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There's more to the festival than just art...
Dear friends,
I'm doing my best to stay calm here at Waterperry though it feels like there was plenty of time before the show started and now it feels like there is none!
Tents are springing up everywhere! The Storytelling Tent will soon go up reminding me of all the other performing artists that go hand in hand with the visual arts. We have some special guests arriving from India as well as Spanish Flamenco dancers who will keep you entertained in the beautiful amphitheatre (tucked behind the Garden shop!)
On Monday Simon from Snowdens and his team put up the massive market tent. They started on the big Practical Classes tent this morning. Then I asked them to move it three feet to the left. Simon's smile did not falter. Some of his team looked a little less joyous. Probably the football.
I run around telling anyone in a forklift to stay off the grass and they usually look innocent even though I can see great big tire-tracks leading to the vehicle they are sitting in!
Chris and his team from Attwools had already put up most of the tents on the front lawns before suddenly disappearing to some canvas based emergency on the other side of England.
Fingers crossed they return in time!
Due to an admin error, Jackie and Kate, section heads, will be getting hard flooring in Lettering Art and Textiles respectively after all. They will be delighted! Humph!
This morning Will, the farmer who owns the parking field, drove me around the soggy areas of the field on the back of his quad bike between doe-eyed calves.
My current advice is: bring wellies and share a car with a friend who has a 4x4! Do park where you are directed to and stay on the high ground. We will be putting down as much track-way as we can, of course, and you will be looked after whatever occurs.
I never used to worry much about the weather.
It's gonna be great!
Toes crossed.
Simon Buchanan
Performing Arts and Music
Performances from a wide spectrum of cultures will be staged in Waterperry’s Amphitheatre throughout all four days of the show.
These performances are highly recommended if you would like to experience a variety of performances from around the world, and entrance is free.
Thursday 14th July
Pooka Theatre Company
The Pooka Theatre Company produces contemporary and classical plays with fresh insight to ordinary or extraordinary stories.
Join us for their 1 hour show at 11.30am on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday or at 11.00am on Sunday.
Saturday 16th July
Viva Flamenco
Viva Flamenco is a group of four artists (two dancers, guitarist and singer) taken from the flamenco dance company of that name, and they will perform a selection of authentic styles from Andalucia in Southern Spain.
Viva Flamenco will be performing their 1 hour show on Thursday and Friday at 4.30pm, on Saturday at 12.45pm and on Sunday at 1.15pm. Not to be missed!
To find out more about Viva Flamenco, visit http://vivaflamenco.com
Friday 15th July
Gopal Barman & Shiv Shankar Ray
Shiv Shankar Ray is a performer and teacher of Tabla, the classical percussion drums from Northern India. Shiv Shankar Ray is known for his subtle and sensitive style of accompaniment to complement and highlight the mastery of his co-artists. (Rahul Chatterjee and Gopal Barman).
See these classical Indian music performances on Thursday and Friday at 12.45pm, Saturday at 4.30pm and Sunday at 3.30pm.
To find out more about Shiv Shankar Ray, visit Shivshankarray.net
Sunday 17th July
Shubhada Varadkar
Shubhada Varadkar will perform Odissi, an Indian classical dance from the eastern part of India. Based on the sculptures' poses on the temples of Konark and Puri, Odissi is one of the most graceful and lyrical classical dances of India.
Shubhada Varadkar will be performing her 1 hour show at 1.45pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and at 12.45pm on Sunday.
To find out more about Shubhada, visit odissishubhada.com
StorytellingIf you have children with you don't miss the special magic in the storytelling tent! Stories are open to all ages, and will run throughout the day. The Pumpkin Players are a London-based company creating original drama and new writing at festivals around the UK. The Players bring together artists from many performance disciplines, such as costume, performance, writing and art. This year they will be performing, “The Girl Who Helped Thunder”. This stormy story originates from the Muskogee people of North America and tells the extraordinary tale of a very brave girl who had a kind heart and how she came to meet Old Man Thunder. Come and join in her thrilling adventures, shoot some arrows (!) and discover new lands. This interactive tale will bring laughs and excitement to the whole family. There will be a small charge of £2 for adults and £1 for children for each story. 
Check out the MarketIn the market you will find the perfect gifts for family and friends from masters of the arts of jewellery, textiles, woodwork and glassblowing. Here's a preview of this year's stalls: Yo Fancy: Luxury felting design inspired by nature with Baroque twist Felting art and couture design inspired by Art Nouveau and Baroque styles. It connects traditions with innovation, making every piece unique. Rhian Malin: Rhian Malin Ceramics - Hand Held Vessels The portfolio of contemporary ceramicist Rhian Malin. Forest + Found: Woodworking . Quilting . Natural Dyeing A sustainable craft and design partnership set up by Max Bainbridge and Abigail Booth in 2014 to produce contemporary wooden objects and hand stitched textiles. Moth and Mirror: Beautiful Things. Moth and Mirror aims to create beautiful things by fusing the textures and sheen of lush wood with the fire and light of precious metals. Shop for household items such as wooden bowls to unique art objects. Festival preparations...Rescuing a 26 tonne truck from the mud this week and tents going up all over the place! 
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Last chance to volunteer!There are many ways to help at Art in Action – volunteers are needed to join teams providing general services and teams serving the artists more directly:
CASS Art Summer GiveawayThe Cass Art Summer Giveaway is back for 2016 and this year, it's bigger than ever with over £15,000 worth of prizes. From luxury art sets to high end stationary, art classes to art prints - there's something to capture everyone's attention. For your chance to win, enter here before midnight on 31 August 2016. 
Latest events in the GardensJULY - 8th & 9th: Theatre - The Magic Flute. Opera Anywhere presents this special performance at Waterperry Gardens. Details here JULY - 29th: Play of Light: Accurate Watercolour MarkMaking. How light falls on the visual world is crucial to painting, whatever subject or style. Suitable for all levels. Details here JULY - 30th: Play of Light: Speedy Watercolour MarkMaking. Experiment with speeding up your watercolour techniques to inject life, movement, and colour into your work. Suitable for all levels including beginners. Details here |
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
Vincent Van Gogh
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4 St Oswald’s Studios | Sedlescombe Road | SW6 1RH | London | UK
info@artinaction.org.uk
020 7381 3192