With just over twenty-four hours to go until ArtsFest kicks off, the final stages are going up on the campus.

It’s all looking good: even the weather (at the time of writing!) is looking good for tomorrow.

The acts have been booked, refreshments organised, programmes printed, and all is in place ready to start at 1pm tomorrow.

If you’re an alumnus of the University, don’t forget to head to the Alumni tent when you arrive to meet old friends. The Gulbenkian is standing by to entertain families and children throughout the afternoon, and free programmes for the day will be available from the Information Point near the Main Stage. Don’t forget to download your copy of the pocket-size guide to the event.

It’s not too late to get your tickets for the Music Society Prom Concert in Eliot Hall at 8pm, or for Mimirichi in the Gulbenkian at 7.45pm. Prom tickets will be on sale at the Information Point throughout the afternoon, and also on the door. Tickets for Mimirichi are available from the Gulbenkian Theatre.

We’ll see you there.

The University’s Canterbury campus has started sprouting stages ahead of  this year’s ArtsFest extravaganza on Saturday. 

The Marlowe tent will play host to jazz, classical and barbershop performances throughout the afternoon, including the new staff, student and alumni Cecilian Choir, a string ensemble, and various other student groups. Various musical alumni from previous years will also be appearing, so keep an eye out for some familiar faces and some old friends. 

The Eliot stage will showcase community Irish dancing, student stand-up improvised comedy, salsa dancing, performing from the Musical Theatre Society,  and Sing!

Rutherford stage will see performances from community and school groups including St. Stephen’s School, Kent College, the Maridadi Singers and Strode Park Foundation, as well as the University’s own CPAS and Capoeira socieities and more improvsed comedy from student-group Raspberry Crumble.

This year, students in the School of Architecture competed to create the design of the Registry stage; pictured here is the winning design, by Nicholas Sexton, being built. The theme of the stage is recycling: all the materials employed in the stage’s construction were gathered from around the campus, including wood coppiced from near the bomb-crater along the Eliot footpath, and roofing posts from old goal-posts. 

It’s going to be another fantastic event: make sure you’re there! 

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Sarah Reed is a singer-songwriter with three albums of original songs released to date.

Her songs, mainly based around vocals and acoustic guitar, are intense, lyrical and melodic, with influences of folk, rock, blues and country, amongst other things. Reviewers have described her as “an understated Kate Bush” and as having “the clarity of Dido and the soul of Eva Cassidy”.

Sarah is also a Research Facility Manager in the School of Biosciences, University of Kent.

Find out more about Sarah’s music and preview some of her tracks on her website.

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Profiling performers and activities coming up at this year’s ArtsFest.

Based in Canterbury, St Stephen’s Junior School has been busy devising a performance from scratch based on telling the Australian Dreamtime story called ‘The Wagalak Sisters’.

The performance combines music, dance and drama to guide the audience through the story about the girls who are creation sisters.

The sisters carry their power in their dilly bags. When they walk they use the contents of their dilly bag to create beautiful and lush landscapes. But one day they become distracted…

It’s certain to be a beguiling event: make sure you’re there!

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

For those of you who just can’t wait until Saturday to find out what’s going on at this year’s ArtFest, fear not: from this morning, you can now download a pocket-size brochure of events that will tell you exactly what’s going on. 

As well as a guide to all the events on the stages and around the grounds, the reverse side includes a map of the campus with details of exactly what is appearing where. 

You’ll need to print it double-sided and fold accordingly. Click here to open the brochure. 

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Profiling performers and activities at this year’s ArtsFest.

Already a performer on the local music scene, Luke Palmer-Divers is a pupil at Canterbury High School, and has already appeared at ArtsFest to an enthusaisdtic reception.

Luke started writing his own songs in late 2006. Since then he has played in multiple bands; however, he’s always found himself occasionally with more drive and determination than other band mates, resulting in a bold decision to go it alone.

After recording five songs privately for “The Acoustic Sessions”, Luke started gigging around Canterbury and the surrounding area. 

Last year alone, Luke played at such prestigious events as ArtsFest, The International Kent Jamboree and Lounge on the Farm

With an E.P due to be released this year, the future looks bright for Luke Palmer-Divers. Keep an eye out: you saw him here first!

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!