The Festival
Abergavenny Arts Festival celebrates the arts in their broadest sense, aiming to be as inspiring, inclusive and affordable as possible. The Festival always aims to showcase amateur and professional artists from the vibrant local arts scene as well as welcoming exciting artists and art practitioners from further afield.
We hope that local residents, community groups, schools, businesses and visitors – of all ages and artistic tastes – will join in the fun at the Festival.
Get involved!
If you’d like to get involved creatively but haven’t yet made contact with us, please send details of any work or event you’d like to be considered for the programme including ‘Creative’ in the subject line.
We also need volunteer stewards, so please email us with heading “Volunteering” if you would like to help out.
We are very grateful for the financial and practical support being offered by Festival Friends, Donors and Sponsors. If you are interested in supporting the Festival in this way, please email us with ‘Friends, Donors and Sponsors’ in the subject line.
About Us
The Abergavenny Arts Festival is being facilitated by the voluntary group Arts Abergavenny. It is supported by a growing network of artists, community groups, volunteers, businesses, sponsors and friends who are passionate about public education and participation in, and appreciation of, the arts in this area.
All proceeds will be reinvested in the next Festival and other arts-related activities and events throughout the year. The frequency of such activities and events will be decided by Arts Abergavenny with the support of the network.
Where?
Abergavenny is a welcoming and bustling market town at the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
There is very good local accommodation and shopping, a wide range of heritage attractions and outdoor activities, and easy access both by public transport and the major roads network.
What to Expect
Our programme is currently being created, though we can announce LoubyLou Storytelling, Dance Blast, and the Youth Theatre as examples!
We will be based at the Abergavenny Castle, with music, arts, crafts, and performance. We have introduced a Fringe Festival this year – inviting all the town businesses, shops and any other venues to offer their windows for the Window Art Trail, and/or to run an events and donate some funds towards our free acvities and workshops – all such events will feature in our porgrammes and website.
We welcome, at the Festival, painting, dance, drawing, sculpture, jewellery, collage, felting, theatre, photography, performance, film, poetry, pottery, procession, ceramics, music and comedy as well as site-responsive art, singing, street art, knitting and some experimental art work – do contact us if you have any exciting ideas!
This year, as every year, there will be plenty of opportunities to ‘have a go’ with workshops and short ‘make it/take it’ sessions. To keep us all fed and watered, there will be a range of street food stands at the Castle, catering for all dietary requirements and all ages.
The stage will be home to bands, choirs and other performers, and from 2024 we are introducing the “Youth Open Mic”, running from 10:00am to 11:30am, open to anyone aged 8 to 18… bring along your guitar, juggling act, songs or dance, and show off your skills!