Dulwich Festival 13-22 May, 2022
Dulwich Festival is back 13-22 May with a full line up of live events for the first time in three years, rebuilding community connections in a celebration of the arts across the borough and beyond.
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ow in its 29th year, the festival has taken the themes of Regeneration and Awakening as the inspiration for this year’s programme as the community comes together again. 40 events will be on offer to the public, many of them free, presenting a diverse programme of art; music; literature; comedy; walks and talks. Opening the festival and in a welcome return to live performance, the Dulwich Festival Choir Night will be hosted by East Dulwich favourites, Tongue and Groove. They’re joined by Vocallective and The Wrablers. Other musical highlights include former Piano Winner of BBC Young Musician, Cordelia Williams; an organ recital at Christ’s Chapel, Dulwich, with Ben Bloor, the prizewinning organist of the London Oratory Church and visitors can try out the classical organ, which dates back to 1760, at a guided session led by Marilyn Harper, chapel organist. For jazz enthusiasts, there are a series of jazz club nights including award winning, multiinstrumentalist, Tony Kofi and The Organisation; Ronnie Scott regulars, Camina Banda and the Harlem Meer Cats. Formed for the Dulwich Festival in 2015, this 6-piece band now play at many of the country’s top jazz events recreating the music heard at New York’s Cotton Club from the late 20’s to early 40’s. Licence to Ceilidh, London’s top ceilidh band is back mixing traditional ceilidh tunes & dances with a modern fun rhythm section and Under the Tree brings an eclectic line up of music and spoken word from outstanding local
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talent, led by the people’s poet, David Nieta. The Festival welcomes the return of the Artists Open House, taking place across both weekends, when a staggering 400 local artists will open their homes and studios to the public providing a personal dialogue and insight into their work. Also opening its doors for free is Dulwich Picture Gallery, founded in 1811 and the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery. The Handlebards will perform a bicyclepowered, laugh-out-loud production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and six of the most exciting names in Fringe comedy come to Dulwich with previews of their brand new tour shows ahead of this summer’s Edinburgh Fringe in the Festival Comedy Club nights. Laughter will also be on the menu at local cafe Peace and Riot as they play host to a comedy evening, Nice n’ Spiky and there will be laughter therapy sessions by Laughing John at Oru space, East Dulwich. A series of informative Festival Walks include; a Mid-Century Oasis Walk, taking in Dulwich’s 1960’s Architecture; a Who’s Who In Dulwich Walk, featuring famous past residents brought to life by local actors; Tree Walk; Street Art walk, highlighting the Dulwich Outdoor gallery and From Ancients to Moderns Walk, celebrating the public art and craft of the local neighbouhood, including the Bellenden renewal area. Families can enjoy plenty of free events over the course of the festival which include an Orchard Family Day in Dulwich village, hosted
