artsFEST Coleford

Let’s create something special together

Celebrating Creative Communities…

through a series of arts festivals within the region of the Forest of Dean starting with artsFEST Coleford in June!

We have a great line up of activities for you to enjoy! Free for all ages!

June 1st from noon

FREE ENTRY

Parade featuring local schools, musicians, & morris dancers. Live performances, exhibitions railway museum at Coleford Library, Clock Tower & Baptist Church. Free Drop-In Art Workshops including printing & encaustic art. Sign up on day. Event for all ages. 

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Lots of activities happening in advance so stay stuned across social media and newsletters to find out how you can get involved and join the fun!

PROGRAMME OF FESTIVAL EVENTS

Parade 1 from 12 noon
starting from outside Coleford Library

Coalway Junior School, and St John’s C of E Academy with performances and art work.

DJABOT

Youth Theatre

Wild Oats Morris

Batik Banners and flags created at local workshops

Parade 2 from 2.15pm
starting from outside Coleford Library

The Samba Band

Wild Oats Morris

The Climate Choir

Dancing Dragon!

At the CLOCKTOWER
Performances by (Approx. Times)

12.35pm Pillowell Silver Band

1.30pm Wild Oats Morris

2.00pm DJABOT

2.45pm The Climate Choir and Everybody Sing

3.30pm Mark Venus

4.30pm The Samba Band

Also at the CLOCKTOWER

John Slaters Poetry Salmon

Wyldwood Colours of the Forest Nail bar

Information stands

At The Baptist Church, Newland Street
FREE Arts Workshops for all the family
From 1pm – 4pm. Pop in and drop into a free workshop. No pre booking required.

Drypoint Print making with Sarah Delahoy
Encaustic Art (Painting with wax) with Jane Foot
Watercolour pen pictures with Emma O’Brennan

Upstairs at the Baptist Church
2pm – 2.30pm – FoD Youth Theatre perform part of their Warren James play, its FREE come and watch!

2.30 – 3.30pm – FoD Youth Theatre offer a FREE children’s drama workshop. No prebooking required just pop in to take part.

Outside the Baptist Church
2pm – 2.45pm – FREE come and sing, have a go with Kirsty

Other Venue
The Great Western Railway Museum, Coleford will be open from 12 noon. Pop in and learn about this local history. FREE entry to the Great Western Railway Museum with this programme. Free entry with this programme is only available during ArtsFest Coleford on Saturday 1st June. For more information about the museum visit

EVENTS HAPPENING BEFORE THE FESTIVAL : GET INVOLVED!

CREATE A BEAUTIFUL BATIK BANNER TO BE FLOWN AT THE artsFEST COLEFORD PARADE

FREE Art Workshop in Batik, May 2024
Join us for an exciting morning of batik at Canopy Workshops! Learn the traditional art of batik, a technique of wax-resist dyeing that creates beautiful patterns on fabric that will form a banner. Our experienced artist and tutor Joanne Callaghan will guide you through the process, from designing your own pattern to applying the wax and dye. No experience necessary – just bring your creativity and enthusiasm! Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to learn a new skill and contribute to a masterpiece that will be showcased on the artsFEST Coleford Parade. Click to sign up now!

24th May, 4-6pm, Coleford Library

FREE but booking required to reserve your spot. Adults and Children Age 12+

A unique opportunity to attend a creative writing workshop in Coleford Library. Local author and poet Maggie Clutterbuck will be working with Coleford based artist Doug Eaton.  Doug will be in the process of painting a work inspired by the Forest of Dean and Maggie will help participants discover new approaches to viewing, reflecting and responding to a painter and his painting. Click to sign up now!

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

ART WORKSHOPS AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH


1st June, 1-4pm, Coleford artsFEST

These are FREE drop in workshops, you can sign up on the day by popping down to the Baptist Church, Newland Street

Drypoint Print Workshop

Sarah Delahoy is a Printmaker based in the Forest of Dean, she creates dry point, Collagragh and Linocut prints all designed and hand made by Sarah.  Sarah will be offering FREE drypoint print art workshops at ArtsFest Coleford on Saturday 1st June from 1pm – 4pm at the Baptist Church.

Encaustic Art Workshop

Jane is an Encaustic Artist who paints with molten beeswax, building up layers with wax, pigment and collage before fusing them together with a heat gun or blow torch. This ancient process is called ‘Encaustic’ and stems from the Greek word ‘enkaustikos’, meaning ‘to burn in’. View her website 

PERFORMING AT THE CLOCK TOWER

Performing at the Clock Tower DURING artsFEST Coleford Saturday 1st June, festival starts at 12 noon. 

We are very excited that Pillowell Silver Band will be performing at ArtsFest Coleford. They are celebrating 135 years of Pillowell Silver Band this year as the first ever performance of the band was on 19th April 1989.

A very friendly traditional village brass band based in the tiny Forest of Dean village of Pillowell, Pillowell Silver Band has been around since 1889 and is still thriving. With a strong contingent of players from Pillowell and the Forest of Dean the future of brass in this corner of the Forest of Dean looks bright indeed.  The band enjoys a reputation for entertaining and can often be heard playing locally in the Pillowell area and throughout the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire and beyond.

Check them our in advance! Click here