Kenilworth Arts Festival took over Talisman Shopping Centre for a weekend filled with music, dancing and contemporary arts.
The festival, which was funded by Kenilworth Town Council with sponsorship from local business, saw hundreds of people enjoy performances on the eco stage despite rain across the weekend, as well as visitors accessing events in the Kenilworth Centre, Garden bar at the Pavilion and 23 Arts and Crafts Exhibits in Abbey End.
Alex Clarke, finalist of BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year, wowed fans with her quartet comprised of the UK’s finest jazz musicians on the Friday night.
On Saturday, events for all the family took centre stage with the likes of Bumbelina, Ugly Bugs Ball and Respire performing.
Visitors also stopped by at Kenilworth Books and had the chance to meet with a wide range of local artists, writers, illustrators and publishers.
Saturday night was brought to a close with an evening of live music from Interplay.
And finally, on Sunday, The Puppet Van was set-up on the eco stage and saw a performance from Half a String and a puppet making workshop.
The eco stage was set up surrounded by murals and gardens created by Kenilworth Arts Festival in partnership with Kenilworth Books and a fantastic group of volunteers. The stage is set to be available for use in the Kenilworth community following the festival.
Becky Webb, of Kenilworth Arts Festival, said: “It was great to be repurposing the car park for use as a performance space with such a varied selection.
“As a festival, our aims this year were to provide an outdoor celebration of storytelling, sustainability and wellbeing across multiple sites.
“We erred on the side of caution and planned for outdoor, socially distanced performances and although ticketed seats and benches within the square, our aim was to make each performance accessible to passers-by to enjoy.”
Hugo Hawkings, chief executive of Discovery Properties – the developers of Talisman Shopping centre – added: “It was our pleasure to host Kenilworth Arts Festival and to welcome so many people across the three-day programme of performances.
“The festival brought the square to life and the eco garden, combined with the new artworks and gardens, made for a magical setting.
“It is a fantastic event for the town and we look forward to continuing to work with Kenilworth Arts Festival in the years to come.”
Kenilworth Arts Festival will be organising a series of one-off events soon. Go to www.kenilworthartsfestival.co.uk
