Cuckfield Arts Festival - early plans - starts on 24th June 2017
By Kate Fleming
Cuckfield has always had the potential for an arts festival simmering away and at long last it is being realised. The basic ingredients for success are already here - a beautiful church, a picturesque historic village situated in an arts-laden county, home to a wealth of artists. Why hasn’t it happened before we cry in amazement? Well now it is. Cuckfield Arts Festival has been created and will start on 24th June and run for two weeks.
This year the focus will be on music, but, as the naming of the festival indicates, other art forms could feature as the event grows. Music, however, is an ideal starting point, as the village is becoming known for musical activities, which are increasing in popularity and commanding a serious place in the life of the village.
The Singing Allsorts, our own Cuckfield all-female choir, celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The choir has gone from strength to strength under the talented baton of Jane Haughton, singing for our community its varied repertoire of African, Gospel, Classical, Broadway and Folk music. Over the last decade the Summer Charity Concert has raised £10,000 for local and international charities and this year’s event has been incorporated into the festival in Holy Trinity Church on 6th July.
The unique sound of Ensemble Reza will start the festival. These virtuoso musicians got together so players could enjoy performing music closer to home in Sussex and the South-East. When these highly respected professional players with leading orchestras get together to play the performances are breathtaking.
[Article extracted from full page in May 2017's Cuckfield Life magazine, p.9]