Binsted Arts Festival
After 5 years, and a most successful Festival in June 2022, the organisers have decided not to put on a Binsted Arts Festival in 2023. We plan to return in 2024.
However, Binsted Arts is still supporting the 2023 South Downs Poetry Festival by assisting in the organisation of a poetry competition. For details of the competition and to download an entry form please see www.binsted.org/poetry-comp-23 . The prizegiving evening will be held in Binsted church in June 2023 (date to be confirmed). The form can also be found on the website of the South Downs Poetry Festival at www.sdpf.org.uk
The organisers' reason for suspending the Binsted Arts Festival in 2023 is that we are expecting the six-month-long ‘Examination in Public’ on the A27 Arundel bypass plan in 2023 (like a Public Inquiry into a planning application). The bypass would slice through the village of Binsted, 100m from the church, and events in Binsted church would become impossible. So we will need all our energies for that.
The bypass scheme proposed is so damaging to villages, heritage and environment, and so costly, that we believe there is a strong chance that the campaign to cancel it will succeed. Whether it is still on the table by then or not, we look forward to seeing you at the next Festival, in summer 2024.
About the Festival
The Binsted Arts Festival builds on the long-held attraction of Binsted near Arundel and the wider Sussex countryside for artists and writers.
It involves the local community and anyone with a feeling for these special places in artistic activity enjoyment and learning today, at locations in and around the village of Binsted. Events are in St Mary’s church, Binsted, BN18 0LL unless otherwise stated.
In 2020 and 2021, due to Covid, the Binsted Arts Festival was restricted to the Poetry Competition only:
CLICK HERE for the full 2022 Festival Programme
Click here for the 2022 Binsted Poetry Competition infoClick here for the 2021 Poetry Competition
Click here for hte 2020 Poetry CompetitionClick here to read the June 2019 Binsted Arts Festival Program
Click here to read the June 2018 Binsted Arts Festival Report
Click here to read the June 2017 Binsted Arts Festival Report
Click here to read the June 2016 Binsted Arts Festival Report
How you can join in
The Arts Committee would be happy to hear your thoughts and if you would like to contribute in any way, for example:
Would you like to contribute Art, Performance or Writing, or just be kept informed?
If you have ideas which might feature in one of our festivals or future publications, please Email Emma Tristram (Binsted Arts committee member).
If you have not received newsletters about the Festival before, please let us know your email address so we can keep in touch about the Arts Festival and any other Binsted Arts events.
Committee for Binsted Arts
All committee members are residents of or are otherwise connected with Binsted
Camilla Lambert (Chair) - former Walberton resident and poet, now Arundel
Emma Tristram (Secretary) - ed. 'Binsted & Beyond', writer, Binsted resident
Isabel Thurston (Treasurer) - Barnham resident
Melanie Penycate - Walberton resident and poet, The Forge Gallery
Susan McGowan - former Walberton resident, now Tangmere
Gilly McCadden - artist, Binsted resident
Susan Martineau - Walberton resident
Susan Elphick - Binsted resident
Joanna Shackleton - Walberton residentWebsite Mike Tristram - Binsted resident