New Mills Festival venue has a jam-packed line up

While & Matthews will be performing at Spring Bank Arts Centre in New Mills this autumn. Pic submitted

It’s just weeks until New Mills Festival takes over the town and one venue is already looking forward to a busy program of events.

The annual two week festival in New Mills is a celebration of arts and culture and this year will be running from Friday September, 8 to Saturday September, 30.

One of the venues hosting gigs and performances is the Spring Bank Arts Centre.

Laura Gibson, arts and activities coordinator for the centre said: “As part of the local community we are supporting the New Mills Festival 2023 and have a wide range of events on offer.”

Bryony Griffith and Alice Jones will be taking to the stage at Spring Bank Arts Centre next month. Pic submitted

Kicking things off first is Chris Wood Live on Sunday September, 10 at 7.30pm.

Laura said: “In a world of soundbites and distractions Chris Wood is a truth seeker.

“His writing is permeated with love and wry intelligence, uplifting and challenging as he celebrates the sheer one-thing-after-anotherness of life.”The folk singer is the winner of the 6 BBC Folk Awards and has played with The Royal Shakespeare Company.

Laura said: “A wise and soulful craftsman, his concerts are a cliche free zone.”

Go on a journey with Chris Dobrowolski's Toy Stories at the Spring bank Arts Centre. Pic submitted

On Friday September, 15 Toy Stories with Chris Dobrowolski will take to the stage.

Laura said: “Toy Stories sees Chris dig up some metaphorical ghosts of the past, as well as a real German tank dating from the Second World War, and reminds us how little has changed in populist politics between then and now.

“He is part stand-up comedy, part performance lecture, and Toy Stories takes the audience on an irreverent adventure through art, contemporary politics and twentieth-century history.”

Rant Violins will be performing on Friday September, 22 a decade on from their first performance - and with 3 acclaimed albums under their belt.

Spring Bank Arts Centre will be welcoming Rant Violins this autumn. Pic submitted

Laura said: “Rant remain at the forefront of the Scottish fiddle scene. The meeting of four of the country’s finest players, the quartet use just their fiddles to weave a tapestry of melodies, textures, layers and sounds.

“They create a sound which is both spacious and lush, yet retaining all the earthy bite and spark synonymous with a Scottish fiddle player.”

Bryony Griffith and Alice Jones will be playing on Friday September, 29.

The singers have existed for years at the heart of the UK folk scene.

Laura said: “Together they have become a force and are turning heads far beyond the Dales and moorland that they sing about.”

Bryony is one of England’s most highly regarded fiddle players and Alice has grown up steeped in traditional music and dance from a young age and has performed at most of the prestigious folk festivals in the UK.

After the festival there will still be live entertainment with Two Pianos - unplugged performing on Friday October, 20 taking the audience on a history of rock and roll music.

While & Matthews will be on stage a week later on Friday October, 27 and are internationally acclaimed on the UK’s acoustic/roots arts circuit.

Ticket prices vary for performance but to see the full list of events happening at the Spring Bank Arts Centre visit their website on.wegottickets.com/springbankarts or call 01663 308202.