Festival Begins This Week!

Book online here and see the Booking Tickets section for Box Office contacts and opening times.

Welcome...

Canterbury is a special city and few would dispute that the Cathedral is its heart. The Festival, the Cathedral and its Friends have been entwined since the late 1920’s producing a series of Cathedral Plays between 1928 and 1948 that brought the Church and the Theatre together in a way not seen since medieval times, and allowed challenging questions of Faith to be explored through drama.

As a curtain-raiser this year, we reinvigorated this tradition out of which our Festival was born, and working with the Dean and Chapter and theatre company Paines Plough presented a new Cathedral Play - Dallas Sweetman by Sebastian Barry - in September. With funding from the Arts Council, the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral and Canterbury City Council the sacred, civic and cultural communities combine in this extraordinary theatrical event. Click here to find out more about the commission and read the reviews!

And that’s just for starters! We are delighted to be hosting the Radio Television Orchestra of Albania as they make their first ever tour to the UK. Legendary theatre company Footsbarn roll into town, setting up their beautiful tent and presenting a magical A Midsummer Night’s Dream for all the family, and our focus sharpens on all things Literary as we celebrate 40 years of the Man Booker Prize.

The 2008 Festival programme is available on this website now - go to the Event diary page or the Production pages for full information on this year's Festival events. 

To receive a FREE Festival brochure with full details on all Festival events please email the Festival Office.

Come out to Play at Canterbury Festival – see you there!

Rosie Turner

Festival Director

 

.....................................................

For the most up-to-date information on Festival events please join our e-list by clicking here.

The Canterbury Festival enews bulletin can now be mailed to you, monthly, to keep you up to date with all the latest Festival news, forthcoming events and future plans!  To join is simple and absolutely free, just follow the link and add your email to our Mailing List.

 

              

Our website On our website you will find full details of all the events, companies and artists in the 2008 Festival. You will also find practical information for 2008 on how to book tickets, where to park, and how to find our venues. We are very grateful for the support we receive from our funders, sponsors, vice-presidents, and corporate members. Would you like to have priority booking on all festival events? Why not help to support the future of the Festival by becoming a Friend? Visit the Friends page for information on all the benefits could you receive for as little as £20. Happy Exploring!

 

 

 

Funders

                      

        

 

Principal Sponsors      

    

Media Partners

  

 

Sponsors

              

                                                

                   

 

     

               

                                       

                             

 

Trusts and Patrons

The Sir John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust / The Tory Family Foundation / The RG Hills Charitable Trust / The Seary Charitable Trust / The Sunley Foundation / Mr and Mrs James Bird / Richard Sturt / Dr Mark Rake and Mrs Jill Jordan / Canterbury Festival Foundation (Friends)