Wootton Bassett Arts Festival
The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is a competitive arts festival. The festival covers music, speech, drama, creative writing and art. It takes place in Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, England, annually in June. The festival is open to all ages.
History
The festival started in 2005. At that time it consisted of music and art only. It was intended to be a biannual event with the second festival taking place in 2007, however, following the considerable increase in entries in the 2009 festival the organizers changed to an annual event.
Music
The music section includes classes in woodwind, brass, strings, vocal (choirs, songs from shows, modern pop songs, sacred songs and operetta), Piano, Ensemble and Junior Accompanist. Musical genres covered include Jazz, Folk, Blues and Rock. The Music Section takes place in the Memorial Hall and St. Bartholomew and All Saints Church, both in Wootton Bassett.
Speech and Drama
Classes in this section are Verse Speaking, Mime, Solo, Duologue and Group Acting, Prose Reading and Prose from Memory, Bible Reading, Shakespeare Acting, Public Speaking, Youth Debating and Logical Grumbling. The venues for the Speech and Drama Section are the Civic Centre and Noremarsh Primary School, both in Wootton Bassett.
Creative Writing
Creative Writing covers Poetry Writing, Short Story Writing, Sonnet, Monologue, Duologue, Report Writing for Primary aged children and Journalism. This Section takes place in the Memorial Hall, Wootton Bassett.
Art
Painting, Drawing, Photography and 3-D Artwork are included in this section. The exhibition of all entries is on the ground floor of the Civic Centre, Wootton Bassett.
Highlights Concert
The festival culminates with a Highlights Concert where outstanding performers of the Festival share their work with an audience of family, friends and local dignitaries including the Mayor of Wootton Bassett.
BIFF
Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals (BIFF). BIFF is the umbrella body for performing arts festivals throughout the UK and beyond. The Adjudicators in the Music and Speech and Drama sections of the Festival are appointed through BIFF.