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Arts Festival forms part of St Mary’s 200th anniversary
29/03/2022
The Bishop of Dorchester will officially open the bicentennial seven month event
St Mary’s Church in Banbury will mark its 200th anniversary this year and as part of the celebrations the Bishop of Dorchester will officially open an Arts Festival on Sunday April 10. The festival will run for seven-months and showcase the best of local art and creativity through a number of events.
It will include choral performances and music recitals, poetry workshops, craft fairs, dance classes, quiet days and talks from local authors.
An impressive origami art installation will feature thousands of origami cranes created by local groups. Titled “Colours of Banbury”, it will be on display from July to August as a symbol of peace, flourishing, and reconciliation.
Wellbeing will be a focus of the festival with a dedicated Wellbeing Wednesday at least monthly, and workshops throughout the period, highlighting key issues such as how important a healthy rural life is for everyone.
The Revd Sarah Bourne, Chaplain for the Arts at the church, has been heading up the festival. She said: “The past two years have taken a real toll on all of us, the nature of our lives has changed so much, and many people are still anxious about leaving their homes.
“Wellbeing is a significant issue for all of us at present, including children and young people, so by incorporating this into the festival we hope that we can help people to experience the positive impact of the arts on their mental wellbeing.”
Sarah hopes people from all walks of life will be brought together by the festival.
She added: “One of our key aims is to bring people from the community, of all faiths and none, into the magnificent church building so that they can experience the beauty of the interior but also find a space that is for them, where they feel welcome and can meet together.
“We want to encourage people with their God-given creativity, to nurture this gift and provide opportunities for them to use it as a way of finding God at work in their lives.
“Banbury has a very ethnically diverse population and some of the most socially deprived areas in the country, so getting the whole community involved in something they might not have done before and bringing them together is really important.”
More information on the festival can be found here. A copy of our flyer is available here and free brochures are available from St Mary’s Church, the Town Hall, the Museum and other public buildings in Banbury.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam