Profile Description
There’s something irresistible about the combination of summer, the seaside and wonderful music in the air. The Deal Festival is a unique celebration of all three – great classical and contemporary music from some of the world’s finest music-makers, as well as theatre, opera, cinema and dance.
Deal Music & Arts has been bringing the best in arts and culture to East Kent for nearly 40 years, and in that time we have welcomed many of the world’s greatest artists. Over those years, we have evolved from a summer festival to a year-round organisation that maintains that vibrant festival and supports a series of education programmes. We are very proud to benefit the cultural life and local economy of East Kent.
We bring the highest standards of artistic experience, supporting local and regional communities, and we welcome artists of international stature. We present events in a range of locations, from historic castles and gardens to art galleries, from theatres to ancient churches.
We run a series of music and arts education programmes that support around a third of the schools in our area.
We are a catalyst for arts partnerships and provide platforms for artistic collaboration, creativity and innovation.
We contribute to the social, economic and cultural regeneration of East Kent.
We inspire, inform, entertain and educate.
You can experience Deal Music & Arts in a variety of ways. You can visit our 16-day Summer Festival and enjoy world class music and art in this beautiful and historic corner of England, which encompasses the ancient ports of Deal, Sandwich and Dover. You can take part in our inclusive Summer Music School. You can participate in one or more of our education programmes, or you can work with us as a volunteer, becoming part of the Deal Music & Arts family.
Interview
Describe what your organisation does.
It runs year-round education projects throughout the year in Deal, Dover and Sandwich and a weekly Music Centre at Goodwin Academy in Deal. It runs a yearly Festival and is now in its 5th decade.
Tell us briefly about the people in your organisation. Where do they come from? What’s their background?
Our Artistic Director lives in London and is a composer having worked as composer in residence for Glyndebourne. One of our Board is from Mongeham, and she is CEO of Visit Kent. We have a small staff and one is local the other two live in Canterbury.
Why did you start your organisation? What are your reasons? What's your story? How did it all start?
It started in 1982 and ran workshops and then it became a Festival.
What do you like best about being part of your organisation?
Every year there are many exciting artists who we invite to appear and so it is always a challenge. Our education work grows from year to year and is very fulfilling.
What is your organisation's golden moment so far?
Being awarded Festival of the Year !
Describe a memorable response to your work as an organisation? The way people responded to your work? What was their reaction? What did they say?
The fact that people come back year after year. The response from parents when their children perform.
What is the most exciting part of your work at the moment?
Planning the 2023 Festival
What is your organisation's dream project?
A large community opera
Address
Deal CT14, , Deal, Kent, United Kingdom, CT14
Location
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Opening hours - Details
Details of Deal Festival 2023 will be posted as and when we get them.
Details of other events that run throughout the year will be posted on our What’s On and News pages. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates.