition is ready to open at 12noon. The process works in reverse at the end of

the show and by 6pm no one would know it had ever been, apart from the happy artists who have sold work, and the satisfied customers, bearing away treasures to decorate their homes. Come and visit the next exhibition and enjoy the work of local creative talent! www.atticartclub.co.uk

from top: Jenny Saady demonstrates at the Attic Spring Exhibition; Sue Hawksworth, Sandy Haven Pill, Pembs; Wendy Standen, Fox; Jenny Saady, The Blue Rampion

visual arts & contemporary crafts

LINESCAPES: ARCHITECTURAL VIEWS OF SUSSEX

In this solo exhibition, Amalia – the artistic brain behind Linescapes – will be showing a selection of detailed architectural portraits featuring some of the most beautiful and iconic Sussex landmarks.

Expect to find framed and unframed prints of buildings from Brighton, Worthing and the surrounding areas, as well as gifts and homeware at Colonnade House Gallery, Tuesday 14th to Sunday 20th July 2025.

Linescapes specialises in highly detailed CAD architectural portraits of iconic buildings and landmarks. Set up in 2014, Linescapes offers a range of architecture-inspired prints, cards and gifts.

Amalia’s aim is to tap into people's emotional

Jude Evans, artist

relationships with buildings. Architecture can evoke memories, a sense of belonging and relate to our sense of beauty. That's why Linescapes collections are constantly growing with drawings of buildings that mean something to people, whether it's a cultural landmark, an architecturally significant building or a bespoke house portrait.

Amalia has built a collection of over seventy detailed illustrations which are available from her website. She also carries out commissions for private individuals, businesses and cultural landmarks.

Amalia's background as an architect and consequent attention to detail and her trademark style ensures that all her products sit well together in elegant and understated collections. Her work can be purchased from her website www.linescapes.co.uk

The beaches of Worthing are the focus of Sandscapes & Tide Sculptures, the first solo exhibition of work by Jude Evans, at Worthing's Montague Gallery.

She experienced a turning point last year when she reached the age of sixty-six. “I took stock of my life and felt disappointed because I hadn’t achieved my dream of an artistic career. l thought I was too old and it was too late. But then I realised I had been given an opportunity: my pension allowed me to reduce the hours of my day job so I could spend more time on art. I decided to take action, one thing led to another and now I’m thrilled to be having this exhibition of my work, which is about Worthing beaches, in a Worthing gallery.”

The paintings focus on the expanse of sand at low tide which, along with big skies and the distant horizon, convey a sense of freedom. The paintings suggest memories of a seaside childhood, nostalgia for an imagined past and sadness for lost loved ones. The photos in the exhibition highlight the timber

groynes of Worthing’s sea defences: the beauty of their forms, sculpted by the forces of nature, is revealed in close-up black and white imagery.

Montague Gallery, Worthing 15th to 21st July, 10am to 4pm. www.judeevansart.com

above: Jude Evans, Lilac Sand; left: Jude in her studio

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Benenden Art Fair

I am delighted to be writing to you again as plans for BAF 2025 are starting to take shape!

For those of you who don’t know, Benenden is situated between Tunbridge Wells and Tenterden and the Art Fair is a local fair which occurs every October at Benenden Village Hall. Our mission is to unveil and celebrate the abundance of artistic talent flourishing in Kent and Sussex, most of whom are right on our doorstep. We provide a professional yet friendly setting, fostering a sense of community support that welcomes artists of all backgrounds and experience levels.

This year, we are expanding the fair to include thirty-five local artists, making the most of the venue and creating a jam-packed programme for our art enthusiasts. Our main aim is to widen our audience and to get BAF’s name out there, so please help us spread the word and invite friends and family to come along!

We have some wonderful partners working with us this year, including Kingsford Solicitors and Art4Site. It’s an honour to work with such established local businesses and we are very grateful for their support.

If you would like to learn more about our artists, event information and private view details, please subscribe to our newsletter via www.benendenartfair.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram @benendenartfair. See you in October!

Hannah Buchanan, Fair Director Benenden Art Fair, 3rd-5th October 2025 www.benendenartfair.com @benendenartfair

from top: Megan Yelets, Winter, 2025, mixed media on board 50 x 56cm; Amanda Thompson, Moules, 2025, oil on canvas 100 x 100 cm; Scarlett Woodman, Crisp, 2023, emulsion on corrugated iron 39 x 73cm; Peter Black, Meiping Vase, 2025, salt glazed stoneware with oxide slip, 30-50cm

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Not Your Average Art Show

The Cranbrook Art Show celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this year with a spectacular line up, it will definitely be the Art Show to visit this Autumn.

Running from 6th to 8th November it will feature a carefully curated mix of well established names from Marie Prett to Louisa Crispin, alongside up and coming talent such as Scarlett Woodman who has recently been accepted as a member of The Society of Graphic Fine Arts. The show has always had a reputation for exhibiting the highest quality work in the beautiful setting of the Vestry Hall, Cranbrook, and this year’s show is no exception. But how did a small Kentish town become the venue for such a prestigious show?

Cranbrook has a rich history of artistic excellence, dating back to 1854 and The Cranbrook Colony. Kristina Avery set about organising the very first Cranbrook Art Show in 1993. Very quickly the annual event established itself as a showcase of varied disciplines and a high standard of artistic merit that keeps the visitors flooding back each year.

A committee was formed on Kristina's retirement in 2012, to continue the tradition of putting on an exceptional

show and it continues to be carefully selected and curated by a team of professional artists. We look forward to welcoming you to enjoy the show, which is free to visit. With nearly half of the artists selected this year being new to the event, it promises to be a fresh show filled with new names to discover alongside some familiar favourites. Follow us on social media or sign up to the mailing list via the website to keep up to date and find out more about the artists that will be exhibiting in the 2025 Cranbrook Art Show. www.cranbrookartshow.org.uk @cranbrookartshow

from top: Tessa Holmes, Horizon, jigsaw relief print; Jude Askey Brown, At the Bottom of the Garden, oil painting; Lucy Clayton, Raspberry Palaver, watercolour; Victoria Wainwright/viksilver, Silver Christening Boxes

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Based in the Alfriston Room at The Lansdowne Hotel King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne, BN21 4ER

Displaying artwork by:

Adrian Chappell, Alan D Pearce, Amanda Palmer, Annalynne Cooke, Christopher Osborne, Elaine Almond, Gareth Lye, Gina Southgate, Jackie Hurwood, John Ball, Laura Callaghan, Leila Godden, Louisa Crispin, Mark MunroePreston, Michaele Wynn-Jones, Nick Bowering, Peter M McNally, Samantha Tuffnell, Sara Sherwood, Veronica van Eijk.

Open at the weekends, 10am until 5pm and by appointment during the week. peter@pattersongallery.co.uk Tel: 07970 549873

Mailing address: 49 Gildredge Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4RY

Contemporary Craft Fair returns to Hever Castle

Discounted Tickets Available Now!

Craft In Focus is returning to the stunning setting of Hever Castle and Gardens, Edenbridge, from 18th to 21st September with 150 exhibitors.

Admission to the garden also gives admission to the Contemporary Craft Fair and reduced priced tickets can be purchased online in advance (before 12th September) using discount code CRAFT2025.

The event offers a perfect opportunity to view, engage with and purchase work from professional, contemporary craftmakers and artists who will be showing a wide range of work including home accessories and interior products, artwork, textiles, glassware, jewellery, garden art and furniture, ceramics, fashion, sculpture, metalwork and much more! Exhibitors have been selected from amongst the absolute best and come from throughout the UK.

Organiser, Rob Chapman says, “Our event is a high quality contemporary craft fair, and exhibitors and visitors appreciate the fact that we keep our standards high and do not allow any mass-produced or imported work. This has really set us apart from many other craft fairs.”

The event will be held within the award-winning Hever Castle Gardens set in 125 acres of glorious grounds with the backdrop of the historic castle. A visit will make an interesting day out for everyone as it includes demonstrations which will give visitors an insight into the creative processes. There’s also live music and various options for food and drink. Children can enjoy the fabulous adventure playground while visitors of all ages can enjoy the challenge of finding their way through the Water Maze and the 100-year-old Yew Maze.

Hever Castle, Hever, Edenbridge, TN8 7NG. For further information visit www.craftinfocus.com

from top: Hannah Dowding; Jon Barrett Danes; Badger House Leather

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Hastings International Ceramics Fair

The Hastings International Ceramics Fair will launch on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July 2025 at The Observer Building, Hastings.

A showcase of ceramics, created in East Sussex by Sussex and international-born ceramicists and potters who have made Hastings their home, this is the first of what will be a yearly event over the next five years for Hastings.

A presentation of work from more than forty-five ceramicists will be displayed, alongside the four local studios who coach, train and offer space for creativity for the wide breadth of talented makers of this heritage skill.

The studios: The Mudworks; Common Clay CIC; St Leonards Ceramics and Eastbourne Studio pottery will also be joined by an historical collection of ceramics from the Hastings Museum & Art Gallery from their archive collection, and East Sussex College ceramics course beginners – offering an opportunity for students to share their products.

“I am so excited to launch this event and showcase as many local ceramicists as possible, all with their incredible and unique skills. We must continue to champion local makers and designers and support the growth of the local economy” –James Thomas, Project Director.

For updates follow @jamesmatthewthomascreative

clockwise from top right: Carla Wright, three coloured vessels; Chantelle Duncan & Isabella Campi, The Mud Works, cups and plate; Kim Kish, wild clay slip vase; Katie Boccacini Meadows, corded teapot

visual arts & contemporary crafts

£4.50 to £9, free for Towner Members & Under 25s, ‘pay what you can’ first Friday of the month 23 May to 28 September

Edward Wadsworth, Sussex Bypass, 1937. Tempera on linen and board. William Evans Bequest, Bangor University. Ivon Hitchens, Day’s Rest, Day’s Work, 1960. Wax and oil on four panels. University of Sussex.

© The Estate of Ivon Hitchens. All rights reserved, DACS 2025.

Sophie Barber, Franz at Pett Level, 2020. Oil on canvas. Courtesy: Alison Jacques © Sophie Barber. Photo: Michael Brzezinski.

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Sussex Modernism at Towner Eastbourne

Spanning from the late nineteenth century to the present, Sussex Modernism at Towner Eastbourne features surprising juxtapositions and jostling perspectives. It traces artworks' varied, and sometimes conflicting, relationships to different modernist movements and tells an original story about the ways in which art, cultures, and places outside of metropolitan centres have been seen.

You’ll see a towering, four-panel painting by Ivon Hitchens (1960) alongside sculpture by Jacob Epstein (1910) and a wall adorned by four life-size goddesses; paintings by Alexi Marshall (2024), Amy Sawyer (1896) and Jennifer Binnie (1958) alongside a tapestry by Edward Burne-Jones. These moments mark the electric, conversational atmosphere created by this show, which tells the political and radical story of modernist art making through fine art, counterculture and pop, revealing that there is much to be learned by comparing how artists of very different kinds drew on the capacities of their locations to respond to the crises of their day.

Sussex Modernism has been curated by Dr Hope Wolf (University of Sussex) and is based on her book of the same title (Yale University Press, 2025). Providing an opportunity to get deeper into the subjects raised in the exhibition, Hope Wolf will be leading events at Towner, including a day course on responding to Sussex poetry, a longer, six-week course titled A New History of Modernism in Sussex and a panel discussion thinking through ways of working together as artists. Other events include a Linocut Tarot Workshop with exhibiting artist Alexi Marshall and The South Downs Songbook: Orchestra of Sound and Light with Rachel Farago, voice.

To find out more about what’s on at Towner this summer, visit https://towner.gallery/events

from top: Kabe Wilson, Newhaven Lighthouse, 2020, acrylic painting on canvas board; Amy Sawyer, In the Twilight, undated, watercolour on paper, Bushey Museum and Art Gallery; John Lake (1903-1975) Untitled (Figures in a Landscape, Cuckmere), pastel on paper © The Artist’s Estate Towner Eastbourne; Ivon Hitchens, Day’s Rest, Day’s Work, 1960, wax and oil on four panels, 365.6 x 731.5 cm. University of Sussex

It's all going on this summer at

GALLERY@42 !

Gallery@42 likes to enter into the community spirit, taking part in Eastbourne's Summer Open Studios' weekends throughout June and playing an active role at the Little Chelsea Summer Party on the 21st June, plus a very special event to help vulnerable communities further afield.

Gallery@42, the home of Pennie's Pet Portraits, is proud to have exclusivity in showcasing the incredible original architectural drawings of Michael Morland, of Sussex landmarks and village streets soon to disappear or change beyond recognition; plus work by the exciting fauvist landscape artist Sue Branch, the delicious fluid paintings of Lindy Dunbar, calming work of Pennie Cunliffe-Lister and whimsical structural paintings of Colin Knapp.

Gallery@42, home of Pennie's Pet Portraits, is sponsoring the Dog Show at Eastbourne's Little Chelsea Summer Party, with drawing materials and prizes for dogs.

Then 21st June, 12.00 to 6pm, sees 'The Woven Legacy of Rashida Russell'. Gallery@42 is honoured to be hosting this special event, the sale of Rashida’s unique clothes, in aid of projects for small community schools, health posts and income generation schemes for vulnerable women and girls groups in Nepal. A cause very dear to Rashida's heart.

The clothes were designed and made by Shakun Serchand, the Nepalese fashion designer, who sourced all the materials from different regions of Nepal. Rashida and Nick Russell spent many years living and working in Nepal and have a great affection for the country and its people. Rashida always wanted her collection of clothes which gave her so much pleasure to be put to a useful purpose and help people in the country she loved.

Summer is celebrated at Gallery@42 with 'Not the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition', planned for Thursday 10th July through to Sunday 31st August.

For more information check out @galleryat42 and @penniespetportraits on Instagram.

from top: Pennie Cunliffe-Lister, 'Ruskin' cockerpoo, A4 pastel; 'Sussex Summer', oil; Alan Taylor, 'Bank Holiday Picnic'

Coastal Vibes at The Lighthouse!

Is it any wonder, living perched on the edge of such a spectacular coastline, that so many of our Lighthouse Gallery artists draw inspiration from it?

Lyndsey Smith loves painting en plein air and can often be found perched with her watercolours sketching the hills and cliffs. Jazz the Alchemist produces stunning pieces of fused glass reflecting the sea and shore. Some even incorporate found treasures from the shoreline into their work, such as Adrian Backshall's driftwood whales, or Liz Cottingham's new range of sea glass jewellery.

Sarah Ruthven has recently joined the gallery, bringing her ethereal landscapes painted in oil on board along with beautiful ceramics in soft organic shades. Our iconic Beachy Head lighthouse often features in our artists work; Stuart Bass joins us this summer with his quirky paintings where lighthouses are often the star of the show.

Come and enjoy work by twenty-five local artists and makers, and enjoy coffee, homemade cakes and light lunches with us!

The Lighthouse Gallery, 19 Cornfield Terrace, Eastbourne BN21 4NS. Tuesday to Saturday, 10am–4pm. Call 07748 354879 or find us on Facebook and Instagram @lighthousegalleryeastbourne

Sarah Ruthven

Lyndsey Smith

Jazz the Alchemist

Stuart Bass

visual arts & contemporary crafts

This summer we will have an extensive selection of local scenes which make great gifts or memories to take home.

Nadia Day, Shazia Mahmood and Linda Foskett have been busy capturing our lovely beach from small prints up to large oil paintings. Sue Green's subtle sea scenes are popular as the finishing touch to many people's refurbished homes and Frances Knight's impressionistic views of the South Downs are always popular.

For a smaller gift we have a selection of jewellery in silver, enamelled copper and anodised aluminium; porcelain and raku ceramics plus glass for gardens and indoors.

the little art gallery west wittering

We love Summer in the little art gallery in West Wittering as it brings back our regular visitors. It is a good time to catch up with their news and show them the new works produced by our artists.

It can be very quiet in the village with people just heading to the beach so we only advertise as being open at the weekend but you will often find us open at other times. If anyone asks us to open we usually remain open for the rest of the day. The little art gallery, West Wittering, PO20 8LT. Call 07779 279963 or for more info and opening times visit www.thelittleartgallery.online

top left: Nadia Day, The Witterings above: Linda Foskett, triple anodised aluminium pendant; left: Linda Foskett, High Five

Contemporary gallery in beautiful Smarden. A glorious mix of artworks at all prices from artists near and far

www.westendhousegallery.co.uk

Water Lane, Smarden, TN27 8QB. 01233 770261 email: girls@westendhousegallery.co.uk

Studio Gallery open every 4th Saturday of the month, 9am to 1pm, in support of Petworth’s Community Gardens

Corner Cottage, 2 The Mews, High Street, Petworth, GU28 0AU

https://www.pictureplace.co.uk Come and browse beautiful paintings

A contemporary gallery space between city and sea showcasing work by local artists. Gift vouchers available. Check website for opening times. We are always happy to open at other times by appointment.

West Wittering, West Sussex PO20 8LT 07779 279963 • www.thelittleartgallery.online . the little art gallery

original work by 25 local artists and makers fabulous coffee, cake and snacks unusual plant gifts life drawing and other classes & workshops

The Lighthouse Gallery Eastbourne 19 Cornfield Terrace, BN21 4NS 07748354879. Open Tues-Sat 10am-5pm Find us on Facebook and Instagram

Karen Ongley-Snook

Nadia Day Shazia Mahmood

Linda Foskett

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Chalk Gallery Lewes

Chalk Gallery Lewes is thrilled to welcome to the gallery two new 3D members; Belinda Scott, a glassmaker and Susie Hallows a ceramicist.

There is also textile work from new members Jennifer Grant and Liz Orchard who paints beautiful abstract paintings in oils. All this alongside the other gallery members who create paintings, drawings,

prints, and ceramics. Ros Lymer will grace the window of the gallery as featured artist with her stunning abstract paintings and textile pieces throughout June, followed by the atmospheric and dramatic landscapes of Sally Goddard in July. There is so much to see in the gallery this summer and visitors will always be received with a friendly welcome from the gallery artist on duty. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 4pm. Follow us at @chalkgallerylewes and for more info go to www. chalkgallerylewes.co.uk

top: Belinda Scott, stained glass art above: Susie Hallows, blue jug left: Susie Hallows, seagull plate

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Shoreham Art Gallery

It's a colourful & funtastic summer at Shoreham Art Gallery with stunning work by some special guests plus original pieces by twenty talented local artists and makers.

Bugs are back! Ceramic ones that is, created by guest artist, Jola Spytkowska, showing her collection of ceramic critters in their wonderfully imaginative forms in June. Quirky, colourful and unique pieces from mini beasts, hybrid creatures, plates and planters. Jola’s work is always guaranteed to bring a smile to your face!

A dynamic display of Chris Weedon’s sculptural ceramic vessels is on show throughout August with a special twist. Experimental and exquisite forms evolved from the natural world of plants and seeds.

These artists bring a sense of delight and intrigue, with pieces that are functional, imaginative and fun too.

You can also be wowed by the gallery’s great summer selection; paintings, prints, photography, jewellery, glass, textiles, turned wood, ceramics and mosaics in the gallery, plus sculptures, pots and planters in the magical sculpture garden.

With the Adur Art Trail and various community events in Shoreham-by-Sea there is a lot to discover in this vibrant and historic town this summer.

Go to www.shorehamgallery.co.uk or subscribe to the monthly newsletter to find out more.

The gallery is open seven days a week and a friendly welcome always awaits!

top and left: Chris Weeden ceramic vessels; mid and mid left: Jola Spytkowska critter plates; above: Claudine Péronne, Rainbow Poppies

visual arts & contemporary crafts

PATTERSON GALLERY

Newly relaunched, Peter Patterson's permanent gallery displays an eclectic collection of work in the Alfriston Rooms at The Lansdowne Hotel, Eastbourne. This is his journey so far...

Peter Patterson printed catalogues for a gallery in London, Austin/Desmond, who specialised in British contemporary artists. This opened his eyes and mind to appreciate art. He discovered a collection of artwork in Basildon Council; became a Trustee of the Basildon Arts Trust and produced a catalogue of the sixty-six pieces of art. The Eastgate Shopping Centre gave him an empty unit where he showed the collection. Local artists came in and showed their work and it remained open for five months. By this time he was semiretired and when the exhibition closed he decided to open his own gallery, newartgallery, in Barleyland Craft Village, Essex, in 2007.

He moved to East Sussex in 2014 to be near his daughter and her family and his new baby grandson. He then opened up a gallery in Alfriston. This soon attracted artists from Sussex and Kent to join his artists from Essex and London.

After a few years he moved the gallery to Hyde Gardens in Eastbourne, and was there when Covid struck. In the aftermath of Covid he closed the gallery and concentrated on pop-up exhibitions, mainly in Eastbourne's Lansdowne Hotel.

With the cooperation of The Lansdowne Hotel, he now has a permanent gallery space, relaunched as the Patterson Gallery, in the Alfriston Rooms, showing an eclectic collection of artists.

He says, “It is a joy to be part of the art scene in Eastbourne and with the support of The Lansdowne Hotel”. We wish him every success.

Follow on Facebook @PattersonGallery and Instagram @patterson_gallery and Peter can be contacted at peter@pattersongallery.co.uk.

from top: Portrait by Anthony Ellis; Leila Godden seascape; Andrew Murdoch landscape; Alan D Pearce, ceramic

West End House Gallery

Set in the heart of beautiful, historic Smarden, West End House is a contemporary gallery showing original artworks including paintings, prints, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery and glass.

The gallery holds two to three themed exhibitions a year and at all other times has an eclectic mixed display showcasing work by gallery artists and makers. The space is warm and friendly with inspiring work at all prices. Everyone is welcome and the gallery is fully accessible to people with disabilities, including wheelchair users.

It is run by two local artists, Karen Papworth and Patricia Hawkins. Patricia specialises in fused glass and used to exhibit her work at West End House with the two previous owners. When they asked her one day if she knew of anyone who would like to take over the gallery, she was straight on the phone to Karen Papworth.

Karen graduated from Kingston with a First in Fine Art (Painting.) Following a career in advertising, she decided it was time to use her art training and take on a new challenge, like run a gallery. One Sunday she received an over-excited phone call from a mad woman she barely knew asking if she wanted to take over the West End House Gallery.

The rest, as they say, is history and fourteen years later they have made the gallery their own, have the privilege of taking part in The Affordable Art Fair in Battersea each year and have become firm friends. They get to share the absolute delight of selling artworks on behalf of their wonderful artists to equally wonderful customers.

The gallery’s summer show starts with an open weekend, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July. You are all invited to join Karen and Patricia for Pimm's, candy shrimps and, of course, a fantastic selection of artworks; 10am to 4pm both days, the show then continues until 7th September.

West End House Gallery, Water Lane, Smarden, TN27 8QB. Tel: 01233 770261

email: girls@westendhousegallery.co.uk

website: www.westendhousegallery.co.uk

www.facebook.com/2westendgirls

www.instagram.com/westendhousegallery

from top left: Karen and Patricia at the gallery; Sarah Saunders, How Do I Love Thee?; Libbi Gooch, Rewild; Melvyn Evans, Fish on the Quay

ALTERITY : 02.08 - 30.08 A contemporary exhibition of painting, poetry and installation by The Material Collective. OF SUBSTANCE : 06.09 - 01.11

A wide-ranging, exploratory exhibition of contemporary sculpture and installation. **SUBMISSIONS OPEN UNTIL 11th AUGUST ** visit www.artgallerynorth.co.uk for info

CONGREGATION: 08.11 - 17.12

An exhibition of figurative and still life work that explores people, place and the connection between the two.

For all enquiries & artist submissions please contact Emma at artgallerynorth@gmail.com www.artgallerynorth.co.uk 70 High Street Hailsham, BN27 1AX

Stephanie Grainger

Graham Binks

Bethan Archer

Andy Hill

CALL FOR ENTRIES: GALLERY NORTH

'OF SUBSTANCE'

September Sculpture Exhibition

Gallery North would like to invite entries from contemporary sculpture and installation artists working across any medium.

Artists are invited to submit up to five works for consideration that respond to the theme 'OF SUBSTANCE' – an exploratory exhibition for the curious. This exhibition is an opportunity for artists working in any medium to pay homage to their materials and process, whilst introducing the viewer to new ideas and realisations achieved with form, texture, contrast of mediums, weight, size and light.

This exhibition will run from 6th September to 1st November 2025. To apply, please fill in the Google form https://forms.gle/DUsbxsgv9NTe9wec6 or visit www.artgallerynorth.co.uk and upload examples of up to five artworks with dimensions, prices and statement by midnight on 11th August 2025. There is no fee to enter, however if you are accepted, a hanging/install fee of £15 is required.

Petworth’s Studio Gallery

Petworth’s Studio Gallery opens its doors every fourth Saturday, on Farmers Market Day, in support of Petworth's Community Gardens.

Easily accessible and specially tailored for the pictures on show, the Gallery, hosted by artist, author and educator Terence Kearey, is located at Corner Cottage, 2 The Mews, off Petworth's High Street, conveniently close to the car park, just three doors up on the left

This exhibition will coincide with the Hailsham Festival of Arts & Culture and there will be further opportunities for promotion and involvement including running a workshop or participating in our 'Artists in Conversation' event. All details at www.artgallerynorth.co.uk

of Rosemary Lane footpath.

The watercolour pictures exhibited are painted on walls, doors, wood panels and paper; the subjects are colourful, various and conventional. Though not for sale, they form a remarkable showcase of the work of this talented artist and well worth a visit.

More of his work can be found on his online galley at www.pictureplace.co.uk – a collection of various subjects from a single flower to forest, waterfall to lake, family church to cathedral.

Paintings by Terence Kearey – above: panel at Studio Gallery; left: Petworth House Chapel

Lingering Shiver of Day

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Erika Sharp, artist

Although only fairly recently having taken the plunge into being a full-time artist, Sussex-based fine artist Erika Sharp has already accumulated quite a body of artwork.

Her grandfather was a painter and Erika has loved to draw ever since being a child. Then one day she just realised she was an artist and started to paint. Two years ago she took a drawing course in Hungary and started learning a variety of styles from YouTube videos and different artists, feverishly exploring various genres. She has since attended a course with artist and art tutor Gill Bustamante, whose work she loves, and continues to experiment and discover new approaches and different colours, gradually finding out what she is good at.

Having started with oils she is now working with acrylic and metallic paint, building up a collection while she also concentrates on promoting her artwork. Working from her bijou home studio, her paintings on display throughout the house, she is currently creating a series of magical, atmospheric portraits, 'Roots of Radiance'.

Originally from Hungary, Erika arrived in Sussex via London, where she lived for a few years, and now finds inspiration from the beautiful English countryside. Her aim is to share this sense of beauty to elevate

High Weald Marketing

others. She says: “As an artist, I would like my work to contribute to a vision of a better future, as I believe that ideally this is the truest purpose for art”.

www.artbyerikasharp.co.uk

Do you love the idea of building your business on social media but don’t know where to start? Feel overwhelmed at the thought?

Hi, I’m Steph, and I’m a social media mentor.

What does this mean, I hear you ask? I’m here to help you understand the right platforms for your business and use them as your digital shop window.

Any time can be the perfect opportunity to make a fresh start on your social media, and I offer a range of services to support you.

Get your marketing ducks in a row with a social media audit – I’ll do a deep dive into your profile, analyse your bio, posts and the overall appearance of the page, then provide recommendations for content ideas, hashtags, post layout and much more.

I’ll take the mystery out of marketing with easy-to-understand language, and explain some of those words you always hear, but never know what they mean – like, just what is a reel?

It’s not just the captions you need to think about – they say a picture paints a thousand words, and it’s certainly true in this case.

To help you with the images you’ll need, I’ll create a bundle of templates for you that are on brand, smart and efficient. Drop in your photos and text and you’ll make the most of your precious marketing minutes.

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Roots of Radiance #2

The Makers Directory

From blacksmiths and milliners to painters and stone carvers, The Makers Directory continues to inspire us all to support and learn from the skills of local artists and craftsmakers.

This roll-call of local talent is helping nearly 600 makers and artists across Lewes, Eastbourne and the surrounding villages showcase their work, connect directly to customers, invite people to learn new skills and offer repairs, as co-founder Corina Fletcher explains:

“The Makers Directory is a hyper-local online directory that was established to celebrate our local makers, enabling buyers to connect directly for mutual benefit – to shop locally and support local businesses.

We always knew that ours was an exceptionally creative part of the world, but since our website and Instagram account were launched we've been astonished with how quickly the project was embraced by everyone – we now have nearly 600 artisans listed on the Directory, 4,000 followers on Instagram and its reach extends far beyond the area.”

So why not use it to search for the perfect hand-made gift, commission something unique for your home, find a craftsmaker who can repair a much-loved item, or discover someone who is able to teach you a new skill? www.themakersdirectory.co.uk | @themakersdirectory

clockwise from top left: Ditchling artist David Browne, making paper; Adrian Cooper, lamp maker; Jeweller Lisa Hamilton at her work bench; Sculptor Susie Hartley in her studio

Artist Gill Bustamante muses on the question

What is Original Art?

As an artist and art tutor I often find myself helping people to ‘find inspiration’. It seems to me there are two forms of inspiration:

1. Things you can see in the material world around you and

2. Things that come from your own imagination.

All artists use both but there is a vast scale of artistic styles that start from extremely realistic (as in like a photograph) to pure abstraction (where there is no reference to anything in the material world).

Those that copy photos meticulously often have incredible observational skills but are not necessarily using their imagination much. Whilst those artists who practice abstraction or conceptual art may be using a lot of imagination and do not necessarily have good observational skills or have a regard for what is aesthetically pleasing. These are the two extremes between which all art fits.

So, what is original art? Original art is art made using the tools and skills and materials and education and opportunities and ideas and life experiences that a person has had access to in their life. And this is unique to each of us.

This means that every person on this planet can’t help but create original art! We are all original artists (and it is completely irrelevant whether anyone wants to buy or invest in the art or not).

My point is that we should all create what thrills us and do it regardless of what anyone else thinks and should rejoice in the fact that each of us are completely original whether we like it or not!

The painting shown above is called 'One Enchanted Summer' and was made using artistic experience combined with imagination.

–Gill Bustamante

Visit www.gillbustamante.com for more about Gill and her work, and follow @gillbustamanteartist on Facebook; and @gill.bustamante.artist on Instagram.

top: Gill Bustamante, One Enchanted Summer

Artist Sarah Duffield asks

Why Buy Art? (especially from a local artist)

Buying art isn’t just for people with grand staircases. It’s for anyone who wants to bring a splash of personality into their lives.

When you support a local artist, you're not just buying something beautiful, you’re cheering on someone who's poured their time, talent and soul into their work.

Local art often reflects the place you connect most deeply with. Hanging it on your walls is like bringing a little bit of where you live into your home.

The abstracted landscapes I create are strongly rooted in the South Downs. Full of colour and joy they are a wonderful way to bring the outside in and turn your walls into something worth talking about.

From September you’ll be able to find my work in the Shoreham Gallery. It will be hanging alongside work created by a whole host of other talented local artists who would all love your support.

If you’re short of cash (we all are) there are plenty of cash lite and free ways to support your local artists.

Share our social media posts.

Visit us at our open houses and galleries (we love it when someone comes and says hello).

Buy our greeting cards, they’re often cheaper than the 'good ones' you’d find at a supermarket and you can pop them in a very reasonably priced frame and create a gallery wall of all your favourites.

So, why buy art from a local artist? It helps. It helps us all, it makes us feel good, brings colour to our lives and personality to our walls.

Find out where to see and buy my art at www.sduffieldart.co.uk

Thanks Sarah x

Paintings by Sarah Duffield, from top: Pack of nine landscape cards; Hiraeth; The Elms

visual arts & contemporary crafts

Catriona Millar’s Charity Art Cards

To celebrate 75 years of Mental Health Aberdeen the figurative artist Catriona Millar has donated a range of fine art cards from her paintings.

Catriona’s work takes its inspiration from the stories that lie at the heart of the human condition. The sparkle of a narrative behind the faces of her subjects hints at everything from longing to melancholy, and has a special resonance with Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA) and the person-centered counselling support they deliver free of charge to the local Aberdeen community. Catriona’s work is exhibited in galleries throughout the UK and around the world, and MHA are thrilled at the collaboration as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations.

“We first worked with Catriona in 2024 when she graciously donated her painting Celeste and Little Wing to be auctioned at our annual MHAsterminds Black Tie Dinner and Quiz, which ultimately sold for £2500!” said Graeme Kinghorn CEO Mental Health Aberdeen. “This special collaboration celebrates the important work of MHA and highlights the inspiring connection between art and good mental health.”

“I had been thinking for some time about donating the proceeds from my art cards to a charity and Mental Health Aberdeen seemed like the perfect fit”, said Catriona. “I studied art at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and the enthusiastic art collectors in the city and the North East helped launch my career. So I am honoured to be associated with MHA, the work they do is outstanding and vital and if I can contribute to that in some way then it makes my work all the more worthwhile.”

Each of the six stunning cards features a unique painting from Catriona’s collection and serves as a lasting reminder of the power of art to connect and inspire. Every card purchase supports Mental Health Aberdeen’s vital counselling services, which provide over 22,000 free counselling sessions annually to children, young people, and adults facing mental health challenges.

The cards are now on sale online and in MHA’s charity shops. All proceeds from the sale of these cards will go towards ensuring that MHA services are delivered free of charge. You can buy the cards here: https://mhaberdeen.square.site/ or from www.catrionamillar.com

You can learn to paint and draw at Catriona Millar’s art class every Tuesday 11am to 1pm in the Meads Hall, Eastbourne. Call 07758 367479 or email catrionamillarpainter@gmail.com

Nicola Rose, artist

Nicola Rose is primarily a landscape artist. She has travelled extensively, recently exploring and working in the Hebrides and on Shetland.

Nicola works directly into a sketchbook with charcoal, inks and pastels, or onto small boards with oil, paint and palette knife.

These works, a direct and vital response to the landscape and weather she has immersed herself in, express her experience of the elements around her and are essential to her understanding of the true feeling and spirit of place. They are both physical and spiritual, and whilst being finished works in their own right are the source of inspiration for her larger studio paintings on canvas.

Nicola uses a combination of oil paints, ground, pigments, and sand to create the elemental textures and vitality of the vibrant natural worlds of land sea and sky.

Nicola welcomes commissions, and studio visits can be arranged by appointment, contact nicola.rose@zen.co.uk. www.nicolaroseartist.com

“My works are a response to my fascination with wild and ancient places that are at the mercy of the elements. I have always been drawn to the edge. Where land meets sea and land and sea meet sky.” –Nicola Rose

The Colours of the World are on Her Hands

Snow Cloud

theatres

This Is My Theatre

Celebrating Jane Austen's 250th anniversary year

This Summer This Is My Theatre are hitting the road with productions of both Emma and Pride & Prejudice. Both shows – packed with rivalries, revelry and, of course, plenty of romance! – will be sure to delight audiences of all ages.

And what's more, in select venues, audiences will be able to choose which of these two fantastic titles the group perform! That's right. Ahead of the 'Audience Choice Austen' shows, audiences will be asked to show, by way of applause, their preference for either Pride & Prejudice or Emma. Elizabeth Bennet or Emma Woodhouse? Longbourn or Hartfield? Darcy or Knightley? You decide!

Whichever show you choose you can expect a stunning one-act adaptation of one of Austen's most treasured works packed with rivalries, regrets and, of course, plenty of romance!

Emma

Ever the matchmaker and never the match? So seems to be the case for Emma Woodhouse. And yet Emma remains more than content to help see that those around her are paired off into advantageous alliances for all concerned. In fact, she fancies herself rather good in the role of matchmaker. But, after an ill-advised union leads to heartbreak and bitterness, can Emma learn the greatest lesson in love?

Pride and Prejudice

At least one of the Bennet sisters must marry well in order for the family to avoid destitution upon the death of Mr Bennet and so the task of finding suitable matches begins. But, as is always the case, matrimony is easier for some than for others. For Elizabeth Bennet in particular, not all judgements quickly made are correct, in particular when the dashing Mr Darcy is involved.

www.thisismytheatre.com/ austen for full details.

left: This Is My Theatre: Lizzy and Darcy, Pride & Prejudice

The Hawth, Crawley

A fantastic season lined up for summer

These summer months give audiences the opportunity to enjoy great theatre in the great outdoors in The Hawth’s beautiful woodland Amphitheatre.

There are four fantastic productions offering a variety of shows for all ages to enjoy. Professor Slug’s House of Bugs (19th July) is a treat for children aged three plus. Gilbert and Sullivan’s timeless comic opera, HMS Pinafore (24th July) will delight with its sharp dialogue and unforgettable tunes; children's classic The Secret Garden (6th August) is a heartfelt, energetic production full of original music, puppetry and joy and finally Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor (23rd August) completes the alfresco line up with fun and hijinks. So, why not pack a picnic and a blanket and enjoy a theatrical treat in the sunshine this summer?

In the theatre there is comedy from the hilarious Sara Pascoe (31st July) and Babatunde Aleshe (10th September), plus a night of laughter and magic with Pete Firman (11th September), who presents impossible feats, sleight of hand and big laughs in the Studio with Tricks and Giggles.

Audiences can also look forward to top quality dance from Strictly Come Dancing winners Dianne and Vito in Red Hot and Ready (22nd & 23rd July) and the 'sexiest musical ever' (Metro), Chicago (11th to 16th August), returns for one week only, starring another Strictly favourite, Janette Manrara as Roxie Hart.

Visit https://hawth.co.uk for full information or to book call the Box Office on 01293 553636.

Red Hot and Ready inset: Janette Manrara as Roxie Hart in Chicago; photo Becky Lee Brun opp top: Hawth Amphitheatre

Fiddler on the Roof Congress Theatre, Eastbourne

Atheatrical triumph with thirteen Olivier award nominations, including the 2025 Olivier Award Winner of Best Musical Revival, the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s sold-out electrifying Fiddler on the Roof is coming to Eastbourne’s Congress Theatre for one week only, 4th to 8th November at 7.30pm with Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday Matinee, 2.30pm, in what is set to be the theatrical event of 2025.

This is a rare opportunity to catch this critically acclaimed production from the powerhouse creative team directed by Jordan Fein (Oklahoma, Young Vic), choreographed by Julia Cheng (Cabaret), designed by Tom Scutt (Winner of Best Set Design for Fiddler On The Roof).

It’s 1905 in the tiny village of Anatevka where Tevye, a Jewish

milkman, lives his life by their proud traditions. For his five daughters that means a visit from the matchmaker. As each daughter challenges his beliefs, against the backdrop of a changing world, can Tevye hold on to his roots, or must he bend to the will of his children and learn to embrace the unfamiliar?

One of the greatest musicals of all time – featuring If I Were A Rich Man; Tradition; Matchmaker; and Sunrise, Sunset – Fiddler on the Roof is a classic musical of joy, revolution and community, and an exuberant celebration of love and life.

For full details visit www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk or call the Box Office 01323 412000.

Photo by Johan Perrson; top: photo by Marc Brenner

Rainbow Shakespeare

Highdown Gardens, Worthing, this July

Never fear, Rainbow Shakespeare is here, presenting two contrasting shows, understandable for all the family. Picnic under the stars in one of the most beautiful places in Worthing and surrounds, and become part of what has become one of the great Sussex traditions –Rainbow Shakespeare live in the open air! Bring the family and friends, make new friends in a unique setting.

This is Rainbow’s 25th Season and this year the company presents one of the Bard’s most thrilling tragedies followed by one of his most popular romantic comedies. Sparkling professional actors, along with some community performers, will bring the plays to life in unforgettable productions of lively and spontaneous Shakespeare that all ages can understand and enjoy.

First off is Macbeth, Tuesday 8th to Sunday 13th July. Battles, witches, murder, ghosts and things that go bump in the night – all the ingredients that make a thrilling, theatrical experience are in this spine-chilling, spooky play about a scheming wife and her ambitious husband driven to murder their king. Accessible, edge-of-your-seat action for all the family.

And from Tuesday 15th to Sunday 20th July Much Ado About Nothing is happening.

Perfect summer entertainment about two intertwined love stories: one, where the feisty Benedick and equally fiery Beatrice believe fervently that they can’t stand each other – but their friends have other ideas! The other, in which the romantic Claudio and Hero woo and prepare to wed, only to have the match threatened by the villainous Don John!

Comedy and tragedy, coloured with songs and dances! Tickets available through Worthing Theatres box office on 01903 206206 or wtm.uk or on the gate 90 minutes before each performance.

THIS IS MY THEATRE presents two classic Jane Austen stories to celebrate her 250th anniversary

“The real evils of Emma’s situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself”

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife”

Visit www.rainbowshakespeare.co.uk

At various venues across Sussex and beyond! For details, dates & venues www.thisismytheatre.com

performing arts

Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra

TheRTWSO’s season of Summer Chamber Music Concerts comes to an end on Sunday 6th July when RTWSO favourite Andrew Muir brings us Mozart’s immortal Serenade for 13 Wind Instruments, Gran Partita.

A mighty work consisting of seven movements, including the instantly recognisable ‘Adagio’ famously used in the film Amadeus. This will be Andrew’s final performance as a member of the RTWSO, and what a work to be ending on! Please join us for a wonderful afternoon of music-making and also to say a heartfelt goodbye and thank you to Andrew.

The performance takes place on Sunday 6th July at 3pm in The Jubilee Theatre, Holmewood House School. Entry is free, there will be a cash retiring collection. Visit https://rtwso.org for further info.

Imperial Classical Ballet is delighted to

return to the UK

With three ballet productions, accompanied by a large live orchestra playing the unforgettable music of Tchaikovsky, the Imperial Classical Ballet® is once again touring the UK to over fifty cities this year.

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the theatre to experience the magic of the world’s most beloved ballet – The Nutcracker. With snow flurries, sweets, princes, magic and love, this production captures the essence of the holiday season. It is the perfect introduction to the beauty of ballet while remaining a cherished classic for seasoned enthusiasts.

From the dazzling opulence of the palace ballroom to the hauntingly beautiful moonlit lake, Swan Lake is a feast for the eyes and soul. The ballet’s iconic scenes include the majestic ‘white swan’ dances and the electrifying ‘black swan’ pas de deux, showcasing some of the most exquisite choreography and music ever created.

Sleeping Beauty is a magical tale of love, innocence, mystery, and enchantment. This

masterpiece of classical ballet brings to life the battle between good and evil in a world of fantasy and wonder. The production features exquisite choreography, sumptuous costumes, and enchanting sets, creating an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages.

Visit www.imperial-ballet.com for full details of the tour. pictured above: Sleeping Beauty

COMING SOON...

Sun 8 June I Studio

NOISY KIDS

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

A musical adventure for the whole family! Join eight incredible musicians for a fun-filled, interactive concert designed especially for young music lovers.

Sat 19 July I Amphitheatre PROFESSOR

SLUG’S HOUSE OF BUGS

Professor Slug is an eccentric expert on invertebrates who helps bugs out with their buggy problems - and you can too! Get as strong as an ant! Teach a bee how to buzz! And help a dung beetle make a pooey perfume. Suitable for ages 3+

Tue 22 & Wed 23 July

DIANNE & VITO

RED HOT AND READY

Strictly Come Dancing winners

Dianne Buswell and Vito Coppola come together to light up the stage with their sizzling new show exploding with jaw-dropping choreography, beautiful story-telling, heart-pounding music and breath-taking moves.

Thu 24 July I Amphitheatre

HMS PINAFORE

The Gilbert & Sullivan classic with sharp dialogue and catchy tunes. This timeless comic opera is performed in the great outdoors.

Thu 31 July

SARA PASCOE

I AM A STRANGE GLOOP

Sara is a comedian and her children don’t sleep and her kitchen won’t clean itself and her husband “doesn’t want to be in it”.

hawth.co.uk

01293 553636

Wed 6 August I Amphitheatre

THE SECRET GARDEN

Join Mary, Colin and Dickon as they tell you the story of their favourite placeThe Secret Garden.

Mon 11 - Sat 16 August

CHICAGO

The “sexiest musical ever” (Metro) comes to The Hawth for one week only, starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Janette Manrara, international recording artist and pop star Sinitta and West End and TV star Darren Day.

Sat 23 August I Amphitheatre

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

Falstaff is skint. He attempts to seduce two merchant’s wives hoping to relieve them of money. But when Mistress Page and Mistress Ford receive identical love letters, they vow to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget!

Fri 26 September I Spotlight

MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER

An evening of murder mystery, packed with plot twists, suspicious suspects and plenty of red herrings along the way! Includes a welcome drink and three course meal.

Sun 28 September

CARLTON MAIN FRICKLEY BAND

One of the UK’s leading brass bands with a proud history of competition success comes to Crawley for an afternoon of music.

Two diverse offerings at The Old Market Brighton

Project Female presents: Class of 25

29th June, 15:30 to 19:00

Featuring an exciting and eclectic range of dance styles and a variety of age groups – this show is not to be missed! This performance is not just a showcase of talent, it’s a celebration of the dedication and hard work Project Female dancers have put in throughout the year.

Chris Difford

30th September

One of our venue heroes and an all-round good egg, Chris Difford, founding member and songwriter of the rock group Squeeze, returns to TOM this September as part of his Not Only… But Also tour – featuring a bit of stand-up, with a bit of sit down. Chris writes:

“Being on tour is something I really enjoy, seeing people and being with people is part of my experience as a performer. I will be playing songs from the Squeeze catalogue and from the solo albums I have recorded over the last twenty-three years.

My story is told through stand-up and some sit down, a trip back to my council estate in South London, from my very first lyrical expression to the dressing rooms of this show. My new songs written with Boo Hewerdine tell a story of celebration, twenty-five years writing lyrics and playing on stages big and small. A journey I look back on with great fondness and gratitude.

I can’t wait to climb back on stage and perform, although I

have been shy in the past I now find myself feasting on the here and now deep within the shell-like of your ear. I will be joined on stage by Melvin Duffy on his pedal steel and together we will deliver an evening of warm and I hope funny stories. Melvin’s playing is outstanding and I feel so lucky to have him as my sideman, he cries over the songs and makes them sound always amazing.

‘Not Only But Also’ is not just a look back on fifty lyrical years, it’s a journey that asks, What Happened? What happened to all those years and mates I grew up with before I formed a band?”

Visit www.theoldmarket.com for full details and what’s on at The Old Market.

Chris Difford

Project Female, photo Rosie Powell

A sample of exciting music at Ropetackle this summer

As usual, Shoreham-by-Sea's Ropetackle Arts Centre is serving up some remarkable musicians this summer.

5th July, Home Service

The band are touring their new album 'A Live Transmission', with Bob Fox at the helm. They blend tradition with pulsating folk rock and trenchant brass to create their unmistakable sound.

Home Service explores contemporary themes, often through historical settings, and crosses musical genres from folk and classical through to rock.

Bob Fox joined Home Service making his debut in 2023 after John Tams retired. Long regarded as one of the great voices of British folk song, Bob took the role of ‘Songman’ in the National Theatre’s highly successful West End production of War Horse and has embraced a brand new role in Home Service.

26th July, Le Vent du Nord

The award-winning and highly acclaimed Le Vent du Nord is a leading force in Québec’s progressive francophone folk movement. The group’s vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions, while enhancing its hard-driving soulful music with a broad range of global influences. Since its inception in August 2002, Le Vent du Nord has enjoyed meteoric success, performing well over 2,500 concerts over four continents and racking up several prestigious awards.

As an amazing live performance quintet Le Vent du Nord continues to explore new sounds with stunning vocal arrangements. On stage these five friends create intense, joyful and dynamic live performances that expand the bounds of tradition in striking directions.

7th

August, Hatful of Rain

Hatful of Rain returns to The Ropetackle to celebrate the launch of their new album 'Waystation', their fifth release. The Hatfuls are steeped in folk music of the British Isles and North America, expect heartfelt ballads and driving toe-tappers on banjos and steel guitars. As is common for Hatful of Rain shows, the first set will be performed around a single microphone and the second in full electric, country band mode. For this special evening, the band will be joined by some special guests.

12th September, Hollie Rogers

Hollie is a powerhouse singer-songwriter known for her soulful voice, heartfelt lyrics, and captivating stage presence. Renowned for the candid and confessional nature of her songs and for live performances that make audiences both laugh and cry, she performs this show as a duo with virtuoso pianist, Ed Blunt. Expect an evening of spellbinding songs, humour, and stories

that will stay with you long after the final note. And you can even expect some new material!

Visit https://ropetacklecentre.co.uk for more info and all that’s on at the centre.

from top: Hollie Rogers; Hatful of Rain; Le Vent du Nord; Home Service

performing arts

BUNGAROOSH by Milton Hide

Milton Hide are Jim Tipler and Jo Church from East Sussex, who write original songs, mostly with an acoustic, folky base, but not always. Building on Jim’s experience of many years playing in folk and roots bands, they joined forces as Milton Hide in 2016. Released in April this year Bungaroosh is their third studio album.

There is a marvellous mix of styles on this album, with the duo aided by Multi-instrumentalist John Fowler and Phil Jones on double bass, Fred Gregory on Mandolin and Bruce Knapp on electric guitar.

The songs vary from acoustic folk to folk rock, ragtime, Americana and out and out rock. Lyrically there are poetic stories about loss, love and new beginnings, with satirical political and social comment not far behind.

Some highlights for me were:

Festival of Freaks, a rag time romp with a nod to 1950s vocals, a great guitar solo and a message to be yourself, despite all.

Judge and Executioner is a flat out rock attack on the media, while in contrast...

Small Boats is a beautifully crafted gorgeous ballad about leaving a harsh world behind to find new hope.

On Goldfinch Jo gets her oboe out and the title track Bungaroosh is straight-up folk rock reminiscent of all those fine 1960s/ early 70s bands, with satirical lyrics on life and truth versus lies.

Quicksand Calling has beautiful acoustic guitar and gentle melody, and emotionally highlights the catastrophe of Chinese immigrants being drowned in 2004 by an incoming tide at Morecambe Bay while harvesting cockles.

Old Tom’s Story has banjo and an Americana feel, and references the remarkable story of Te-Lah-Nay, a teenage girl from the Euchee tribe, and Tom Hendrix’s monument to her, the largest un-mortared rock wall in the US and the largest

memorial to a Native American woman.

Te-La-Nay means Woman with the Dancing Eyes in the Yuchi language. In 1839 she was part of the forced removal of the Yuchi people from Alabama to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma, but she chose to walk back the 600 miles to her beloved Tennessee River, her ‘singing river’. Her story is a testament to resilience and the enduring connection to one's ancestral home.

It’s a haunting story and at this point while listening to the album, I had to stop and take a breath, admiring just how much care the duo give to their music and the research and quality of their lyrics.

Voodoo Queen really rocks along and The Wonder nudges one to experience a wonderful life and has some fabulous guitar work and chords, complimenting some stunning vocals.

Available in CD or download Bungaroosh is a very interesting and wonderful album, with many extremely aesthetic moments that linger with one well after the music has finished.

Visit www.miltonhide.com for all info about the band.

Photos of Milton Hide by top: Alex Thomas; left: Roy Cano

A sample of this summer's Melting Vinyl gigs

Martha Wainwright 20th Anniversary Tour

29th August at The Booking Hall, Dover

Canadian singer-songwriter and musician Martha Wainwright has released seven critically-acclaimed studio albums. Wainwright is the daughter of musicians Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III and the younger sister of singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright.

Twenty years ago, Martha Wainwright stepped out of her family’s illustrious shadow and announced herself to the world with her stunning debut album ‘Martha Wainwright’.

“Twenty years ago my life as an artist took shape when my first record was released,” Martha recalls. “In many ways that record defined me, as well as launched me into a now over twenty-year long career that has made me who I am. It was after ten years of playing in bars, making cassettes and EPs to sell at my shows, singing backup for my brother Rufus, falling in love and out of love, practising, writing, singing until I could barely sing anymore, partying, playing with musicians and listening to great artists, working with my ex-husband in the studio for two years, all that created this first record. Twenty years later, with six other albums under my belt, two kids and a career that is chugging along, I can safely say my first record paved my way forward. On March 21st we will release the record on vinyl for the first time ever as well as digitally release unheard songs, outtakes and early material from that ten year period of discovery that led to my first record. There will be a tour with a few great musicians, where I’ll play the record in its entirety as well as a few new songs – there’s no 48-year-old me without the 28-year -old me.”

Martha Wainwright’s live performances have received critical praise and she has appeared in several film projects, including Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator and the HBO miniseries Olive Kitteridge alongside Frances McDormand.

This is a fantastic opportunity to see this wonderful talent.

Cafe performs music from The Penguin Cafe Orchestra 26th November, St George’s Church, Brighton

Penguin Cafe is bringing the music of the legendary Penguin Cafe Orchestra back to life, with a UK tour featuring a collection of PCO classics, celebrating the unique sound that has captivated audiences worldwide.

Penguin Cafe was founded by Arthur Jeffes, after bringing together a talented group of musicians from Suede, Gorillaz, and Razorlight, to perform his father Simon Jeffes’ legacy of world renowned Penguin Cafe Orchestra music, ten years after his untimely death in 1997. Soon after he began to create new and unique genre-defying music, with the spellbinding philosophy of his father always in mind.

Outside of Penguin Cafe, Arthur’s composition work has included several shorts and commissions. He worked with Greenpeace and Aardman Animations to compose the soundtrack for Turtle Journey, released in 2020 to high acclaim, to promote the Greenpeace ‘Protect the Ocean’ campaign.

Visit www.meltingvinyl.co.uk for full information on these and all other gigs MV has to offer.

Penguin

top: Martha Wainwright; below: The Penguin Cafe Orchestra

book reviews

House Training

a selection of autobiographical columns by Roddy

Phillips

Opening a volume of Roddy's autobiographical meanderings is always a joy, the anticipation of a parade of amusing anecdotes, all recounted with his trademark self-deprecating wry humour.

House Training does not disappoint. Covering the period from 2004 to 2020 it marks his family's move from rural Scotland to England's sunny south coast.

As the title suggests, the anecdotes focus largely on domestic situations both inside and out of the home, kicking off in promisingly humorous tone with 'Busy Doing Nothing', which rang a loud bell with me and is a situation many artists and writers might find familiar.

From Dust to Trust

by Anthony Mitchell the story behind the Loiyangalani Trust

Little did Anthony Mitchell know, when he embarked on a safari in 1991, that this unforgettable experience was to present unexpected challenges and shape his life for years to come.

More of an expedition than a traditional safari, the journey took Anthony and his fellow tourists at length to Loiyangalani, a remote village in Northern Kenya on the shore of Lake Turkana, some 500 miles north of Nairobi.

While there, the tourists inevitably attracted the interest of villagers, who spoke of the harsh conditions in which they lived and their desire to be educated and so better themselves. This touched a nerve with Anthony and when he indicated he would consider it upon his return to the UK, hope was kindled. Thus the seed was sown.

Starting with sponsoring two young lads through their education it became apparent before long that demand outstripped Anthony's finite resources, so he enlisted support from friends. Sponsors were found for more eager students, but over time the project outgrew this current operating basis so he decided to found a small charity and, with its motto 'Education for Life', the Loiyangalani Trust was born.

But with the remoteness of the area and the customs of the people things were not all plain sailing, especially with those families that did not understand the value of education, and attendance at school could be sporadic. Many families were from nomadic tribes, following the best grazing for their herds far from the school. Or if sickness visited a family the student, if a girl, would have

Indeed, I'm sure we find such stories funnier if they feel familiar – there's a sort of internal groan (“OMG I've been there”) accompanied by a feeling of connection with the writer! More often than I care to admit while reading House Training I identified with Roddy in his mishaps, other times I identified with his long-suffering wife – not sure which was more disconcerting.

From an amused smile to an outright belly-laugh House Training will keep you entertained. I attracted more than one curious glance as I sat in our local cafe, chortling away over my decaff oat latte.

“Happily I've never stopped doing stupid things so I've always had plenty of material to work with.” –Roddy Phillips. More at www.bournetowrite.co.uk

to stay home to look after the sick relative or younger siblings, or, if a boy, take over herding duties. Fortunately Anthony had forged close connections with key members of the community and with their help was able to navigate these and other choppy waters.

From his first visit in 1991 up to the present Anthony has made many trips to Loiyangalani, some with other members of the Trust keen to see the fruits of their support. Drawn extensively from the diaries he kept at the time, he describes his travels, often hair-raising, to these remote regions along hazardous roads in vehicles of dubious road-worthiness, or in the teeming chaos of Nairobi; he talks warmly of the people he met and subsequently became friends with; he regales us with anecdotes both alarming and amusing. Above all he conveys the resilience and resourcefulness of the Kenyan people, living their lives under circumstances that we in our comfortable 1st world environs would consider less than basic. Maybe, somewhere along the line, in our search for the 'perfect life' we have lost that connection to the land, to each other and to the small gifts that can enrich life.

From Dust to Trust is a gently beautiful read, both entertaining and informative. I felt taken on a journey to a part of the world completely unfamiliar, yet that glimpse brought to me a better understanding of such a different culture and an greater appreciation of my fellow human beings.

www.loiyangalanitrust.org.uk

www.onwardsandupwards.org/from-dust-to-trust

The Woodhaerst Triangle

by Patricia M Osborne

Asserting her independence, feisty eighteenyear-old Rachel's main concern revolved around keeping her new boyfriend a secret from her disapproving parents. Then, one day by accident she discovered that she was adopted and it knocked all the wind out of her sails.

That revelation rocked her world and shattered her self-confidence. How could her parents have kept this from her all these years? They'd been living a lie. Who was she really? Resolving to find some answers she set out to track down her birth mother.

But Rachel's world was not the only one to be rocked. Not so far away Peggy, happily married with two teenage children, made a distressing discovery while clearing her late father's house. Had the handsome GI she'd fallen in love with all those years ago really cared for her after all? Then when she received a cryptic message from an unknown teenager the steady equilibrium of her household started to spiral

With Fire in their Blood

by Kat Delacorte

When sixteen-year-old Lilly Deluca's widowed father uprooted them from their home in New England to take up a new job in Italy, Lilly's life was to change beyond her wildest imagination.

Castello, an isolated city built into an Italian mountaintop, with its sea of red tiled roofs and marble buildings glittering against the sky, was a far cry from the familiarity of Maine. Close up it felt ancient, exuding a crumbling faded grandeur, yet it seemed suspended in time, radiating a kind of power, like a sleeping giant.

After a restless night full of unsettling dreams Lilly's first day at her new school was an education. She had arrived on the day of mandatory testing. But instead of exam papers and an invigilator these were blood tests, carried out on each student by men in military style uniforms. The air of tension in the classroom was palpable. This was just the first of Castello's many mysterious customs.

Lilly couldn't shake off a growing sense of unease and her new-found classmates did nothing to allay it. Rebellious Liza, her self-appointed bestie, was evasive; Nico, moodily handsome but enigmatic, seemed to hate her; artistic Alex was overtly rude, and beautiful but sensitive Christian, with whom she'd felt an instant and mutual connection, just avoided her. The adults were no better. Her father, too preoccupied with his new job, seemed unaware of her worries. But that

out of control. Too many secrets, the past won't stay hidden as dreams turn into nightmares.

Focussing on the themes of love and friendship, this family drama keeps its reader guessing with every new turn. Emotions run high and the fall-out crashes throughout their nearest and dearest as Rachel and Peggy face their respective challenges. Will they overcome the obstacles that life has thrown in their path, or will it all end in tears?

The Woodhaerst Triangle is the first book of the Woodhaerst trilogy; in it Patricia M Osborne returns to her favoured theme of family dynamics. Set in the early 1970s, there will be a lot of familiar references for readers of a certain age. Like a trip down memory lane the narrative, alongside the drama itself, is peppered with elements reflecting that period. An entertaining read, it is available in paperback or ebook.

Visit https://whitewingsbooks.com for more about the author and her books.

was nothing new.

Gradually Lilly began to piece together the facts. Castello was in the grip of a centuries-old war between its two clans, with the current uneasy truce engineered by a mysterious and charismatic self-proclaimed leader, The General, whose mission was to hunt down and eliminate those with bad blood – The Saints – so as to maintain order and purity among the citizens.

Grisly details started to emerge, however, and the more Lilly learned and the more secrets she uncovered the more conflicted she became. Who were these Saints, and exactly why were they persecuted? How could she distinguish the truth from fiction and propaganda? Who could she trust? And how on earth did her mother fit in to all of this?

But she herself was changing. Her turmoil of emotions, still raw since her mother's suicide and aggravated by her father's apparent indifference and the brooding conflict around her, seemed augmented by the city itself, manifesting in a way both supernatural and scary. Was her blood gaining some sort of power? And if so, what kind of danger would she be in?

With Fire in their Blood is one of those books you immediately want to re-read to pick up all the clues as the story unfolds. Gothic, with its themes of romance and the paranormal it may be classed as young adult fantasy, but this old adult thoroughly enjoyed it!

www.katdelacorte.com

Eighty Years On –Wartime Secrets

When Winston Churchill began writing the history of the Second World War in his six-volume series of books, he was given generous access to official papers by the then Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee. Though Churchill was in a unique position to look back and tell the story of the war from a British perspective, revealing wartime secrets was strictly forbidden.

A secret from the British east coast still remains – with the fall of France fear of German invasion heightened. In the Suffolk coastal village of Shingle Street and that coastal area nearly 100,000 people had to leave their homes. The army moved in building a network of coastal fortifications and minefields. Here there was apparently an attempt by the Germans to land troops. Though that has never been verified, a system of oil pipes had been put out into the sea which could be set alight to start huge fires on the water surface if an enemy landing was attempted. It was rumoured just that had happened in 1940 and hundreds of burned bodies were washed up on the beaches. It was never confirmed or admitted. Did it happen? It remains a secret to this day.

Writing about the D-Day rehearsals on Slapton Sands was extraordinary – a secret hidden for nearly sixty years. Exercise Tiger – nearly thirty thousand men took part in secret full-scale rehearsals for the landings in France.

landings in 1944 were imminent, just five weeks later.

This year on 8th May we celebrated Victory in Europe. 1945 was a time of real joy in Britain. Even the young future Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret were dancing in the streets of London. In towns and villages people had parties, celebrated, and thanked God that peace had come. VJ Day, when Japan formerly surrendered to the Allies, comes on August 18th. 1945 brought an end to World War II after six years of global conflict. Peace!

Go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhlBx-GJe_k to watch a trailer for the book. –Felicity Fair Thompson

Country Ways:

A rural community through the centuries

A fascinating look at the elements that shaped our culture, by historian, author and artist Terence Kearey.

In the darkness of the 27th April 1944 the ships gathered out in Start Bay heading towards the coast. Two Navy vessels were assigned to accompany the convoy but one returned to port with slight collision damage. Its replacement arrived late to find the unguarded rear of the convoy attacked. Two groups of e-boats firing torpedoes had discovered the convoy. Men died when three of the Landing Ship Tanks – huge vessels each carrying tanks, equipment and nearly 1000 men – were torpedoed and sank. Typing errors in the radio frequencies meant no communication between any of the ships. The e-boat attack and the second destroyer's late arrival caused the two warships' bombardment of the beach to be delayed by them for an hour – and – no communication!

To show these new young US troops what war was really like, the decision had been taken by General Eisenhower to use live ammunition, to be fired over their heads, and in front of them. Now they were running up the beach into a hail of live bullets, and being bombarded from the sea. And in my novel 'The Kid on Slapton Beach' 12-year-old Harry is on that beach. Nearly a thousand men in total lost their lives. It was all hushed up. Those who had been there were sworn to secrecy. Had it come out, the American public might have withdrawn their support for the Allies. D-Day

Also known as ‘The Collins of Chard’, this is a story about the passage of time, from a Norman invasion to a narrowly-avoided German one. It tells of the joys and hardships of life in rural southern England through the seasons and through the centuries. It relates how a family coped with poverty and penury, and how one day in the 1930s a daughter went off to work in a mill. In due course this particular young woman went on to become a lady’s maid and eventually a London suburban housewife – and the author’s mother. The tale is set in and around the town of Chard in the English West Country, although many of the events described could have taken place almost anywhere in England. The family in the spotlight, the Collins family, were in the main men of the soil and women who toiled at home. Some were miners, made shoes or clay pipes, or repaired machines for the two main local industries, weaving and butter making. The lives of those men and women, and the lives of the community around them in a rural England which is now largely forgotten, are brought vividly and touchingly to life through this well-studied and meticulously-documented tale.

Available from Amazon. For further details and to access the audio version of this book visit www.openwindowslearning.co.uk where you will also find information about the author and his work.

"This book shines a light on the recent past, bringing to life a world that you might find charming, a world that seems difficult to imagine now." –Amazon review

For those fascinated by life in the 20th century a must-listen is 'Pre and Post War Tales' narrated by the author and available on YouTube at https://youtu. be/uyiGbuEKsn8?si=wrtCPAYrvgtq3UZZ or via www.openwindowslearning.co.uk/home/the-author

See more about Terence's work on page 47.

The Fun We Had A memoir of teaching and travel

The Fun We Had by Carrie Evans is a colourful and fascinating memoir and travelogue that entertains, absorbs and amuses.

A self-confessed hedonist, Carrie describes in upbeat terms her fun-loving approach to life and her quest for sun and happiness in a series of exotic locations, all described in such a way as to transport you there from the comfort of your sofa.

Carrie’s various teaching experiences, in Europe, the Far East, New Zealand and the Arabian Gulf, are intriguing and keep the reader riveted from the outset. The reader is entertained with portraits of despotic bosses, eccentric colleagues and students who went from the earnest and demure to the utterly unmanageable. Carrie has the enviable ability to view the vicissitudes of her professional and personal life with a cheerful stoicism and her wicked sense of humour dazzles throughout.

This is a memoir that will appeal to a varied audience: aspiring teachers of English as a foreign language, as well as lovers of travel and those with an interest in other cultures. It is a colourful, eloquent, freewheeling account of a warm, adventurous, openminded individual with a huge thirst for new experience…it is the story of a life lived fearlessly and to the full. Highly recommended!

Available from www.carrieevans.co. uk

The Needlewriters Collective

Ten years ago the Lewes-based independent publisher The Frogmore Press celebrated the Needlewriters in an eponymous anthology with a stunning cover design by leading British artist Mary Anne Aytoun-Ellis.

The Needlewriters Collective has staged quarterly live literature events in Lewes since 2008, originally at the Old Needlemakers and latterly at the John Harvey Tavern in Bear Yard, and readers have included John Agard, Sasha Dugdale, Lee Harwood, Grace Nichols, Patricia McCarthy, Joe Sheerin, Ruth Valentine, Jackie Wills, Robyn Young and more than a hundred other writers of both poetry and prose. The series of events has acquired a reputation for variety, warmth, goodwill and inclusiveness, and for many has provided a first opportunity to read their work in front of a live audience.

While The Needlewriters anthology is now out of print, its online sister publication The Needlewriters Companion remains accessible at https://needlewriters. co.uk/anthology/the-needlewriters-companion/ and includes a wider selection of poetry and prose from more than fifty writers.

Current members of the Needlewriters Collective are James Ellis, Charlotte Gann, Alice Owens, Jeremy Page, Rachel Playforth and Janet Sutherland, who look forward to welcoming visitors to their future programme. Full details can be found on the website.

flash

Carrie Evans, on tour in Adana, SE Turkey

The Girl with the Pearl Earring

–by Garf Collins

Iwish

I had never seen her. Often she appears in the window of the room opposite. It must be her mistress’s room, because she appears just after Mevr. Vermeer departs along the narrow road between our houses.

The girl is fascinated by the dressing table. A comb, a brush, a brooch, a scarf. Each thing she handles with reverential care and softly puts back in place. I love her gentle grace; her simple, open face. Thoughts of amorous scenes torture me. I caress her hair, look into those innocent eyes and kiss red lips not kissed before. But it can only be a dream. My father would never allow it. When I finish at Groningen University, I am destined to follow him as a tulip broker – the business which made him rich as a young man.

Now I see her again. Today she is much bolder. She put on a plain silk jacket and tucked the collar down. She took two silk scarves and twisted them into a headdress, and now she is delicately putting on some magnificent pearl earrings. The scarves cover her hair and make her young face more innocent – more vulnerable. She is moving her head from side to side as she examines the effect of light on the earrings. She turns to her left and suddenly sees me watching her. For an instant, she is perfectly framed in the window, with guilty pleasure still written upon her face. A picture I will see for the rest of my life. Anger and remorse now flit across her face, leaving only fear. She tears off her borrowed finery in a blind panic.

I must see her to say I will never tell her secret –though this will only deepen my despair.

How Come?

–by Francesca Ryan

As soon as soon as I stepped into the apartment, I knew he was dead. He must be. I’d tormented myself with that thought all morning. Shouldn’t have left him at the hospital. Sod that stupid bloody meeting.

But everything is in its familiar place. Our recently purchased blue velvet sofa. Me and Jules had bought it in a sale. Had to go to Brighton with a van to get it. Turned into a lovely day out. Great lunch at the Five Feathers, as per Jules’ internet research. Very picky, Jules. Love that about him. Still on the table there, our breakfast remains. Not a tidy kind of man, my beloved. That’s more my domain. Must have forgotten. Not like me.

I'm not thinking straight. A hectic day. And we’d left in such a hurry, Jude's chest pains a little worse that morning. Nothing to worry about, probably just the usual angina. We’ve got to go to A&E surely. Let's not call an ambulance he’d said. Bit of an overkill don't you think? I was worried, though. My lovely Jude, with a grin only enhanced by that

wonky left incisor. You can bleach them, but don't fix that tooth, my funny Valentine. Your beautiful imperfection, that makes your face unforgettable. Please don’t die on me. Jude just laughed at me. John! Drama Queen or what? I’ll be fine. We’ve been here before.

Awful traffic as usual, that time of the morning. I’d had to drop him off at St Mary’s and leave him there. Had to dash for a meeting with the biggest new client in ages. It’s fine said Jude. Yes, yes, I'll get a taxi back, you old fusspot. Now go! I'll be fine.

But I was so worried. Couldn't concentrate. How to structure the meeting. Paula’s on leave, so just me. Traffic had got even worse. Everyone's in a hurry. Breathe, Jude used to say, laughing at my impatience. How I love that man. Please God let him be alright.

No word from Jude all morning. What can you expect from a man so disorganised, he’d left his mobile on the car seat in the commotion? How would they know who to contact, if he’d suddenly...oh God, he’s right. I am such a drama queen.

And now here’s Jude, in the doorway to the kitchen. I feel the bottom drop from my stomach. Jude’s alright. Anxiety flooding out of me.

But why doesn’t he answer my greeting? He's looking straight at me. Through me. As if I wasn't here. He’s walking towards me. Walking right through me. He’s crying.

Oh God.

The cyclist.

The lorry, turning to avoid it.

Love in a Wardrobe

–by Sho Botham

Jeminaya’s eyes scanned the packed rail for evidence of her own existence. A lovesick jacket in pale blues and greens showed confirmation of past tears on the silken garment. For her own reasons, it was evidence she wanted to keep. Perhaps to prove to herself she’d once loved another so much that she described how she felt as being lovesick.

As she tugged at hangers cramped for space, her eyes were drawn upwards to the betrayed baseball cap emitting anger from its deceived peak. Once a protector for her eyes from the sharp sunlight above. Now nothing but a reckless reminder of a time when the betrayal was too painful to admit, even to herself.

The jealous jumper in lemon cashmere brought back memories that made her heart fill with envy and bitterness. It should be green, she thought to herself. She still found it difficult to believe that she’d allowed bitterness to consume her entirely.

Standing holding open the wardrobe door, Jeminaya took a deep breath allowing her nostrils to fill with a powerful odour of the past. In that moment, it came to her and she realised that the lovesick, the betrayed, and the jealous all smell alike.

by

Carrie Evans

A tsunami of incident, gossip and character vignettes, an exploration of other cultures sure to entertain anyone with a fascination for human quirks and foibles

Available from your local bookshop and online from Goodreads and Amazon www.amazon.co.uk www.carrieevans.co.uk “A joyous romp” –Maria Hughes “full of humour, compassion and adventure. If you love travelling you will love reading this book” – F. Bland

Open Windows Learning hosts a series of books by artist, author & historian Terence Kearey A tale of rural life in southern England, its joys and hardships through the seasons, from generations ago

“This book shines a light on the recent past, bringing to life a world that you might find charming, a world that seems difficult to imagine now.” Amazon review

also available in audio, for full details visit www.openwindowslearning.co.uk

USA HAVE YOU READ IT?

HAVE YOU READ IT?

Joint Forces Journal USA HAVE YOU READ IT?

The Secret Rehearsals for D-Day...

The Secret Rehearsals for D-Day...

The Secret Rehearsals for D-Day...

“A wonderful book...”

“A wonderful book.. ”

Michelle Magorian

“A wonderful book.. ”

‘Goodnight Mr Tom’

Michelle Magorian

‘Goodnight Mr Tom’

Michelle Magorian

‘Goodnight Mr Tom’

“A pivotal moment in the war.”

“A pivotal moment in the war.”

“A pivotal moment in the war.”

Joint Forces Journal

Joint Forces Journal

USA

Order from your favourite book store now: Paperback: £8.99

Order from your favourite book store now: Paperback: £8.99

ISBN 978-0-9535123-2-4

Order from your favourite book store now: Paperback: £8.99

ISBN 978-0-9535123-2-4

ISBN 978-0-9535123-2-4

www.wightdiamondpress.com

www.wightdiamondpress.com

www.wightdiamondpress.com

THE FROGMORE

Rhyme or Reason A Celebration of Sussex Poetry

Marlipins Museum, Shoreham-by-Sea 3rd to 5th October 2025

Written by: Ethan Taylor

Produced by: Half-Time Orange Theatre as part of Shoreham WordFest

“The great hills of the South Country, They stand along the sea; And it's there walking in the high woods, That I could wish to be…”

To mark this year’s National Poetry Day, embark on a trip through time as we meet some of the county's most acclaimed wordsmiths! Hilaire Belloc, illustrious poet (and wineenthusiast!), is your host for the evening as we celebrate some of Sussex’s best-loved poems and the stories behind them. Expect tales of wartime, cruel crime and just a little bit of rhyme as we take an informative and entertaining trip through meter and verse.

“Truly immersive and a perfect representation of the town’s past!” –The Sussex Express (on 'A Night’s Watch – Tales of Crawley')

CALL OUT FOR POEMS!

Half-Time Orange Theatre in collaboration with ingénu/e... Poetry submissions for the next issue of ingénu/e magazine could be selected for inclusion in the above show. Send in your poems to editor.ingenue@gmail.com by 5th August 2025.

Poet Town:

The Poetry of Hastings & Thereabouts

“A song to belonging, to the home towns that never leave us. Tender, uplifting, irreverent, and glorious.” Joelle Taylor

“These poems hit you in the eye like an arrow. At turns funny, melancholy and celebratory – there’s all of life in these pages.” Luke Wright

Poet Town is not your typical local poetry anthology. Among those included are best-selling and prize-winning authors (Iain Sinclair, Salena Godden, AK Benedict, Orna Ross, Penny Pepper), a million-selling children’s poet (Brian Moses) a legend of British TV comedy (Henry Normal, writer and producer for hit shows like The Royle Family and Gavin and Stacy) and classic poets known and loved the world over. These stars of page and screen have joined forces with fresh talent to celebrate the poetic legacy of Hastings – the seaside town on the Sussex coast known for its fish and chips, insurance ads and a rather famous battle.

As well as an impressive selection of more than fifty contemporary writers, the anthology includes poets connected with the town over the last two centuries. Among them are the author of Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, who often visited his aunts in the town; Edward Lear of ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ fame; and Christina Rossetti.

Look out for it in September, published by Moth Light Press.

Retreat

I wanted to live quietly in a white stone cottage far down an unhelpful track that twists and dips low into old black woods so unbidden guests will turn back on themselves, not getting to where the way long after it leaves the map swerves hard to reveal a meadow by the reach of a fast thick river and nearby softly in sunlight sits the place I’d wake each day to make a fire, cook slowly, watch smoke drifting from a low roof over the in-love-with-itself torrent lined with bright bushes sagging under honeyberries, buckthorns then beyond to maybe-glimpses deer moving through poppies? yet closer, a weathered table for mending writing, reading until the light is right only for shrews, owls when comes the moss tread of the shadowless ponies who half-ghost through to lap from the pail I leave by the well, while unlit inside I wonder if it is time to sleep but what sleep would I have fallen into there, and what dreams?

–Tim Rich

Tim grew up in Mayfield and now lives in Hastings. ‘Retreat’ was first published by American poetry journal Stone Circle Review. There’s more on Tim at timrich.com

poetry

Swimming in the River

The hot summer’s day called for some play

“Bring all the hens in then we can go swimming!”

12 chickens to call, no bother at all!

But chickens love daylight, as we love the sun

And the louder I call them, the faster they run.

I have a bright thought – throw meal in their shed

Four browns and a red one into it fled.

Three whites followed suit – curiosity aroused

I still have to get four more in the house!

Two come to inspect all the noise and the din

As they move closer – I usher them in.

The last two – I ask you, tear shreds off my patience

One in and four out, I now must keep chasing

Into the shed I next go – to show them it’s safe!

They object to my presence, flapping and scratching my face.

I get out with heart racing, my hair a fine mess

Not to mention the state of my new flowery dress!

Hens are in the shed. Off we go to the river

Where my sisters and cousins, laugh, swim and shiver.

I’ve no more strength left from my fight with the fowl.

Next time we go swimming:

I’ll be fetching the … towels!

–Ger White ©GerWhite2025

T'was only the other day

Twas only the other day, I drank with fools

And laughed as we cast away lifes loot

Aisy come, Aisy go, is what they say

And that was how we lived that other day.

Twas only the other day I lay in a tomb

Wondering what I say to cause such doom

Regretting all the 'friends' who did me wrong

Pondered on the verse of my next song.

Twas only the other day I wrote a verse

That pleased the ears of kings, and enemies cursed

Which foretold futures bright and paved with gold

Twas only the other day, when this was told

Twas only the other day I walked with giants

In a land of green and blue with people kind

When a good days work was laying a foundation stone

Which would hold cathedral grand with burnished dome

Twas only the other day when life was grand

I rode proud as a king on my own land

Marauders came and took it all away

But that was how we lived that other day

Twas only the other day I saw him smile

When both of our eyes met, two hearts beguiled

His brown eyes looked at mine, flew me away

To live and love and laugh

For another day

–Ger White ©GerWhite2025

The Quiet Stream

An oak grove reaches into cerulean blue, a stone staircase climbs to the clouds.

Crazy paving surrounds the placid brook, purple star blooms wave in the breeze.

Buttercups hang their sunshine heads over the still stream while a trio of crows dance on the daisy carpet twitching tails.

I open my notebook, write down sensual images, and enjoy the long-awaited peace.

–Patricia M Osborne

Ruach [roo-akh]*

let your mind roam stand by the shoreline

witness the tangerine star drop into rolling waves move with the motion as the boulders gush heave murmer

inhale the salt brew taste the magic

listen to Kaia's song as she sings to you

let your worries your cares dissolve

let your heart be touched with hope

as you stand here in this special space holding my hand at this altar my altar I call home

*Ruach: Hebrew for spirit

– Patricia M Osborne

From 'Nature's Bookends'; proceeds from copies purchased directly from Patricia at her website whitewingsbooks.com go to Cancer Research UK.

N.B. All poems shown are subject to copyright

creative courses & workshops

Roz Nathan

Natural History Art / Summer Schools / Art Classes

Roz is exhibiting at the Crypt in Seaford as part of the ‘Tales, Traditions, and Curious Beasts’ group show on Sussex Folklore, 11th to 22nd June, displaying mixed media artwork on corvids and hagstones.

Roz is again offering her popular East Dean Summer School – a programme of one-day workshops for all interests and abilities –taking place over ten days from 28th July to 8th August in a lovely private garden. Subjects such as Nature Linocut, Introduction to Gel Print, Papier Maché Vessels, Watercolour & Pastel, Gouache and Botanical Painting and others are available.

Botanical Painting

From September Roz is continuing studio courses at Polegate Community Centre, offering Collage, Print and Mixed Media / Personal Projects, and Watercolour / Mixed Media / Wildlife at St Barnabas Church, Langney. Also running are live Zoom courses in small friendly groups, with lots of demos and supportive individual and group feedback, including a new Creative Portrait Drawing course – all sessions are recorded for participants.

Roz is a regular visitor to East Sussex art groups – please email to discuss demos or workshops.

Online demos, individual or small group lessons, mentoring or support sessions are also available with a new Saturday workshop programme and painting holidays in planning for 2026. Visit www.roznathanart.com or email roz.nathan@hotmail.com for more details.

Mixed Media Class

Beachcombing workshop below: Beachcombing for the artist

Lino Printing Summer School

art junction

Looking for Space to Work? We do hot-benching at a reasonable cost

Is there nothing as intriguing as life in miniature? Read on to find out more.

As well as running a range of sculpture courses and life drawing sessions, our studio in Billingshurst welcomes those artists and crafts practitioners who rent space in which to create their work.

A recent example is Phil Dickinson who has joined the studio this summer. His passion and hobby over the last thirty-five years has been growing bonsai plants. These beautiful plants require special pots and it’s this that has prompted Phil to join the studio.

Self-taught, he was soon making attractive ceramic pots for his bonsai specimens and potentially, in time, plans to make enough pots to sell to other enthusiasts. Here at the studio he’s found bench space, a handy kiln in which to fire his work and a community of like-minded people to share coffee breaks and enjoy a lively conversation or two.

In Phil’s own words: “I have found a lovely space in which to work. It has an informal, family feel to it, with other very helpful and creative people to draw inspiration from”.

To find out about Phil’s work find him on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/phil_pots/ Interested in having a go at making sculpture? Don’t forget to check out our regular courses at www.artjunction.uk

Contact us by email: info@artjunction.uk or call us on 07765 892864.

above: Phil with pot in progress; right: Phil's pots in situ

creative courses & workshops

Free Your Creativity at Jessops Farm Studios

What makes taking a class at Jessops Farm Studios such a popular and different experience? It’s not just the friendly and relaxed atmosphere. It’s not just the fresh brewed coffee. It’s not just the picturesque environment.

Joining an art group with Cathy Bird means that you have a tutor whose aim is to bring out the unique artist within you. No structured lesson. No copying the same picture as everyone else. No rules about the medium you use. None of that. You paint what you would like to paint in the style that you would like to develop for yourself with the medium that you choose. Come and find out for yourself what has taken many people from dreaming about painting to becoming a painter, in some cases with a painting career of their own.

Email Cathy at weekendarting@gmail.com or call 01892 870067.

Jessops Farm Studios, Tonbridge Rd, Bough Beech, (near Edenbridge) Kent TN8 7AU

pictured: classes in progress at Jessops Farm Studios

FIGURATIVE SCULPTURE IN CLAY

Along with other sculptural subjects, we run figurative and portrait courses several times a year working with tutors Mark Longworth and Hazel Reeves. Why not come along? We are a friendly open studio welcoming all levels of experience. Any questions? Contact Marji at: info@artjunction.uk Visit www.artjunction.uk

Coda

Change

I’m not a fan of change. Somehow it reminds me of the insubstantiality of things and sometimes even the tenuous nature of one’s own existence. But I also think accomplishments, even though they often confirm an ending or parting of the ways, should always be recognised and acknowledged well. And so it is that at the end of July, and after twentyone years, Wilhelmina Cooper BEM, affectionately known as Willie, is stepping down from helming the

annual Deal Music and Arts Festival. Awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2025 New Year’s Honours list for services to charitable fundraising and the community in Kent, Willie has transformed and evolved Deal Music and Arts Festival and it has been a pleasure to have worked with her via the magazine’s regular festival feature for the last ten years, we wish her well with her future endeavours.

And being somewhat in the loop as regards local arts news, it is becoming increasingly worrisome that change is afoot as regards some galleries, art trails and the Performing Arts. Witness the Tenterden Folk Festival is no more after thirty-one years, now scaled down to The Tenderden Club, a single day of folk song and music; Brighton MADE is sadly not occurring this year; financial pressures have caused more than one art gallery to close down; two small (but mighty) theatre companies ousted from their long-term residencies, and of course the vagaries that all creative individuals, groups or organisations are facing. I so abhor economics assuming an indecent power over aesthetics.

To quote a prominent financial guru highlighting the problem of finance people being given the reins of a company: “Marketers never really get the credit for a breakthrough; Marketing is a casino with pretty good odds, but it’s still a casino. When the Finance Director become the CEO of a company, it’s that little death rattle for a business. That’s because finance people are deterministic, they adore predictability.”.

top: Sycamore Gap tree by Clement Proust on Unsplash; left: Willie Cooper; below: British Empire Medal; right: Anna Phoebe performs at the Deal Festival in July, photo by Martin Reijman

For just one example of what art lovers are missing this autumn at Brighton MADE, see the image of coasters by Linescapes. Set up in 2014 by Amalia Sanchez de la Blanca, Linescapes creates highly detailed CAD architectural portraits of iconic buildings, architectural landmarks and bespoke commissions.

And of course when people feel forced into stressing cut-backs, pulling in the reins, or saving to ‘survive a crisis’ the real purpose of a creative endeavour goes missing and will lead to the activity becoming more rigid, smaller or indeed ceasing.

Change! I suppose all things change, but the change ought to be for the better, to expand or to celebrate goals achieved, not because the higher purpose of bringing beauty and creativity to people is sacrificed on the altar of parsimony.

Artists and arts organisations have to somehow stay true to their purpose, get clever, somehow flourish, promote themselves more and refuse to kowtow to the scaremongering and artistic oppression of local and national government and the media.

As Yann Martel says in Life of Pi: “If we citizens do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality, and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams”.

Sycamore Gap tree: an allegorical dichotomy

And staying with the concept of creation; its opposite, of course, is destruction.

The wanton destruction of maliciously felling the beautiful 150 year old sycamore tree nestled next to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland in 2023 seems to me to symbolise the exact opposite of what artists are doing with their work. Their work and purpose is creating and the two blokes who cut down the tree are motivated purely by destroying. And here we see the two ends of a behavioural spectrum, with many shades of grey in between. Creation and destruction.

Vincent van Gogh is quoted as saying “If one really loves nature, one can find beauty everywhere”, whereas prosecutors in the trial of the two men accused of

felling the tree and damaging Hadrian’s Wall stated that the men thought the act would be “a bit of a laugh”.

The concepts of finding beauty everywhere versus destroying it for a laugh surely echo two universes far, far apart from each other and shows the magnitude of space housing the spectrum of attitudes that can exist in the human race.

One sometimes wonders which will win out as the decades and centuries continue their inexorable march into the future.

And on a slightly different aspect of this outrageous crime, more than one philosopher in the past has mentioned that criminals often leave clues regarding their crime, as though they subconsciously want to be caught. During their trial it was revealed that one of the two miscreants had filmed the event, then sent a copy to his partner in crime. While investigating, the police found the videos on their phones. Duh! Damning evidence methinks; perhaps stupidity and malfeasance do go hand in hand.

They have been found guilty of causing over £620,000 of damage to the tree and over £1,000 damage to the wall. Sentencing will be in July. I wonder what the sentencing will be. No robbery occurred, no life was lost, just the wilful destruction of beauty. What punishment would be just? I imagine there are many varied opinions on that topic.

To my delight, the protest song, it seems, is still a thing!

In issue 46 I wrote about my fondness for protest songs and how I felt they had more or less gone out of fashion but was thrilled to hear of Australian singer Iyah May, who released her song Karmageddon in late 2024.

A real humdinger of a protest song, sweetly railing against the modern world, from iPhone addiction to culture wars, she had racked up 3.4 million streams

above: A scene from last year's Tenterden Folk Festival; right: Six Brighton coasters by Linescapes

despite being ‘cancelled’ by her record label for being outspoken! Kudos to her for her courage and persistence in winning against suppression of her art.

And now I have just discovered a song entitled ‘The Devil Wore a Lab Coat’ by Kentucky-based country music artist Mary Kutter. Mary has written songs with over a million streams, with many recorded by other artists and played in commercials, movies and TV series.

This song attacks the pharmaceutical crisis in rural America, specifically about Big Pharma’s targeting of families in eastern Kentucky. It has notched up a reported fifteen million views on Instagram and three million views on TikTok in just two weeks, with seventy thousand comments and replies on her accounts.

I’m thrilled to find contemporary musicians apparently embracing what would once arguably be called the avant-garde, especially hailing from such places as Australia and Kentucky. Where are the Brits and the French? Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIx8xWRVxdU to hear the song and https://www.marykutter.com/ for further info.

A sample of the lyrics:

It was "hey Doc, there's a thing in my knee

Been workin' underground since '83"

Doctor said, "I got you the remedy

It'll kill that pain real quick, trust me"

Didn't take long, half the town was on it

Didn't ask questions, nah, we just popped them

Doctors getting fat from raking in kickbacks

It all happened so fast

One man's grave is another man's paycheck

Rx meds at our expense

Forget the coal mines, they hit a goldmine

Hooked up on six feet of side effects

Like a wolf dressed in sheep's clothes

The devil wore a lab coat

Appalachian map dots were the perfect bullseye

For the pharma reps chasing dollar signs

All their billions couldn't buy a decent alibi

You can say what you want, but tombstones don't lie

And another ingénue worth more attention

Mim Grey is a London-based singer/songwriter who definitely deserves to become more fully known, considering she has collaborated with Sir Paul McCartney, has co-written songs for various people including Kylie Minogue, and Tom Jones is quoted as saying she is “my favourite singer”.

Mim is appearing with her trio at Shoreham’s Ropetackle Arts Centre on 15th August. Go see her, it will be well worth it.

Visit www.mimgrey.com/ to discover her talent.

from top: Mary Kutter performing, photo Dan Elliott; Iyah May; Mim Grey