ARTS & EVENTS
OXFORDSHIRE www.oxfordinspires.org
l Dancin' Oxford l Oxfordshire Artweeks l Diamond Jubilee Celebrations l
spring 2012
Issue: 01 Volume: 04 2012 www.oxfordinspires.org
Oxfordshire Artweeks
5 - 27 May 2012
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ARTS & EVENTS
OXFORDSHIRE Contents
Dancin' Oxford 5 What’s On March 6 Music Festivals 10 12 What’s On April Oxford Philomusica 15
Oxfordshire Artweeks 16 18 What’s On May Diamond Jubilee Celebrations 21 22 What’s On June Calendar 26
Spring is here! Celebrate this wonderful time of year by getting out and discovering the best that Oxfordshire has to offer. From concerts and exhibitions to festivals and performances, there is guaranteed to be something to inspire and entertain the whole family this season. Upcoming highlights include Dancin’ Oxford, one of the UK’s premier dance events, Artweeks, the longest running and biggest open studios festival in the country, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend, over which a whole host of special events will take place in celebration. So to ensure that you get the most out of the coming months, take a look at our selection of the very best cultural activities happening across Oxfordshire this spring.
10 > Music Festivals
16 > Oxfordshire Artweeks
Front Cover Image: The Devil's Delight – Oxfordshire landscape of The Devil's Punchbowl near Wantage, by artist Anna Dillon. Anna’s work can be seen in Aston Tirrold during South Oxfordshire Artweeks (19 – 27 May 2012, venue number 385). For more information see www.artweeks.org.
THANK YOU ARTS & EVENTS OXFORDSHIRE is published by Oxford Inspires on behalf of cultural organisations across the county. Oxford Inspires is grateful to all of its supporters across the private and public sectors. STAKEHOLDERS 2012
MAJOR SUPPORTER 2012
MEDIA PARTNERS 2012
CORPORATE MEMBERS 2012
Oxford GiclĂŠe Ltd
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Welcome to Oxfordshire - Offering so much to see and do all year round, Oxford and Oxfordshire make an excellent destination whatever the season or weather. With its varied landscape, rural heritage and visitor attractions to explore, Oxfordshire is the ideal location for a short break or longer holiday. For a cultural getaway Oxfordshire is a must, renowned for its history, heritage and exquisite architecture. A great variety of events, festivals and performances throughout the year will help to make your stay a memorable one. For further information go to www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com or call into the Oxford Visitor Information Centre, 15/16 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AS. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information within this publication, which was assumed to be correct at the time of printing, Oxford Inspires cannot accept liability for any inaccuracies. Designed by Torpedo torpedogroup.com Printed by Fine Print www.fineprint.co.uk
March
APril
May
JUNE Arts & Events Oxfordshire
DANCIN' OXFORD
18 February – 28 March 2012
Dancin’ Oxford is one of the UK’s premier dance events, providing opportunities for everyone to engage in dance through an exciting programme of participatory activity and performance. Now in its sixth year, the festival’s line up has grown to include over 30 events, ranging from vibrant, high quality performances by professional artists, to workshops, films, taster sessions and even a conference! This year, Arts Council England has also awarded the festival additional funding to support a brand new aerial dance commission, as well as the country’s first innovative digital dance trail. So whether you are 5 or 95, an experienced dancer or a newcomer, there is plenty on offer to whet your appetite. Go on...have a go! For full programme details, visit www.dancinoxford.co.uk
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: Digital Dance Trail
Moving with the Times
18 February 2012 onwards
9 – 10 March 2012
[ Venue ] Various across Oxford [ Tickets ] Participation is free
[ Venue ] Pegasus, Oxford [ Tickets ] £8, concessions £6, under 18’s £5
The Digital Dance Trail enables audiences to experience a compelling and stunning set of commissioned video dance works in a number of city centre locations. By using a smart phone camera and employing a technique called ‘augmented reality’, the videos are overlaid onto specific significant sites along the trail, allowing participants to experience dance with a difference! To take part, just download the free 4Step app from either the iTunes App Store or Android Marketplace.
Moving with the Times – a special commission dance showcase – will feature six talented local artists performing a series of newly created works. Audiences will have the opportunity to see a range of styles, from dance theatre and aerial to contemporary and urban tap. Following last year’s sell-out success, early booking is strongly recommended.
23 – 24 March 2012
Baby Boogie 4 March 2012 [ Venue ] Pegasus, Oxford [ Tickets ] £5, children £3 (family discounts available) Baby Boogie is a unique and fun event for children under 4 years old and their families. Take part in a 45 minute workshop to learn the moves you need (taught by professional dance tutors) before the disco begins; a great opportunity to get creative with your toddler! Stay for lunch or tea, and enjoy dance mats and socialising after the event. Hannah de Cancho
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Retouramont [ Venue ] Oxford Castle Quarter [ Tickets ] Free admission Following its breathtaking and enormously successful show in 2011, French aerial dance company Retouramont returns to the city with a UK premiere. Danse des Cariatides, a visually stunning and multi-layered performance, is presented by six dancers high on the walls of Oxford Castle. The piece fuses aerial dance with a unique score and projection, undoubtedly making this one of the highlights of the entire 2012 festival.
Soul Rebel Tap – Kurt Kutang
Spring 2012
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Science Festival
EXHIBITION
Beach by John Piper
Visions of Mughal India: The Collection of Howard Hodgkin Until 22 April 2012 [Venue] The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford [Tickets] £6, concessions £4 [Info] www.ashmolean.org Howard Hodgkin’s private collection of Indian paintings has long been considered one of the finest of its kind in the world. Made up of over 140 pieces from the Mughal period (c. 1550–1850), the outstanding selection includes refined naturalistic works of the imperial Mughal court, poetic and subtly coloured paintings of the Deccani Sultanates, and boldly drawn and vibrantly coloured images of the Rajput kingdoms of Rajasthan and the Punjab Hills.
Wow!How?
3 – 18 March 2012 [ Venue ] Various across Oxfordshire [ Tickets ] Free admission to most events [ Info ] www.oxfordshiresciencefestival.co.uk
EXHIBITION
This year, OSF 2012 launches on Saturday 3 March with Science in Your World, a spectacular interactive science fair held in the heart of Oxford. From 10.00am to 4.00pm, local science organisations will gather in Bonn Square to run stalls and interactive activities, giving passers by the chance to try their hand at anything from smashing flowers to testing their reflexes. Inquisitive minds will also find the answers to questions such as “how do 3D televisions work?” and “what is the universe made of?”
[Venue] The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.tomocc.org.uk
Science in Your World opens the door to the many fantastic events that take place over the course of the Oxfordshire Science Festival, with something designed to suit everyone – whether young, old, novice or expert. Highlights include a family workshop with Diamond Light Source, which investigates the use of particles brighter than our sun, a Dragon’s Den style innovation competition with Begbroke Science Park, and the breathtaking Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at Science Oxford Live. There will also be the opportunity take part in two amazing Saturday science extravaganzas: Brookes Science Bazaar at Oxford Brookes University and Wow!How? at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
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Children and War Until December 2012
Find out how war and combat have affected the lives of children with the Oxfordshire Museum’s fantastic interactive displays. The exhibition examines both the military and civilian war experiences of children through the lens of the county of Oxfordshire, and uses toys, photographs and memorabilia to tell a rich and fascinating story.
FESTIVAL Oxford International Women’s Festival 1 – 12 March 2012 [Venue] Various across Oxford [Tickets] Free admission to most events [Info] www.oxfordwomen.co.uk The OIWF is an annual 10 day event highlighting local, national and international women’s issues. The festival, which takes a theme of ‘equality and diversity’ this year, promises an exciting and informative line up of events – including exhibitions, workshops and topical talks aimed at celebrating women’s achievements in sport, science, film, literature, theatre and music. The festival’s main event takes place on Thursday 8 March at Oxford Town Hall, where there will be information stalls as well as special performances happening throughout the day.
MUSIC Speech Project 3 March 2012 [Venue] The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford [Tickets] £14, concessions £10 [Info] www.ocmevents.org Using the rhythms and natural melody found in Irish speech, composer and producer Gerry Diver has created a unique collection of new compositions. The Speech Project features exclusive spoken word contributions from a number of seminal Irish folk musicians including Shane MacGowan, Damien Dempsey and Christy Moore, as well as archive interviews from Margaret Barry and Joe Cooley.
EXHIBITION Oxfordshire Craft Guild Exhibition 3 March – 28 April 2012 [Venue] The Turrill Sculpture Garden, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.turrillsculpturegarden.org.uk The first spring show in the Turrill Sculpture Garden will feature nine Oxfordshire Craft Guild makers – including ceramicists, glass artists and basket weavers – who have each accepted the challenge of creating pieces suitable for an outdoor setting.
EXHIBITION John Piper: The Gyselnck Collection 3 March – 8 October 2012 [Venue] The River and Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames [Tickets] Free with museum admission [Info] www.rrm.co.uk A unique opportunity to view a stunning private collection of Piper’s work, exhibited for the first time ever in the UK. Over a period of 25 years, Michael Gyselnck has developed a collection that explores the artists’ creative genius throughout his life, from his early abstracts right through to his later figurative work.
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March
APril
May
JUNE Arts & Events Oxfordshire
FILM
DANCE
WORKSHOP
Reel Women
Swan Lake
Stargazing
9 March 2012
10 March 2012
16 March 2012
[Venue] Film Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.ofvm.org
[Venue] The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury [Tickets] £19, concessions £16, under 16’s £12 [Info] www.themillartscentre.co.uk
[Venue] Science Oxford Live [Tickets] £5, SO Friends free admission [Info] www.scienceoxfordlive.com
A screening of exciting and challenging films made by professional women filmmakers, including the premiere of a new film made especially for the Oxford International Women’s Festival. This is a great chance to meet and network with women working in film; all are welcome, so don’t miss out!
One of the world’s best known love stories, performed by the ever-popular Vienna Festival Ballet. Lavish costumes, stunning scenery, international stars and the glorious music of Tchaikovsky make this an absolute must see.
An evening of stargazing with Science Oxford and the Oxfordshire branch of the British Science Association. Astronomy experts will be on hand to show you what to look for and how to do it, and will even take you over to South Park to try it out. A great introduction to the night sky!
SYMPOSIUM Ethical Fashion Symposium 9 – 11 March 2012 [Venue] O3 Gallery, Oxford [Tickets] £5 [Info] www.o3gallery.co.uk The O3 Gallery presents a series of talks on the subject of ethical fashion. Bringing together a diverse panel of ethical pioneers – from academics to stylists and artisans – discussions will be held on the issues surrounding fair trade, biodiversity, ethical consumerism and ethical luxury.
FESTIVAL Chipping Norton Music Festival 9 – 24 March 2012 [Venue] Various around Chipping Norton [Tickets] TBC [Info] www.cnmf.org.uk The Chipping Norton Music Festival has been promoting music-making in the north-east Cotswolds for a hundred years. Non-competitive and adjudicated by professionals, there are classes for individuals and groups of all ages, ranging from piano, voice and composition, right through to verse-speaking. Swan Lake
MUSIC Commotio’s Spring Concert 10 March 2012 [Venue] St Barnabas Church, Jericho [Tickets] £12, concessions £6 [Info] www.commotio.org Fresh from the release of their latest album, Commotio returns to the beautiful St Barnabas Church to sing Martin’s serene 8-part mass, followed by the stunning Spiritus Sanctus Vivificans Vita by Ferko. Works by Davy, Sanders and Oxford composer Duggan will also feature.
THEATRE Some Like It Hotter 13 March 2012
About Time 17 March 2012 [Venue] Museum of the History of Science, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.mhs.ox.ac.uk From the weird to the wonderful, a tick-tocking day of family fun to help you discover all about time. Activities will include talks and trails, storytelling, stop-frame animation film making, model-making, demonstrations of clockwork, and guided tours of the special exhibition Time Machines. Mapdance
[Venue] The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury [Tickets] £12, concessions £10 [Info] www.themillartscentre.co.uk Oxfordshire Theatre Company presents Some Like It Hotter, a fast moving fantasy comedy staring the sparking team of Munro, Curtis and Lemmon. Daring dialogue, razor sharp wisecracks and red hot musical numbers combine as the three screen icons reunite. Dead, uncut and hotter than ever… now that’s entertainment!
FESTIVAL Abingdon Arts Festival
DANCE
15 March – 1 April 2012
Mapdance
[Venue] Various across Abingdon [Tickets] Various [Info] www.abingdonartsfestival.org.uk
22 March 2012
The Abingdon Arts Festival presents an exciting programme of performing and visual arts, headlined by stand-up comedian and writer Mark Steel. Over the course of 18 days, more than 40 events will be held at 21 venues throughout the town, including music, theatre, exhibitions, workshops and children’s activities.
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FAMILY FRIENDLY
[Venue] Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot [Tickets] £14, concessions £12.50, members £11.50 [Info] www.cornerstone-arts.org Mapdance return to Cornerstone this March, presenting a programme comprised of five different contemporary dance pieces. Lyrical choreography, punchy physicality, intriguing humour and expert dance theatre; if you’ve never tried contemporary dance before, try this!
Spring 2012
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MARCH
APRIL
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JUNE
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
MUSIC
EXHIBITION
Spring Concert
Ferment Presents…
24 March 2012
30 March – 13 April 2012
[Venue] St Mary’s Church, Banbury [Tickets] £10, children £4, family £25 [Info] wwww.banburysymphony.org
[Venue] The Old Fire Station, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.oldfirestation.org.uk
Banbury Symphony Orchestra’s spring concert begins with the overture from Glinka’s five act opera, Russlan and Ludmilla. Delius’ tone poem On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring follows, as does Parry’s Symphonic Variations in E minor. Finally, and continuing the feeling of ‘awakening’, the concert concludes with Dvorak’s 8th Symphony, a wonderfully lyrical work in which the composer makes great use of his beloved Bohemian folk melodies.
The Old Fire Station and illustrated literary zine Ferment present this intriguing exhibition of poems, short stories and artwork by contributing writers and illustrators. Ferment, a quarterly non-profit publication, invites contributions based on a broad theme, thus inspiring an extensive range of responses. Past subjects have included ‘cities’, ‘food’ and ‘naked.’
FAMILY FRIENDLY Reflections, Anjali Dance Company – Vipul Sangoi
DANCE Anjali Gala Performance 22 March 2012 [Venue] St Mary’s Church, Banbury [Tickets] £10, concessions £6, under 12’s £3 [Info] www.themillartscentre.co.uk For its fifth annual gala, Anjali Dance Company goes big! Taking place at St Mary’s Church in Banbury, this year’s event not only showcases work from Anjali dancers, but also features choral performances by local schools and live music from the Ric Sanders group. Don’t miss this extra special evening in support of one of the UK’s leading arts organisations for people with learning disabilities.
FAMILY FRIENDLY The Big Easter Bunny Hunt
Lambing Weekend
31 March – 15 April 2012
24 – 25 March 2012
[Venue] Waterperry Gardens, near Wheatley [Tickets] £6.30, children £2 [Info] www.waterperrygardens.co.uk
[Venue] Earth Trust Centre, Little Wittenham [Tickets] £5, children £2, family £12 [Info] www.earthtrust.org.uk Visit the Earth Trust Centre for a unique, fun packed day that the whole family can enjoy, including a visit to the lambing sheds, children’s activities, tractor rides and hay bale climbing. This is a great opportunity to get outside and enjoy a day on the farm in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside.
Join the Big Easter Bunny Hunt at Waterperry Gardens, an oasis of calm and beauty in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside. Find the bunnies with a difference hidden around the ornamental gardens to claim your special prize. A great day out for the whole family this Easter!
FESTIVAL Music for Youth Regional Festival 23 – 24 March 2012 [Venue] Bayards Hill School and St. Gregory the Great School, Oxford [Tickets] TBC [Info] music.service@oxfordshire.gov.uk The world’s largest youth music festival takes place throughout February, March and April each year, with over 50,000 musicians and singers taking part. Oxfordshire County Music Service provides two of the venues for the regional events, giving participating groups the unique opportunity to perform to new audiences, listen to other musicians from their area, and get valuable feedback from the team of MFY music mentors.
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Lambing Weekend – Angela Dearlove
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March
APril
May
JUNE Arts & Events Oxfordshire
LITERARY EVENTS THIS SPRING
Alexander the Great battles against Porus, from a 14th Century collection of French Romances
Paul Nash with Columbian Press
As Oxford prepares to submit its bid to become UNESCO World Book Capital in 2014, why not check out our selection of the best literary events taking place across the county? For more information about the bid, visit www.oxfordworldbookcapital.org EXHIBITION
FESTIVAL
The Romance of the Middle Ages
The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival
Until 13 May 2012
24 March – 1 April 2012
[ Venue ] The Bodleian Library, Oxford [ Tickets ] Free admission [ Info ] www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk
[ Venue ] Various across Oxford [ Tickets ] Various [ Info ] www.oxfordliteraryfestival.org
This colourful exhibition showcases the Bodleian’s outstanding collection of manuscripts and early printed books containing medieval romance. These range from lavishly illustrated volumes about King Arthur and Alexander the Great, to personal notebooks and fragments only saved by chance.
The week long festival, now in its sixteenth year, presents more than 300 worldclass speakers and authors at over 80 events, talks and dinners. As usual, there is an emphasis on provoking thoughts, ideas and debate, with this year’s programme including strands on leadership, finance, contemporary society, history and religion.
EXHIBITION
FAMILY FRIENDLY
World Book Day Display: Jane Austen
Hand Printing Workshops
1 March 2012
24 March, 28 April and 26 May 2012
[ Venue ] The Bodleian Library, Oxford [ Tickets ] Free admission [ Info ] www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk
[ Venue ] The Story Museum, Oxford [ Tickets ] £8 [ Info ] www.storymuseum.org.uk
A special one-day display showcasing the newly acquired handwritten manuscript of Jane Austen’s unfinished novel The Watsons. Extensively revised and corrected throughout, the manuscript is a testimony of Austen’s efforts to give shape to the earliest ideas as they pour onto paper, as she reviews, revises, deletes and underscores.
Learn how to print by hand and create your own keepsake! This exciting two-hour workshop is led by Dr Paul Nash, a specialist in historic printing techniques and presses at the Bodleian Library. Paul will give a short talk on the history of printing, before inviting you to have a go at setting your own name using some of the historic presses.
THEATRE
FESTIVAL
Hamlet / The Odyssey
Chipping Norton Literary Festival
5 – 24 March 2012 / 29 March – 28 April 2012
20 – 22 April 2012
[ Venue ] Blackwell’s Bookshop, Oxford [ Tickets ] £10 – £24.50, premium packages £29 [ Info ] www.creationtheatre.co.uk
[ Venue ] Various across Chipping Norton [ Tickets ] Various [ Info ] www.chiplitfest.com
Creation Theatre Company and The Factory present a two part spring season, starting with the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet and directly followed by Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. Turning their unique spirit of spontaneity, playfulness and imagination to both texts, The Factory ensures that each performance is an original retelling, where what happens next will be different every night…
Chipping Norton’s first ever Literary Festival will take place this April, featuring more than forty authors, publishers, booksellers and literary agents in a programme designed to entertain, inform and celebrate the written word. With book swaps, reading corners, workshops and discussion forums, there really will be something for everyone at this fascinating festival.
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Spring 2012
9
Music Festivals
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Michael Janish
Mawkin
Oxford Jazz Festival
Oxford Folk Weekend
1 – 7 April 2012
20 – 22 April 2012
[ Venue ] Various across Oxford [ Tickets ] Various [ Info ] www.oxfordjazzfestival.com
[ Venue ] Various across Oxford [ Tickets ] Weekend tickets £46 (concessions £40, youth £30). Day and individual event tickets are also available. [ Info ] www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk
Jazz lovers rejoice! The one and only Oxford Jazz Festival returns to the city again this Easter with yet another glittering line up of local, national and international performers. Encompassing a wide variety of styles, this is a festival with something for everyone – from pop vocals to New Orleans trumpet, modern modal to big bands, the Oxford Jazz Festival has it all. This year the festival format has undergone a bit of a revamp, with the first five days now offering up a series of evening ‘fringe’ performances at venues throughout the city. For the final two days of the festival, an exciting, international and positively jam-packed programme explodes into action, giving jazz lovers the opportunity to catch performances all day and all night in an assortment of Oxford’s finest venues (the Ashmolean, the Randolph Hotel and St Michael at the North Gate, to name just a few!) Artists from all over the world are set to take to the stage, including Swedish jazz singer Cecilia Stalin, whose music explores a host of genres (think bop, swing and nu-jazz, with a smattering of hip hop), and New Orleans trumpeter and vocalist Abraham Wilson, who has created a unique and captivating style of melodic compositions that swing and groove. The festival’s headline act also brings an international vibe to proceedings, as bassist Michael Janisch, “one of the UK’s most exciting new improvisers” (The Guardian), is joined on stage by the New York Standards Quartet, four Manhattan based players renowned for their near telepathic relationship with each other. What better reason could you possibly need to stay in Oxford this Easter?
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When the Oxford Folk Festival was cancelled in 2011, the local community pulled together to create a 'Folk Weekend' in its place. There were street displays of Morris Dancing, concerts and performances, a host of free song events and even a huge ceilidh. Building on this success, the Oxford Folk Weekend will return to the city again this year, bringing with it an even greater programme of events and activities. The festival will be based at the newly refurbished Old Fire Station, with additional performances taking place in other venues throughout the city centre, such as the Wesley Memorial Church, Oxford Castle and the Ashmolean Museum. Programme highlights include a family ceilidh on Saturday lunchtime and a special concert on Saturday evening, as well as Morris Dancing and a craft fair – both of which will run all weekend. There will also be free performances, workshops and informal music sessions, plus a unique opportunity to learn how to dance a schottische at the Euro-dance on Sunday afternoon. During the course of the festival, concerts will take place showcasing the cream of the local folk music scene, including artists such as acoustic five-piece Telling the Bees and glam-folk legend James Ball. And as if that wasn’t enough, there will also be performances by some of the top musicians from the national folk scene too. Folk rebels Mawkin visit mid-way through their album launch tour, and the sublime Crucible Trio will travel from Sheffield to headline the festival’s Saturday night concert.
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Kungsbacka Trio – Hanya Chlala
English Music Festival
Oxford May Music Festival
English Music Festival
2 – 7 May 2012
1 – 5 June 2012
[ Venue ] Jacqueline du Pré Music Building and Holywell Music Room, Oxford [ Tickets ] Full festival pass £80, half festival pass £40, day tickets (covering lecture and concert) £17, lecture alone £2.50 [ Info ] www.oxfordmaymusic.co.uk
[ Venue ] Various venues in and around Dorchester-on-Thames [ Tickets ] Individual events £12 – £22 [ Info ] www.englishmusicfestival.org.uk
The Oxford May Music Festival aims to bring music, science and the arts together in creative harmony. It takes place in the historic heart of the city in May, beginning in the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building and then moving, after two days, to the Holywell Music Room – often said to be the oldest purpose-built concert hall in Europe. Typically, each festival day begins with a lecture from a leading authority in their field, and is followed by a concert from some of the finest musicians performing in the UK today. 2012 marks the festival’s fifth season, and sees a distinguished line up of lecturers come together for the six-day event. Highlights include Sir Michael Berry on images that illuminate the physics of light, Peter Scott on the British constitution, Professor Mervyn Miles on the fascination of the nanoworld, and last but by no means least, Oscar-winner Dario Marianelli on the secrets of composing for the movies. Musically, the line up is equally as impressive. The Navarra String Quartet kicks proceedings off with a performance of Schubert’s great Sting Quintet in C Major, and one of the world’s foremost piano trios, The Kungsbackas, present a programme that spans the whole genre (Haydn, Fauré and Beethoven). Also on the bill are the brilliant His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, who continue the festival’s successful Baroque evenings with music from William Byrd, Giovanni Gabrieli, José Ximénez, Johann Schein and others.
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The English Music Festival celebrates Britain’s rich musical heritage by showcasing the brilliance, innovation and beauty of English music. The focal point of the festival is the early twentieth century – the golden renaissance of English music – and includes in its repertoire not only important works by major British composers, but also many forgotten gems by a host of lesser-known artists. Each English Music Festival is a dynamic and inspiring event, and all five festivals have thus far demonstrated the spectacular and thoroughly impressive nature of the music in question. This year’s offering coincides with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and honours the extended celebrations with a programme that – true to the festival’s nature – mixes a selection of much loved favourites with several world première performances. The opening concert is one such example, featuring two unperformed pieces by Vaughn Williams and E J Moeran alongside more familiar works by Hubert Parry, Matthew Curtis and John Ireland. Later, audiences will also have the opportunity to hear première performances of Roger Sacheverell Coke’s Violin Sonata no.1 in D minor, and the violin and piano version of Paul Carr’s Now Comes Beauty. Other highlights of the English Music Festival include a performance by international multi-award winning a cappella ensemble The Songmen, a special ‘come and sing the choruses’ event for members of the audience, and a unique concert for all the family led by the Jaguar Land Rover Band – proving that there truly is something for all tastes at this year’s event.
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
COGGES MANOR FARM
FAMILY FRIENDLY
EXHIBITION
Arboretum Explorers’ Backpacks
Shezad Dawood: Piercing Brightness
1 April – 30 November 2012 [Venue] Harcourt Arboretum, Nuneham Courtenay [Tickets] £4, children free admission [Info] www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk
5 April – 10 June 2012
Liven up your visit to the Arboretum with an Explorer Backpack, full of ideas to help you get the most from your visit to the 130-acre site. This year there are two brand new backpacks available: ‘Looking’, for younger visitors (up to 6 years old), and ‘Measuring’, suitable for children aged 7 – 11 years. So borrow a backpack and let the exploration begin!
The first major solo exhibition of British artist Shezad Dawood features his most ambitious works to date. Trailer (2011) is a distilled version of the artist’s feature film Piercing Brightness, which uses science fiction as a prism through which to contest notions of race, migration and identity. Presented alongside Trailer is New Dream Machine Project (2011), comprising a large-scale kinetic light sculpture and Super 16mm film.
FAMILY FRIENDLY Robin Hood: Drama Workshops
[Venue] Modern Art Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.modernartoxford.org.uk
Easter at Blenheim Palace
2 – 6 April 2012 [Venue] Oxford Castle – Unlocked [Tickets] Charges apply [Info] www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk Cogges Manor Farm
Everyone who visits Cogges for the first time is bowled over by its beauty; the peaceful orchard and the sun-drenched wall gardens, the Cotswold stone farm buildings and the manor house beyond. The tranquility of the site belies its proximity to Witney's bustling town centre; the fields and woods disguise its Saxon origins. Cogges’ open season runs from Saturday 31 March to Sunday 4 November, and this year there is something for everyone to look forward to. As well as a packed programme of cultural events and family friendly activities (from theatre productions on the manor lawn to scarecrow festivals and May Day celebrations), visitors can also enjoy regular local food markets, which run on the first and third Sunday of each month. The Simple Bakery at Cogges Café will also remain open throughout the season, offering patrons delicious food in an amazing setting. Keep an eye out throughout this guide for a selection of upcoming events taking place at Cogges Manor Farm, or visit the website www.cogges.org.uk for a full list of what’s on.
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Discover innovative and exciting ways to learn and perform this Easter. Children between 8 and 12 years old are invited to enjoy a week of drama workshops with industry professionals, including movement lessons, acting technique and improvisation classes – all culminating in a final performance of The Legend of Robin Hood for family and friends.
EXHIBITION Brenda Hayden and Tom Crask 5 April – 6 May 2012 [Venue] Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.cornerstone-arts.org Two artists present work inspired by the natural world. Brenda Hayden’s painting, print and mixed media work seeks to explore the landscape at the point where land meets sea. Tom Crask’s three-dimensional memory boxes are compiled from found objects and presented in beautiful, hand crafted containers. Exquisite!
FAMILY FRIENDLY Easter at Blenheim Palace 6 – 9 April 2012 [Venue] Blenheim Palace, Woodstock [Tickets] £11.50, concessions £8.50, children £6, family £30 (park and gardens) [Info] www.blenheimpalace.com Join the fun with the annual Easter Egg Challenge at Blenheim Palace (6 – 7 April). Follow the trail of clues around the beautiful Pleasure Gardens and win a special prize when you complete the hunt. Families will also have the chance to meet lovable characters Peppa Pig and George from the BAFTA awardwinning TV series, as well as the The Piplings from Waybuloo (8 – 9 April). A perfect Easter day out for all the family!
EXHIBITION Losing the Thread 7 – 29 April 2012 [Venue] West Ox Arts Gallery, Bampton [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.westoxarts.com
Piercing Brightness by Shezad Dawood. Production Still, 2011. Courtesy of UBIK Productions Ltd
An exhibition of new work from textile group Losing the Thread. Taking inspiration from the world around them, the group explores colour, texture, pattern, structure, materiality and concept in their work – all to striking visual effect.
www.oxfordinspires.org
March
APril
May
JUNE Arts & Events Oxfordshire
TALK
The Way Back Home – Stuart Slavicky
MUSIC
Cafe Scientifique: The Search for Red Sprites
A Spring Weekend of Song!
10 April 2012
[Venue] The Holywell Music Room, Oxford [Tickets] £13 – £22 [Info] www.oxfordlieder.co.uk
14 – 15 April 2012
[Venue] Science Oxford Live [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.scienceoxfordlive.com For at least a century, scientists have attempted to confirm and explain the existence of sprites: fleeting, luminous shapes that shoot into the upper atmosphere during large thunderstorms. Artist Peter McLeish started investigating them for his work, but has now become interested in the physics behind these weird displays. Join him at Science Oxford Live to learn more about these fascinating natural phenomena.
DANCE Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! 10 – 14 April 2012 [Venue] New Theatre, Oxford [Tickets] £13 – £37.50 [Info] www.atgtickets.com/oxford Nutcracker! follows Clara’s bittersweet journey from a hilariously bleak Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross’ Orphanage, to the scrumptious candy kingdom of Sweetieland. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, this charmingly irreverent interpretation of the traditional favourite comes complete with family sized helpings of Matthew Bourne’s trademark wit, pathos and magical fantasy – a delicious theatrical feast not to be missed. Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! – Simon Annand
FAMILY FRIENDLY The Way Back Home 11 April 2012 [Venue] The Kenton Theatre, Henley-on-Thames [Tickets] £8, family £28 [Info] www.kentontheatre.co.uk One day a boy finds a plane in his cupboard. He doesn’t remember leaving it there, but decides to take it out for a ride anyway. He flies his plane higher and higher – until he runs out of petrol and lands on the moon! There, he meets a passing alien. Who is he? Can they be friends? And will they ever find their way back home?
FAMILY FRIENDLY Underneath the Floorboards 12 – 13 April 2012 [Venue] Magdalen College School, Oxford [Tickets] £8, children £6 [Info] www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Three concerts of wonderful song, given by some of the UK’s most exciting performers. Highlights of the weekend include exceptional soprano Joan Rodgers and pianist Roger Vignoles performing songs by Schumann, Wolf and Brahms, and rising-star mezzo-soprano Karina Lukas with a concert tribute to Kathleen Ferrier, born 100 years ago this month.
THEATRE Blood Wedding 17 – 21 April 2012 [Venue] Oxford Playhouse [Tickets] £9.50, £10, £13 and £16 [Info] www.oxfordplayhouse.com On the eve of her wedding, a bride is ready to accept the honour and prosperity of marriage – but first she has to decide between that and her desire for another love… With stunningly poetic language, Blood Wedding creates a world where yearning and passion are pitched against ritual and repressed emotions.
Filled with original songs and beautiful movement, Underneath the Floorboards is the enchanting new dance production from award-winning choreographer Liv Lorent. This performance for children and families will feed the imagination, thrill the senses and transport you to a magical world.
MUSIC The Oxford Concert Party 20th Anniversary Concert 13 April 2012 [Venue] The Holywell Music Room, Oxford [Tickets] £15, concessions £12, under 10’s free admission [Info] www.oxfordconcertparty.org Described as ‘one of the most entertaining, ground-breaking groups around’, the OCP have been delighting audiences with their repertoire for two decades. Be it Vivaldi, Piazzolla, Argentinian tango or Finnish polkas, this superb bunch of musicians create a rich, expressive sound, and their vibrant virtuosity and off-beat humour make for an unforgettable performance.
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EXHIBITION Barbara Mercer – The Second Chamber 19 – 29 April 2012 [Venue] Art Jericho, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.artjericho.com Leonardo da Vinci proposed that the first chamber of the brain dealt with experiencing the external world, while in the second and third chambers we process our experiences and transmute them into memory. This multisensory installation by Barbara Mercer explores the way that events crystallize into feeling, and hence become powerful memories.
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March
APril
May
JUNE
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
GOOD NIGHT OUT
MUSIC
Pop Magic
DoubleDuo 20 April 2012 [Venue] The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford [Tickets] £14, concessions £10 [Info] www.ocmevents.org Individual, inventive and energetic oud player Khyam Allami returns to Oxford with his new project, inspired by the concept of 2x2 (or DoubleDuo). Joined by outstanding percussionist Youssef Hbeisch, Italian frame drum master Andrea Piccioni and highly respected Palestinian oud player Ahmad Al-Khatib, the evening will explore the results of playing oud and percussion both in harmony and discord.
EXHIBITION The Marvellous Unlikely Fete of Little Upper Downing
Good Night Out is Oxfordshire’s rural touring scheme, bringing quality professional shows to rural venues throughout the county. This coming season you will have the opportunity to see memorable theatre, fabulous children’s shows, life enhancing comedy and excellent music – and there may even be a few events that simply defy description! Highlights include What Became of the Red Shoes?, from award winning children’s theatre company Little Pixie Productions (Steeple Aston and Bampton), The Marvellous and Unlikely Fete of Little Upper Downing, a side-splitting theatre production that received a three star review from The Guardian (Great Milton), and Holmes and Watson: The Farewell Tour, Cherwell Theatre Company’s fast-paced tale about the infamous crime solving duo (Great Rollright). All participating venues receive a financial subsidy, and it is that which goes towards making sure the quality shows on offer remain affordable to their community. To find out more about the scheme and for a full programme of events, visit www.goodnightout.org. Good Night Out is managed under contract by The Theatre Chipping Norton, on behalf of the Oxfordshire Arts Partnership – a partnership of all the local authorities in Oxfordshire.
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John Piper and the Church 21 April – 10 June 2012 [Venue] Dorchester Abbey [Tickets] £5, under 16’s £2.50 [Info] www.johnpiperandthechurch.co.uk This special exhibition celebrates the contribution of one man, the artist John Piper, to the development of modern art in British churches throughout the 20th century. It features an impressive selection of 50 works from both public and private collections, including paintings, stained glass and tapestry designs, drawings and ecclesiastical vestments. Craig Ogden – Pal Hansen
MUSIC Craig Ogden 27 April 2012 [Venue] Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford [Tickets] £42, £28, £18 and £10 (concessions £5 off, under 18’s half price) [Info] www.musicatoxford.com Seen by most observers as John Williams’ natural successor, guitarist Craig Ogden brings a laid back, seemingly effortless brilliance to his playing. His shimmering interpretations of existing works and virtuosity in classic and contemporary guitar repertoire have brought him fantastic record sales, as well as a huge number of fans amongst the critics and public alike.
FESTIVAL The Henley International Film Festival 27 – 29 April 2012 [Venue] Mill Meadow, Henley-on-Thames [Tickets] £10, under 12’s free admission [Info] www.the-hiff.co.uk This year, the Henley International Film Festival celebrates food. Expect to see some of the greatest food themed films of our time (Big Night, Delicatessen, Fried Green Tomatoes) set alongside an exciting programme of live demonstrations, workshops and children’s activities. No film festival has ever celebrated food in this way, so don’t miss out!
COMEDY Pop Magic 28 April 2012 [Venue] Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot [Tickets] £10, concessions £8 [Info] www.cornerstone-arts.org Musical alchemist Boogaloo Stu is your flamboyant Pop Magic host this evening. In just over an hour, audience members are given the opportunity to collectively write, record and produce their very own pop single – complete with an accompanying lip-synched video and energetic flashmob dance routine. A hilarious, fast paced D.I.Y. version of the X Factor!
www.oxfordinspires.org
Oxford Philomusica – Zoe Norfolk
Amanda Echalaz
Natalie Clein – Sussie Ahlburg
Oxford Philomusica Oxford’s Professional Symphony Orchestra in Residence at the University of Oxford
Oxford Philomusica, the city’s very own professional symphony orchestra, offers the community a wide range of musical events all year round. Their already extensive portfolio – which includes family concerts at the Town Hall, community work in hospitals and schools, plus their International Piano Festival and Summer Academy – has recently expanded to include a brand new chamber music series at the Maison Française d’Oxford, as well a unique Concerto Competition for young musicians.
Praised as ‘thoroughly impressive’ by BBC Music Magazine, the orchestra’s reputation is based on the uncompromising artistic standards of its Founder and Music Director, Marios Papadopoulos, and maintained by some of the very best orchestral musicians in London, Oxford and the Thames Valley. To find out more about Oxford Philomusica, visit www.oxfordphil.com
Natalie Clein and Oxford Philomusica
FUNomusica Family Concert – Intergalactic Adventure
23 March 2012
22 April 2012
[ Venue ] Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford [ Tickets ] £37, £26, £17.50 and £10
[ Venue ] Oxford Town Hall [ Tickets ] £8, children £2
Saint-Saens’ finely wrought and mellifluous Cello Concerto No. 1 is played by the always captivating Natalie Clein, before Tchaikovsky’s tortured – but finally triumphant – Symphony No. 4 propels the evening to a brilliant conclusion. The concert will also feature the world premiere of City of Trees, a composition selected for performance following the 2011 Composers’ Workshop.
Join astronaut Alasdair Malloy on a musical adventure through space. Visit the planets, explore the moon and maybe even encounter an alien, as the Philomusica performs music from all your favourite science fiction shows. Come dressed in your best outer-space gear for a truly intergalactic experience!
Oxford Philomusica Chamber Series
Hero’s Life
19 April 2012
[ Venue ] Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford [ Tickets ] £37, £26, £17.50 and £10
[ Venue ] Maison Française d’Oxford, Oxford [ Tickets ] £18 (includes a pre-concert glass of wine) Two wind quintets generally acknowledged as masterpieces of the genre – Mozart’s Piano and Wind Quintet in E flat major and Nielsen’s Wind Quintet, Op. 43 – make up a delightful spring evening of wind chamber music, with Music Director Marios Papadopoulos on piano.
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10 May 2012
Amanda Echalaz features in the achingly beautiful Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss, a work which provides the final chapter of the composer’s life-long love affair with the soprano voice. Oxford Philomusica will also perform the composer’s tone poem Ein Heldenleben – a thinly veiled autobiographical depiction of a hero’s life.
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire Artweeks Celebrating its 30th Anniversary this Spring
Images from left to right: Bee Bartlett, Guen Palmer, Ian Flynn, Rachel Ducker – Simon Murison-Bowie
5 – 27 May 2012 This spring, the UK’s biggest open studios festival celebrates its 30th anniversary. For three weeks you can enjoy spectacular art at hundreds of venues across Oxfordshire. Step inside artists’ studios, homes, gardens, galleries and other spaces to witness incredible creative talent in action – and all for free! From Banbury to Didcot, Burford to Henley, you can meet the makers (seasoned professionals, talented amateurs and enthusiastic community groups), hear their stories, watch them work and maybe even have a go yourself. Or simply feast your eyes on the huge range of creative activity taking place, from drawing, painting, photography and textiles, to sculpture, ceramics, furniture, glass, mosaics, jewellery and more. Pick up a full festival guide in libraries, local information centres and Hamptons offices, or go online at www.artweeks.org to find out more.
What’s on near YOU? Artweeks runs for three weeks, each with a different regional focus: North Oxfordshire 5 – 13 May 2012 Oxford City 12 – 20 May 2012 South Oxfordshire 19 – 27 May 2012
Event Highlights: The Starter’s Block
Artists and Studios: A Private View
Gold, Silver and Bronze
2 – 30 April 2012
17 – 29 April and 1 – 29 May 2012
5 – 27 May 2012
[ Venue ] The Jam Factory, Oxford
[ Venue ] Modern Art Oxford (17 – 29 April 2012) [ Venue ] The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury (1 – 29 May 2012)
[ Venue ] The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Oxfordshire Artweeks, photographer Simon Murison-Bowie explores the interaction between thirty Oxfordshire creators and their work spaces. Painters, potters, printmakers, puppet makers, jewellers and furniture makers – all are pictured, showing the wealth and variety of creativity in the county.
As part of Artweeks 2012, the Ashmolean Museum will be displaying a series of life sized sculptures, inspired by the Olympics and produced by children with the help of local artist Francesca Shakespeare.
Visit the Jam Factory in Oxford to see The Starters Block, a taster exhibition featuring pieces inspired by sport. This warm up show includes work by a selection of Oxfordshire artists, all of whom will be exhibiting across the county during the main festival in May.
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www.oxfordinspires.org
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Oxford Pride of Place Project by the Caravan Gallery
Polar Dance and Wytham Woods 12 May – September 2012 [ Venue ] Oxford University Museum of Natural History
5 – 27 May 2012 [ Venue ] Oxford Castle Quarter Artists Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale invite you into the world famous Caravan Gallery this May. View images taken on their travels around the UK, or step into the O3 Gallery to see an exhibition of photographs captured in Oxford. You will also be able to join in with ‘subversive cartography’, and help to create a refreshingly honest locals’ version of an Oxford map!
Summertown Street Parade
Look out for Polar Dance on the front lawn, a life size Bronze statue by Tessa Campbell Fraser that captures the fragile symbiotic relationship between man, nature and the environment. Inside, discover Wytham Woods, an exhibition featuring wood-block and linocut prints that have been set inside a sculpted wood.
Festival of Illustration 19 May 2012 [ Venue ] Blackwell’s, Oxford
12 May 2012 [ Venue ] Various around Summertown, Oxford Celebrate the start of Artweeks in Summertown with a spectacular children’s masked parade, led by the marching band Horns of Plenty. A series of workshops suitable for children of all ages will also be held throughout the day, including storytelling at the North Wall and mask making at Barefoot Books.
This is Blackwell’s second annual festival of illustration, featuring something for budding artists of all ages. Enjoy a range of children’s activities, meet top class illustrators and take part in a special drawing competition.
A Selection of Participating Venues: Cuckoo Lane Art Studios
Magdalen Road Studios
5 – 13 May 2012 [ Venue ] Cuckoo Lane Art Studios, Witney
12 – 13 May 2012 [ Venue ] Magdalen Road Studios, Oxford
Five artists open their studios and welcome you to view their exhibitions, which include works in ink, gesso, charcoal, oils and acrylic, as well as collages, precious metal clay pieces and mixed media jewellery. Also on display will be abstract and symbolic mosaic hangings made from marble and traditional Venetian Byzantine glass.
Twenty six artists will open their studios to the public, showcasing painting, ceramics, fashion, photography and design. Visitors will also have the chance to catch the Big Book sculpture ‘Imagine’ before it is transported to Berlin.
Cool Contours Arts Centre 5 – 13 May 2012 [ Venue ] Cool Contours Arts Centre, Chipping Warden Visit this stunning location north of Banbury, where seven tutors at the Cool Contours Arts Centre will exhibit their own work. View various media including painting, photography, printmaking and textiles.
Frank Newhofer
www.oxfordinspires.org
Jean Perrott
Ewelme Pottery 19 – 27 May 2012 [ Venue ] Ewelme Pottery, Cholsey Five artists exhibit a variety of media in a village well worth visiting. Pieces include quirky lino cuts of animals, porcelain and stoneware fired in flame kilns, contemporary functional baskets, fish sculptures in English oak, and paintings and illustrations in pen, wash and acrylic.
Bronwen Corrall
Spring 2012
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March
APril
May
JUNE
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION
FAMILY FRIENDLY
May Morning
May Day Weekend
1 May 2012
5 – 7 May 2012
[Venue] Various across Oxford [Tickets] Most events free admission [Info] www.oxford.gov.uk/maymorning
[Venue] Cogges Manor Farm, Witney [Tickets] TBC [Info] www.cogges.org.uk
May Morning is a traditional celebration of the coming of spring, bringing together Oxford’s communities to enjoy singing, dancing and revelry all around the city. Celebrations begin at 6am as Magdalen College Choir sing Hymnus Eucharisticus from the Great Tower, and continue with a number of exciting events and activities (including folk music and Morris Dancing!) that have been specially planned for the occasion.
Visit Cogges Manor Farm and find out all about rural crafts and traditions. Browse the special food and craft market and enjoy demonstrations of traditional May Day celebrations, including (of course!) a Maypole dance.
EXHIBITION Other Worlds 1 – 31 May 2012 [Venue] The Story Museum, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.storymuseum.org.uk Imagine a building full of decaying rooms, each with a story to tell; some large, some small, some full of memories, others full of cobwebs… Well now these rooms have each been given a voice. In an exciting creative collaboration, 25 writers, paired with 25 artists, will bring them to life in an installation inspired by the distinctive character of Rochester House, the Story Museum’s new home.
MUSIC Phoenix & Phaedra Holding Patterns 5 May 2012 [Venue] Modern Art Oxford [Tickets] £5, concessions £4 [Info] www.ocmevents.org
OPEN DAY
Brookes at Pegasus 8 – 12 May 2012
7 May 2012
[Venue] Pegasus, Oxford [Tickets] Various [Info] www.pegasustheatre.org.uk
[Venue] Braziers Park, Ipsden [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.braziers.org.uk Visit Braziers Park for their annual open day extravaganza, featuring live music, workshops, talks, tours, children’s activities, Morris Dancing, Maypole Dancing, arts and crafts and local produce stalls. A great day out for all the family guaranteed.
THEATRE Henry V
Oxford Brookes University will hold its first festival of creative arts this May. In an exciting and dynamic series of workshops, public events, exhibitions and experiences, students from the university will showcase creative work from a diverse range of subjects, including drama, creative writing, film, architecture, languages, business and life sciences.
FAMILY FRIENDLY
8 – 12 May 2012
Charlotte’s Web
[Venue] Oxford Playhouse [Tickets] £9.50 – £24.50 [Info] www.oxfordplayhouse.com
12 May 2012
Presented by the Globe Theatre on tour, Shakespeare’s masterpiece of the turbulence of war and the art of peace tells the romantic story of Henry’s campaign to recapture the English possessions in France. However, the ambitions of this charismatic king are soon challenged by a host of vivid characters, all of whom find themselves caught up in the real horrors of war.
FESTIVAL
The Story Museum – Sophie Goldsworthy
This long-running festival has been offering a feast of drama, pathos, comedy and tragedy for over forty years, all packed into five days of entertaining one-act plays. Last year’s festival was a great success, attracting a high standard of acting and some keen competition. Audiences can be sure to expect more of the same this May.
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FESTIVAL
Braziers Park Open Day
This live composition plays with our sense of place and scale by using surround sound, a short range FM transmitter and hand held radios located within the audience. It weaves together found sound textures, spatial sonorities and the Shruti Box, with its lulling and engulfing energies.
Spring 2012
Henry V
Henley Drama Festival 8 – 12 May 2012 [Venue] The Kenton Theatre, Henley-on-Thames [Tickets] TBC [Info] www.kentontheatre.co.uk
[Venue] Cogges Manor Farm, Witney [Tickets] TBC [Info] www.cogges.org.uk This adaptation of Charlotte’s Web, performed by M&M Theatrical Productions, is an enchanting story full of amazing costumes, imaginative stage sets and charming, heart warming characters. It is fun, entertaining, visually stunning and will evoke every possible emotion from all members of the audience – no matter what their age.
EXHIBITION Graduate Art and Design: Then and Now 12 May – 14 July 2012 [Venue] Banbury Museum [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.banburymuseum.org This is an exhibition in two parts, featuring a selection of the best artwork from both new and former graduates of the Oxfordshire School of Creative Arts. Works of all mediums are featured, including fine art, crafts, graphic design and illustration.
www.oxfordinspires.org
March
APril
May
JUNE Arts & Events Oxfordshire
OPEN DAY Open House at the Museum Resource Centre
Fine Art Degree Show
13 May 2012
12 – 19 May 2012
[Venue] The Museum Resource Centre, Standlake [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.mrc-occ.org.uk
[ Venue ] Oxford Brookes University, Headington Hill Campus [ Tickets ] Free admission [ Info ] www.brookesdegreeshow.com
This is a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes at the county’s Museum Resource Centre. Learn about Oxfordshire’s fascinating museum collection; find out why certain items are collected, how items are preserved and how the collection is used, as well as more about the services that are offered to the public and private sectors.
THEATRE I, Elizabeth 16 May 2012 [Venue] The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury [Tickets] £10, concessions £8 [Info] www.themillartscentre.co.uk
This year’s Fine Art Degree Show at Oxford Brookes University promises yet another striking and professional collection of work from emerging artists. From micro to macro, inner and outer worlds are explored and revered in this thoughtful exhibition. There is an overriding sense of playfulness in the use of materials on show, with everything from cast concrete and sugar glass, to large format photography employed by the graduating students. You will even see universes captured in exquisite tiny embroideries, using stitches borrowed from the Bayeux Tapestry. More information – including a list of contributing artists, their work and special events associated with the exhibition – can be found on the Degree Show website.
Queen at 25, political phoenix and famously unmarried; she was the most educated woman of her age, but who was she beneath the crown? Using only Elizabeth's words, solo performer Rebecca Vaughan explores the Queen’s struggle to reconcile the desires of womanhood with the duties of sovereignty.
MUSIC Arve Henriksen and Trio Mediaeval 18 May 2012 [Venue] The Holywell Music Room, Oxford [Tickets] £14, concessions £10 [Info] www.ocmevents.org A stunning concert of ethereal sounds from four truly unique musicians. Incredible trumpeter Arve Henriksen and the Grammy nominated vocalists Trio Mediaeval come together with a mix of Norwegian folk, mediaeval music, commissioned contemporary music and improvisation.
Trio Mediaeval and Arve Henriksen – Ina Wesenberg
www.oxfordinspires.org
Untitled by Dar Al Naim Mubarak Carmona
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March
APril
May
JUNE
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
LATE NIGHT OPENING
Hair
Museums in Tune 18 May 2012 [Venue] The Pitt Rivers Museum and Museum of Natural History, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.prm.ox.ac.uk and www.oum.ox.ac.uk Mingle in the museums with intriguing individuals and enthralling exhibits. This new local late night event (in conjunction with Culture24 / Museums at Night) offers a relaxed atmosphere, an eclectic mix of DJ music, a host of creative recycling activities and a bar.
LATE NIGHT OPENING Night of Museums 18 May 2012 [Venue] The Museum of the History of Science, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.mhs.ox.ac.uk
FAMILY FRIENDLY
FESTIVAL
Family Prom
The Sunningwell Festival of Music and Arts
20 May 2012 [Venue] Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, Oxford [Tickets] Balcony £8, promenade £6, family £20 [Info] www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp Mr Mark returns for the annual Family Prom – an animal themed, fun filled, musical experience for young music lovers everywhere!
A special late-night opening celebrating the annual European Night of Museums, with astronomical activities for all ages!
FAMILY FRIENDLY
FESTIVAL
26 May 2012
Levellers Day 19 May 2012 [Venue] Warwick Hall and Garden, Burford [Tickets] £12, concessions £8, under 14’s free admission [Info] www.levellers.org.uk In search of alternative politics? Inspired by living history? Fancy doing something a bit different? Then Levellers Day, a unique event honouring Britain’s first democracy movement, might be just thing you’re looking for. Complete with music, discussion, stalls, speakers, exhibitions and more, this annual festival of ideas will not disappoint.
The Girl With The Iron Claws
26 May – 9 June 2012 [Venue] Various across Sunningwell [Tickets] From £10 [Info] www.sunningwell.com The Sunningwell Festival of Music and Arts is a biennial event which takes place in a rather unique location – on a floating stage on the village pond! Organised and supported by the local community, it brings together an eclectic programme of music over ten days. Both professional performers and local talent take part, offering something for all the family and every music taste imaginable.
[Venue] The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford [Tickets] £10, concessions £7 [Info] www.thenorthwall.com
THEATRE
This is a story about a girl who dares to follow her longing. The youngest daughter of a king, she feels like a misfit. Then one night a compelling dream leads her deep into the forest, where a chance encounter sets her on a fateful path she could never have anticipated… Following critically acclaimed, sell-out success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Wrong Crowd bring you this captivating dark fairy-tale, complete with stunning puppetry, enchanting music and deft humour.
[Venue] The New Theatre, Oxford [Tickets] £12 – £35 [Info] www.atgtickets.com/oxford
Hair 28 May – 2 June 2012
The legendary musical is back! One of the most revered celebratory shows of all-time, Hair stands up for freedom, peace, love and self-expression – all backed by one of the most thrilling rock soundtracks ever conceived.
FESTIVAL Oxfringe 30 May – 10 June 2012 [Venue] Various across Oxford [Tickets] Various [Info] www.oxfringe.com
Iron Claws – Steve Ullathorne
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Oxfringe 2012 is packed to the brim with innovative and exciting shows to suit all ages and tastes; comedy, drama, music, literary events and family fun will take place in theatres, cafes, bars and restaurants all over the city. A number of outdoor events will also be held at Oxford Castle – Unlocked, and for the first time the festival will be ‘in residence’ at the newly refurbished Old Fire Station.
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The Queens' Diamond Jubilee Jubilee Weekend, 2 – 5 June 2012
1961 Re-enactment Concert
Best of Britain Weekend
Scotch College Military Band at Blenheim Palace
FESTIVAL
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Jubilee Churches Festival
Best of Britain Weekend
25 May – 5 June 2012
2 – 5 June 2012
[ Venue ] Various churches throughout the county [ Tickets ] Free admission to most events [ Info] www.jubileechurchesfestival.org
[ Venue ] Oxford Castle Quarter and Oxford Castle – Unlocked [ Tickets ] Free admission [ Info] www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk
The Jubilee Churches Festival has been designed to coincide with the national events around H.M The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, including the Big Lunch, Jubilee Beacons and the National Service of Celebration. Churches of all denominations across the region will celebrate this momentous occasion by holding a variety of special events, including concerts, flower festivals, poetry readings and historical exhibitions.
Visit Oxford Castle and enjoy a weekend of free family fun and entertainment celebrating the very best of Britain. From the Big Lunch tea-party to the National Town Criers Competition, there’s something here for everyone. There will also be the opportunity to meet a falconer and his birds of prey, or if that’s not your thing then just enjoy the fun and frolics of that traditional English pastime, Morris Dancing. Superb!
FAMILY FRIENDLY
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Jubilee Weekend at Cogges Manor Farm
Abingdon Town Council’s Jubilee Celebrations
2 – 5 June 2012
2 – 5 June 2012
[ Venue ] Cogges Manor Farm, Witney [ Tickets ] TBC [ Info] www.cogges.org.uk
[ Venue ] Various around Abingdon [ Tickets ] Various [ Info] www.abingdon.gov.uk
Relive the 1950’s with Cogges’ village fete activities; take part in a special tea party deep within the orchard, or join an old fashioned sports day complete with egg and spoon and sack racing. Perfect Jubilee fun for the all the family!
Abingdon Town Council has gone all out and laid plans for what promises to be a thoroughly spectacular Jubilee weekend. Highlights include Proms in the Park, a Jubilee ball, bun throwing, walking tours, beacon lighting, and the longest street party the town has ever seen.
FAMILY FRIENDLY
MUSIC
Jubilee Weekend at Blenheim Palace
1961 Re-enactment Concert
2 – 5 June 2012
23 June 2012
[ Venue ] Blenheim Palace, Woodstock [ Tickets ] £11.50, concessions £8.50, children £6, family £30 (park and gardens) [ Info] www.blenheimpalace.com
[ Venue ] Christ Church, Oxford [ Tickets ] £18, £22, £27 and £33 [ Info] www.oxfordphil.com
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Oxford Philomusica takes to the great outdoors of Christ Church’s Tom Quad in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The memorable midsummer programme will include Walton’s Crown Imperial (Coronation March), Dvorák’s New World Symphony, and a bicentennial performance of Tchaikovsky’s famous 1812 overture. There will also be a sense of history repeating, as this concert marks just over 50 years since a similar performance was first conducted by students in Tom Quad in 1961. ^
A Diamond Jubilee has only ever been celebrated in the UK once before, so why not spend this historic day in the beautiful surroundings of Blenheim Palace? Highlights of the weekend include children’s characters on the 3rd, Bunbury’s celebrity cricket match and afternoon tea on the 4th, and massed brass bands on the 5th.
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
MUSIC Lore Lixenberg and Gregory Rose 1 June 2012 [Venue] Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, Oxford [Tickets] £10, concessions £7 [Info] www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp The second of an exciting pair of concerts during which acclaimed performers Lore Lixenberg and Gregory Rose sing volume two of John Cage’s The Songbooks. Employing a range of vivid notational methods – as was customary for Cage – The Songbooks include solos, solos with electronics and moments of theatre.
FESTIVAL Wallingford Blues and Beer Festival 1 – 2 June 2012 [Venue] The Regal Centre, Wallingford [Tickets] TBC [Info] www.bluesandbeer.co.uk All profits made by the Wallingford Blues and Beer Festival go towards promoting live music and supporting local youth development projects. Over the course of this two day spectacular, visit the town to enjoy some great live blues music accompanied by a wide selection of real ales. Featured artists this year include the Mud Morganfield Band, King King and 24 Pesos.
WORKSHOP Paper Plus 2 June 2012 [Venue] The Botanic Garden, Oxford [Tickets] £60 (includes lunch) [Info] www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk This one-day workshop, led by expert paper maker Jean Mould Heart, will explore the use of paper as a creative medium. A portfolio of beautiful papers will be made from specialist fibres as well as recycled sources. South Newington Festival – The Murder of Thomas Becket
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Donning Oxford – Fragments Make the Whole by Tamsin Leighton-Boyce
FESTIVAL
EXHIBITION
South Newington Festival
Sundials in Summertown
2 – 4 June 2012
2 June – 29 September 2012
[Venue] Various across South Newington [Tickets] TBC [Info] www.cherwell.gov.uk/southnewingtonpc
[Venue] The Turrill Sculpture Garden, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.turrillsculpturegarden.org.uk
Set in the beautiful north Oxfordshire village of South Newington, this year’s festival will take place over the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend. Highlights include a special celebratory party for the village (complete with children’s activities and informal music making), and a symposium on St Peter Ad Vincula’s wall paintings, at which four eminent speakers will trace their history from thirteenth-century creation to present-day conservation.
This unique exhibition brings together a group of contemporary sundial makers in order to showcase the great variety of dials that can be made – ranging from the very simple to the overtly intricate. Some of Britain’s finest makers will take part, displaying their skill in a form that bridges both art and science. Keep an eye out too for the permanent analemmatic (human!) dial, which will be installed in the garden for the duration of the exhibition.
EXHIBITION
EXHIBITION Paul Cummins: Ceramic Flowers
Donning Oxford
4 June – 17 September 2012
2 June – 1 July 2012 [Venue] O3 Gallery, Oxford [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.o3gallery.co.uk
[Venue] Blenheim Palace, Woodstock [Tickets] £11.50, concessions £8.50, children £6, family £30 (park and gardens) [Info] www.blenheimpalace.com
This exhibition of contemporary fine art jewellery looks to explore and stretch the notions of how or what it is to ‘don’ Oxford. Contributing artists have been selected for their collectively broad approach to jewellery making, and will undoubtedly reflect, interpret and respond to this theme in varied and surprising ways.
A remarkable installation of 200 ceramic delphiniums specially created for Blenheim Palace by fine ceramic artist, Paul Cummins. Cummins, who is known for his distinctive landscape installations, has been commissioned to create six pop-up gardens across the country as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
www.oxfordinspires.org
March
APril
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JUNE Arts & Events Oxfordshire
FAMILY FRIENDLY Victorian Oxford Family Day 7 June 2012 [Venue] Oxford Town Hall [Tickets] Free admission, craft activities £1.50 [Info] www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk Meet a special costumed guide and find out what life was like in Victorian Oxford. Try on an historical outfit, discover how to wash Victorian style, play with Victorian toys and make a simple craft.
GUIDED WALK The Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco 7 June 2012 [Venue] The Harcourt Arboretum, Nuneham Courtenay [Tickets] £15 [Info] www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk Join Ben Jones, Arboretum Curator, as he leads this unique geographical evening walk. Hear about the adventures of seed collecting – the plants, people, politics and places – and then experience the collection come to life as you make your way around the Harcourt site.
EXHIBITION Good Sports! 12 June – 11 August 2012
THE ENGLISH PRIZE THE CAPTURE OF THE WESTMORLAND, AN EPISODE OF THE GRAND TOUR 17 May – 27 August 2012 [ Venue ] The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford [ Tickets ] £9, concessions £7 (including Gift Aid) [ Info ] www.ashmolean.org
The story of the Westmorland, an armed merchant ship sailing from Livorno to London in January 1779, is one of colourful 18th Century personalities and modern detective work. Laden with books, antiquities and works of art, the Westmorland was captured by two French warships on 7 January and declared a ‘prize of war’. The majority of the precious cargo was acquired by King Carlos III of Spain, who presented many of the items to the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. The remainder was dispersed across museums in Spain or abroad, with some items even travelling as far away as St Petersburg. Following an extraordinary research project that started in the 1990’s, scholars have been able to trace the history and learn the fate of many of the items on board the ship. The English Prize presents 140 of these objects, offering a vivid recreation of the Grand Tour and events on the high seas. Highlights of the exhibition include portraits of two of the Grand Tourists by Pompeo Batoni, a group of amazingly fresh watercolours by a young John Robert Cozens, and portrait busts by Irish sculptor Christopher Hewetson.
[Venue] The Vale and Downland Museum, Wantage [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.wantage-museum.com Local artists and community groups celebrate the joy of amateur sport in this quirky mixed-media exhibition. Sporting images from the museum’s photographic archive will also be on display, and there will be some art and crafts for sale too.
THEATRE Macbeth 13 June 2012 [Venue] Waterperry Gardens, near Wheatley [Tickets] £17.50, concessions £13.50, matinee tickets £11 [Info] www.waterperrygardens.co.uk The Lord Chamberlain’s Men return to Waterperry Gardens with their production of Macbeth. Specialising in performing Shakespeare the way the Bard intended, the all male company will bring to life the story of the ruthlessly ambitious lord, who seizes the throne with the help of his wife and three witches!
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Portrait of Francis Basset, 1st Baron of Dunstanville, c.1778, by Pomeo Girolamo Batoni (1708 – 87) © Photographic Archive, Museum Nacional del Prado, Madrid
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MUSIC
WORKSHOP
Philharmonia Orchestra and Julian Lloyd Webber
Bushcraft Skills: Ancient Fire Lighting
15 June 2012
23 June 2012
[Venue] Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford [Tickets] £42, £28, £18 and £10 (concessions £5 off, under 18’s half price) [Info] www.musicatoxford.com
[Venue] Earth Trust Centre, Little Wittenham [Tickets] £75, friends £60 [Info] www.earthtrust.org.uk
Music at Oxford welcomes the Philharmonia back to close its season, and what a programme it has lined up! A veritable English summer feast, featuring works from Walton, Delius and Elgar. The orchestra will be joined by composer Martyn Brabbins and renowned soloist Julian Lloyd Webber, whose recording of the Delius Cello Concerto was described as ‘a version to treasure’ in Gramophone Magazine – a plaudit not often offered and hard to ignore.
FAMILY FRIENDLY My Mother Told Me Not to Stare 15 – 16 June 2012 [Venue] Pegasus, Oxford [Tickets] £8, concessions £6, under 18’s £5 [Info] www.pegasustheatre.org.uk A deliciously dark operetta for curious children and their grown ups. Told in operatic, gothic style by Theatre Hullaballoo, My Mother Told Me Not to Stare is the story of a young boy called Bobby Rogers, who notices that a child who was there one minute, is simply gone the next… My Mother Told Me Not To Stare
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Daniel Broncano
EXHIBITION Head Over Heels 16 June – 9 September 2012 [Venue] The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.tomocc.org.uk Discover stories from Oxfordshire's past and take a journey back in time with historical hats and supernatural shoes. Explore how these garments transform and transfix us. This exciting new exhibition features headwear and footwear collections brought together by the County, City, University and independent museums.
MUSIC Summer Afternoon Concert 17 June 2012 [Venue] St Edburg’s Church, Bicester [Tickets] £10, children £5 [Info] www.trinitycamerata.org What better way to spend a summer afternoon than listening to award winning clarinettist Daniel Broncano play alongside the excellent musicians of Trinity Camerata? Combine that with a rich programme that includes Stanford’s Clarinet Concerto, Suk’s Pohadka and Weber’s Oberon Overture, and you have a Midsummer Dream to remember.
Join this one day bushcraft course and find out how to make fire by friction – just like our ancestors did all those years ago. Learn a range of practical skills, including how to make a fire even in wet weather conditions without matches or a lighter.
EXHIBITION On Your Marks, Set…GO! 23 June – 23 September 2012 [Venue] Oxford Town Hall [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk A summer celebration of artwork inspired by Oxford’s sporting heritage, featuring sculpture, objects, film, books, an historical time line and even some dressing up! Researched, interpreted and created by local community groups, this exciting exhibition looks at everything from Oxford Olympians to local sporting heroes.
MUSIC OCM Youth Open 29 – 30 June 2012 [Venue] Pegasus, Oxford [Tickets] £5, concessions £3 [Info] www.pegasustheatre.org.uk Last year’s youth showcase was such a success that OCM and Pegasus are holding it again. Together, they will unearth the musical seedlings of the region, revealing the next generation of young musicians to look out for.
FAMILY FRIENDLY
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Picnic Afternoon
Old Town Party
23 June 2012
30 June 2012
[Venue] The Botanic Garden, Oxford [Tickets] £4, concessions £3 (including entry to garden) [Info] www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk
[Venue] Parsons Street, Church Lane and White Lion Walk, Banbury [Tickets] Free admission [Info] www.cherwell-dc.gov.uk/oldtownparty
Visit the Botanic Garden for a family afternoon celebrating the start of National Insect Week 2012. Bring a rug and a picnic (and yourselves, of course!), and enjoy a jam-packed afternoon of storytelling, music and insect based activities.
This is a free family event that at every turn offers something new to astound! Over the course of the day, a delightful part of Banbury will be brought to life by music, song, dance, theatre, magic, stilt-walkers, statues, history trails, brass rubbing and food tasting.
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
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Spring 2012
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Until 22 April Until 13 May Until December 18 February – 28 March 1 March 1 – 12 March 3 March 3 – 18 March 3 March – 28 April 3 March – 8 October 5 – 24 March 9 March 9 – 11 March 9 – 24 March 10 March 10 March 13 March 15 March – 1 April 16 March 17 March 22 March 22 March 23 March 23 – 24 March 24 March 24 – 25 March 24 March – 1 April 24 March, 28 April, 26 May 29 March – 28 April 30 March – 13 April 31 March – 15 April 1 – 7 April 1 April – 30 November 2 – 6 April 5 April – 6 May 5 April – 10 June 6 – 9 April 7 – 29 April 10 April 10 – 14 April 11 April 12 – 13 April 13 April 14 – 15 April 17 – 21 April 19 April 19 – 29 April 20 April 20 – 22 April 20 – 22 April 21 April – 10 June 22 April 27 April 27 – 29 April 28 April
Visions of Mughal India The Romance of the Middle Ages Children and War Dancin’ Oxford World Book Day Display: Jane Austen Oxford International Women’s Festival Speech Project Oxfordshire Science Festival Oxfordshire Craft Guild Exhibition John Piper: The Gyselnck Collection Hamlet Reel Women Ethical Fashion Symposium Chipping Norton Music Festival Swan Lake Commotio’s Spring Concert Some Like It Hotter Abingdon Arts Festival Stargazing About Time Mapdance Anjali Gala Performance Natalie Clein and Oxford Philomusica Music for Youth Regional Festival Spring Concert Lambing Weekend The Oxford Literary Festival Hand Printing Workshops The Odyssey Ferment Presents… The Big Easter Bunny Hunt Oxford Jazz Festival Arboretum Explorers’ Backpacks Robin Hood: Drama Workshops Brenda Hayden and Tom Crask Shezad Dawood: Piercing Brightness Easter at Blenheim Palace Losing the Thread The Search for Red Sprites Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! The Way Back Home Underneath the Floorboards 20th Anniversary Concert A Spring Weekend of Song Blood Wedding Oxford Philomusica Chamber Series Barbara Mercer – The Second Chamber DoubleDuo Oxford Folk Weekend Chipping Norton Literary Festival John Piper and the Church FUNomusica Family Concert Craig Ogden The Henley International Film Festival Pop Magic
Oxford Inspires 15-16 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AS Tel: 01865 252885 Fax: 01865 240261 Email: info@oxfordinspires.org Spring 2012
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CALENDAR 1 May 1 – 31 May 2 – 7 May 5 May 5 – 7 May 5 – 27 May 7 May 8 – 12 May 8 – 12 May 8 – 12 May 10 May 12 May 12 – 19 May 12 May – 14 July 13 May 16 May 17 May – 27 August 18 May 18 May 18 May XXX 19 May 20 May 25 May – 5 June 26 May 26 May – 9 June 28 May – 2 June 30 May – 10 June 1 June 1 – 2 June 1 – 5 June 2 June 2 – 4 June 2 – 5 June 2 – 5 June 2 – 5 June 2 – 5 June 2 June – 1 July 2 June – 29 September 4 June – 17 September 7 June 7 June 12 June – 11 August 13 June 15 June 15 – 16 June 16 June – 9 September 17 June 23 June 23 June 23 June 23 June – 23 September 29 – 30 June 30 June
May Morning Other Worlds Oxford May Music Festival Phoenix & Phaedra Holding Patterns May Day Weekend Oxfordshire Artweeks Braziers Park Open Day Henley Drama Festival Henry V Brookes at Pegasus Hero’s Life Charlotte’s Web Fine Art Degree Show Then and Now Museum Resource Centre Open House I, Elizabeth The English Prize Arve Henriksen and Trio Mediaeval Museums in Tune Night of Museums Levellers Day Family Prom Jubilee Churches Festival The Girl with the Iron Claws The Sunningwell Festival Hair Oxfringe Lore Lixenberg and Gregory Rose Wallingford Blues and Beer Festival English Music Festival Paper Plus South Newington Festival Jubilee Weekend at Cogges Manor Farm Jubilee Weekend at Blenheim Palace Best of Britain Weekend Abingdon’s Jubilee Celebrations Donning Oxford Sundials in Oxford Paul Cummins: Ceramic Flowers Victorian Oxford Family Day The Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco Good Sports! Macbeth Philharmonia Orchestra My Mother Told Me Not To Stare Head Over Heels Summer Afternoon Concert Picnic Afternoon Bushcraft Skills 1961 Re-enactment Concert On Your Marks, Set…GO! OCM Youth Open Old Town Party
www.oxfordinspires.org OXFORD INSPIRES Encouraging Culture Across Oxfordshire
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EXAMINATION
Schools
Oxford's largest city centre conference venue
the examination SchoolS, THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Exquisite Grade II listed Victorian building situated on the High Street Versatile space; ideal for day meetings, large sized academic and corporate conferences, exhibitions and gala dinners (200 people plus) Experienced support team to ensure your event is a success Competitive day delegate rates from ÂŁ35 per person
For more information visit www.examschools.ox.ac.uk or telephone 01865 276905 75-81 The High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG conferences@exams.ox.ac.uk
A force of nature
Three spectacular outdoor performances on a grand scale With the community at their heart, hundreds of dancers, singers and power-generating cyclists join forces to awaken a sleeping giant Saturday 30 June, Windsor Great Park Monday 9 July, South Park, Oxford Saturday 21 July, Stonor Park, Henley-on-Thames
http://www.thetreeoflight.org Project delivered by: Thames Arts, a consortium comprising CIAO! Festival, Henley Festival, Oxford Inspires and Windsor Festival.