The Sydenham Arts Festival

Summer is now well and truly upon us, and there are festivals galore: music festivals like Brentwood Festival, and those of a more general nature.

The idea of a Sydenham Arts Festival was first mooted in 2008 by Jonathan Kaufman and Geraldine Cox of Kirkdale Bookshop. Kaufman is also the brains behind the theatre group Spontaneous Productions, so it was inevitable that acting would become a major element of any future event.

The first festival was held in July the following year with the assistance of a £10,000 grant to the newly formed holding company from Lewisham Council. The festival has grown steadily, and last year saw 90+ events over the two weeks.

This year’s festival will run from July 5 to July 20. There are no booking fees for any of the events, and many are free. Most are family friendly, but there are a few that are strictly adults only.

Full information about all the events can be found in the brochure handed out in Sydenham, and for the rest of the world on the dedicated website, but some of the highlights are likely to be the launch event held at various locations including the new Venner Square at the junction of Venner Road and the high street, Sydenham Road; a special film workshop for 12-19 year olds held at a local youth centre, and an arts in the park event for all the family on the last day of the festival.

Video clips from previous festivals can be found on YouTube; Sydenham Arts Festival also has its own Facebook page.

[The above article was published originally June 2, 2014.]

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