Kenilworth Arts Festival returns next week

Kenilworth Arts Festival is set to return next week for its fourth year, running from 19-28 September. Created by two graduates from the University of Warwick, the festival will see events, workshops and exhibitions in different venues around the historic town.

Everyday spaces will be transformed into intimate arts venues hosting one-off, live experiences to audiences. Performers range from musicians and novelists to artists and poets.

Headlining acts include singer-songwriter Nadia Reid from New Zealand who has earned global acclaim from her two albums, writer, broadcaster, and campaigner Caroline Criado Perez speaking about her new book ‘Invisible Women’ and the Darius Brubeck Quartet, led by the acclaimed American Jazz pianist.

Musical performers include Paris-based singer Pauline Drand and pianist Isata Kanneh Mason, while Nikesh Shukla, Claire Mackintosh and Kerry Hudson are among a number of authors set to give talks at the festival.

Alongside other installations and workshops, The Old Town Street Party will be taking place on the 21 September. There will be a live music stage, local bands, pop-up work-shops, and a beer festival providing a selection of ales.

Lewis Smith, the festival’s creative director and Warwick University alumnus, commented to The Boar: “It is a celebration of new work, showcasing a broad spectrum of the creative arts and we’ve got over 30 events taking place in different venues around the town.

“We’re taking over bookshops, cafes, churches and community theatres and open spaces to temporarily transform Kenilworth into a stage for world class arts events.

“This year’s programme is our biggest and most diverse yet and we’re really proud to be able to feature international musicians, best-selling novelists and award-winning campaigners plus some outstanding emerging artists.”

This year’s programme is our biggest and most diverse yet and we’re really proud to be able to feature international musicians, best-selling novelists and award-winning campaigners plus some outstanding emerging artists

– Lewis Smith

Lewis also highlighted that notable Warwick graduate who studies English Literature and Creative Writing, author Caroline Lea, would be performing. He explained that she will be speaking about “her brilliant new book, ‘The Glass Woman’”, alongside debut novelist Elizabeth Macneal.

When asked whether there would be anything new at the festival this year, Lewis said: “One new addition this year is a series of pop-up cinema events, showcasing five brilliant films which have been released over the past 12 months.

“Were also featuring some fantastic new installations this year, most notably a specially commissioned piece of Public Text Art and a 10ft Gramophone, which has been created by Irish artist Donnacha Cahill and will be popping up in different places around the town.”

Lewis stated that he is most looking forward to the opening event, when singer-songwriter Nadia Reid will be performing.

“I’m a huge fan of Nadia’s music and have wanted to feature her at our festival for a while but, given the geographical inconvenience of her being based in New Zealand, it’s been difficult,” he said. “So it’s an honour to be able to welcome her to Kenilworth for a solo show this year. It’s her only UK date this Autumn, too, so it’ll be a really special night.”

He continued: “I’m also really excited about our ‘Talking Shop’ a full weekend of talks and discussions taking place in one venue, featuring some of the most original and inspiring voices in fiction and non-fiction writing today.

“With events exploring topics such as Windrush, mental health and MeToo, it promises to be a really fascinating and thought provoking weekend.”

In terms of which events would be of particular interest to students, Lewis said the “programme of talks and readings including the talking shop” as “it’s a fantastic opportunity to explore and discuss big issues in a non-academic setting, and a fantastic chance to hear from some really influential authors and campaigners”.

He added: “The music programme is really diverse this year, with acoustic, classical, jazz and soul artists all set to appear. More broadly, the programme as a whole is a really good way to experience fantastic arts events and explore what the local community has to offer.”

Further information about the festival can be found here.