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
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
Emma from Wilful Ink paints strange and unusual animals. She focuses on the blackest of black backgrounds and the brightest colours possible when creating artwork. This artist is always looking for the bizarre and beautiful in the natural world choosing things like fireflies, peacock mantis shrimp, bioluminescent mushrooms and sea slugs to paint!
Come have a go with her to create your own watercolour pen creature! Emma’s Website is here
PERFORMING AT THE CLOCK TOWER
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
Mark Venus Band
The Mark Venus Band will be performing at the Clock Tower at ArtsFest Coleford on Saturday 1st June. With their new track The Garden. https://www.facebook.com/mark.venus.music
We are very fortunate that Wild Oats Morris, a Forest of Dean mixed Morris side will be joining us at Coleford ArtsFest on Saturday 1st June. They will be joining the first Parade at 12 noon and performing at the Clock Tower at 1.30pm.
John Slaters’ ‘Save the Wye’ Poetry Salmon at the Clock Tower
The poetry salmon project involves members of the community writing haikus from deconstructed river poems by local writers. The haikus will be stuck onto the salmon, which will be displayed swimming through a submerged forest, in a sea of plastic. Read more
https://www.facebook.com/johnslaterart
https://www.instagram.com/johnslaterart/
www.johnslaterart.wordpress.com
The Youth Theatre will be performing a short piece from their Warren James play at 2pm at the Baptist Church and that will be followed by a free Youth Theatre workshop from 2.30-3.30 for local children to join in with, no booking required just pop along to the Baptist Church on the day.
Colours of the Forest – Jenny Cashmore, in partnership with Wydlwood Arts.
FREE! Come and get your nails painted in our pop up nail bar, Colours of the Forest. Select from a unique colour range of nail polishes which all relate to aspects of the Forest of Dean. The colour palette has been created in collaboration with local communities asking; What makes the area unique? What colour is it?
Wear the essence of the Forest of Dean on your nails! Colours of the Forest is an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone to join in – do pop in! www.jennycashmore.com
Instagram @jennycashmore
We are very excited that the Engage Circus from Artspace will be joining us at Coleford ArtsFest on Saturday 1st June 1-4pm. They will be outside the Main Place offering circus skills fun for all the family. This is a FREE event.
EVENTS HAPPENING BEFORE THE FESTIVAL : GET INVOLVED!
24th May, 4-6pm,
28th May 1-3pm
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 with local author and poet Maggie Clutterbuck will be working with Coleford based artist Doug Eaton. Click to sign up now!
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!
Canopy Creative Network 