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Our new Online Entry System will be open for entries from 1^st May.

In the meantime, please note you will need to visit our On-Line Entry page to submit entries. Paper and email entries will no longer be accepted. Entry Fees must be paid at the time of entry by BACS. No cheques. Please note: Refunds will not be issued once entries have been submitted. Please see Syllabus for support page 11. Please refer to the Syllabus for class number and name before making an entry. Entry closing date: 30^th September 2024.

The RWB Arts Festival is a competitive arts festival for both children and adults that takes place annually. The Festival covers music, speech, drama, musical theatre, classical guitar, and dance. We are affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals (BIFF) which is the umbrella body for performing arts festivals throughout the UK and beyond.

Dance

Dance takes place across two weekends with a wide range of classes. We also have a Novice section, open to those who have never been placed 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd with a mark of 82 or above at any festival before. A great opportunity for newly fledged dancers! Once achieved, successful performers must return to the Open section.

Music

The Music Festival covers classes in Piano, Vocal and Instrumental. NEW THIS YEAR are Baroque Solo classes in Piano, and Song in a Foreign Language in Singing. The Vocal section also includes classes for Novice, Sacred and Spiritual, Pop, Folk Songs, Disney, Recital and Choirs. In Instrumental we have Strings, Woodwind and Brass, including an Electronic Keyboard section, and Traditional Music from any Country played on any traditional instrument. Music also has a specialist Classical Guitar section which includes Acoustic Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin classes.

Composition Classes

Do look at our Solo Composition Classes for Guitar, Voice or for any instrument and enjoy composing your own music!

Speech & Drama

We have classes for Solo, Duo and Group work in many disciplines. The Novice classes cover Verse and Acting. Once won, performers must return to the Open Section. We also have Shakespeare Performance, Memorised Prose, Public Speaking, Mime, Prose Reading including Television News Reading where entrants can be filmed to present the news. NEW THIS YEAR is the return of the Duo-Verse Class by popular request. Do also see our Group Themed Mime Class where masks and props can be used which have never been included in mime before.

Musical Theatre

Taking place alongside Speech & Drama we offer Solo, Duo and Group Classes. Entrants can share their musical skills combining singing, acting and choreography.

Competitions

If you enjoy composing, do enter our Poetry Competition for all ages and our Radio Script Writing Competition. The winning play will be performed and broadcast on local radio. Entries via our Online Entry System. Closing Date: 30^th October 2024.

Highlights Concert

The Festival culminates with a Highlights Concert, which will take place the February following the Festival and will showcase outstanding performers who are invited to return and perform their work with an audience of family, friends and local dignitaries.

Our annual Highlights Concert to showcase festival excellence from the 2023 Festival takes place on Friday 2nd February. It takes place at Royal Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall and there is plenty of parking available.

You can get your free tickets here.

Doors open at 6pm and the concert runs from 6.30pm – 9.30pm.

Our new Radio Play Writing competition was a hit this year. We had lots of entries and the winners were:

Joshua Mannacherry (u18) 82

Abel Tharakan (u18) 82

Gillian Brain (u18) 84

And the overall winner was:
Andrew Barber (adult) 86     

Congratulations all!

The Festival will now run over THREE weekends in November. 11th & 12th November will be Dance and Classical Guitar, 18th & 19th November will be Speech & Drama, Musical Theatre and Dance and 25th & 26th November will be Music which will include Singing, Piano and Instrumental.

Guitar

Introducing a new Beginners Class in Graded Solos for those who have had up to twelve months tuition.

Introducing a Plucked Strings Family Ensemble where two or more members from the same family can present a piece together.

Novice Grades are now for anyone who would like a performance opportunity – not just adults!

The Composition Class has now introduced a class for age 16 years and over.

Also to remember the Ukulele, Mandolin and Acoustic instruments are part of the Classical Guitar Section.

Music

Following the popularity with the Disney Singing Classes in 2022 there are now three new classes for School Years 10 & 11, School Years 12 & 13 and Adults.

The Piano section have introduced three new classes for Primary, Secondary and Adults to perform any piece by any German composer

 There are also three new Pupil and Teacher Duet Classes for Primary, Secondary and Adults. (Teachers won’t be adjudicated).

Very exciting! The Instrumental Section has introduced three new Recital Classes and Electronic Keyboard Classes for Primary, Secondary and adults.

There is also a new section where Traditional Music from any Country can be showcased, suitable for Solos, Duets and Ensembles. 

Musical Theatre

Solo classes have been introduced for Year 4 & under and Year 5.

Duo classes now have a Year 5 & under class.

Dance

Dance have introduced NOVICE Classes for Solo Ballet, Solo Tap, Solo Song and Dance, Solo Modern / Lyrical, Solo Character and solo National.

Speech & Drama

There is a new Duo-Mime Class for Year 4 and under.

Sight Reading Class Year 6 & under have a new book by local author, Alex Evelyn – The Secret Wild. Alex will be joining the festival this Autumn to speak with entrants after the class to see how much they enjoyed the book and characters, and maybe with some tips on how to be an author!

Competitions

We have a new Radio Play Writing Competition. We invite potential authors to write a ten-minute play for radio. The winning play may be produced, performed, recorded and broadcast on local radio, the RWBAF website and digital media by members of The Western Players. 

The Poetry Competition is now open to Adults!