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Sky Arts Den
Come along to the Sky Arts Den where you can relax in between Festival events and enjoy free performances from live music to spoken word. Or learn something new with our free creative classes throughout the day. Learn to paint with watercolours, draw a still life, make pottery – or learn to jive and swing dance. Plus, you can make a creative wish come true by voting for a local emerging artist Sky Arts in championing – giving them a chance to win £1,000.
‘A really electric atmosphere – it seems like everything is happening here.’ Sky Arts Den participant
SKY ARTS DEN ITINERARY
FREE workshops and performances.
Below is the schedule of creative classes and performances taking place in the Sky Arts Den throughout Brighton Festival 5th – 13th May. Find us in the Pavilion Gardens, Brighton.
No booking required — simply turn up and join in with these free activities. Places for workshops are limited so you are advised to arrive early or sign up beforehand.
The workshops are delivered at a relaxed pace in a friendly, supportive atmosphere and are suitable for all ages and levels; from newcomers to those wishing to develop existing skills.
Saturday 5 May
Opening times: 10:00 – 18:00
10:00 – 11:00 Workshop: Learn Watercolour Still Life Painting with Amy Alderson. All levels welcome
11:30 – 12:00 Performance: Ben Mellor: winner of the BBC Radio 4 National Poetry Slam and one of the UKs finest poets www.benmellor.net Suitable for all ages
12:00 – 12:30 Talk: The Sky Arts Ignition: Creative Wish Artists talk about their work
13:00 – 13:30 Performance: Seye: a special acoustic session with one of UK music’s rising stars, who has toured with Emeli Sandé, Lana Del Ray and Paloma Faith. Suitable for all ages
14:00 – 14:30 Performance: Ben Mellor. Suitable for all ages
15:00 – 16:00 Workshop: Earthenware pottery - learn to prepare clay, construct pots and pattern them, before taking them home. All levels welcome
16:30 – 17:00 Performance: Seye. Suitable for all ages
Watch out for roaming performances in the Pavilion Gardens by the quintessential, Brighton-based, swing band Swing Ninjas
Sunday 6 May
Opening times: 10:00 – 18:00
10:00 – 11:00 Workshop: Learn Watercolour Still Life Painting with Amy Alderson. All levels welcome
11:30 – 12:00 Performance: Seye: a special acoustic session with one of UK music’s rising stars who has toured with Emeli Sandé, Lana Del Ray and Paloma Faith. Suitable for all ages
12:30 – 13:00 Performance: Kate Tempest: A special performance by one of the UK’s most exciting poets & spoken word performers katetempest.co.uk Suitable for all ages
13:00 – 13:30 Talk: Two of our Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund winners Daisy Evans and Phoebe Boswell. Suitable for all ages
13:30 – 14:30 Workshop: Earthenware pottery – learn to prepare clay, construct pots and pattern them. All levels welcome
15:00 – 15:30 Performance: Seye. Suitable for all ages
16:00 – 17:00 Workshop: Learn to Tango with Kirsty Bennett. All levels welcome
17:30 – 18:00 Performance: Kate Tempest. Suitable for all ages
Watch out for roaming performances in the Pavilion Gardens by the quintessential, Brighton-based, swing band Swing Ninjas
Monday 7 May
Opening times: 11:00 – 17:30
11:30 – 12:30 Workshop: Lean to paint in Acrylics with Amy Alderson. All levels welcome
13:00 – 14:00 Workshop: Earthenware Pottery – learn to prepare clay, construct pots and pattern them. All levels welcome
14:30 – 15:30 Workshop: Salsa Brighton with Ashraf Hakim. All levels welcome
16:00 – 17:00 Workshop: Discover how to draw Still Life in Charcoal with Rachel Cohen. All levels welcome
Tuesday 8 May
Opening times: 11:00 – 17:30
11:30 – 12:30 Workshop: Learn the art of Mono Printing with Rachel Cohen. All levels welcome
13:00 – 14:00 Workshop: Have a go at Improv Comedy with The Maydays. All levels welcome
14:30 – 15:30 Workshop: Creative Writing with Gary Mepstead. All levels welcome
16:00 – 17:00 Workshop: Learn to Salsa with Ashraf Hakim from Salsa Brighton. All levels welcome
Wednesday 9 May
Opening times: 11:00 – 17:30
11:30 – 12:30 Workshop: Discover how to draw Still Life in Charcoal with Rachel Cohen. All levels welcome 13:00 – 14:00 Workshop: Learn the art of Mono Printing with Rachel Cohen. All levels welcome
14:30 – 15:30 Workshop: Creative Writing with Gary Mepstead. All levels welcome
16:00 – 17:00 Workshop: Learn Watercolour Still Life Painting with Amy Alderson. All levels welcome
Thursday 10 May
Opening times: 10:30 – 18:00
11:00 – 12:00 Workshop: Lean to paint in Acrylics with Amy Alderson. All levels welcome
12:45 – 13:15 Performance: Kate Walsh: graduate from the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, with an amazing no. 1 album in the iTunes chart. Suitable for all ages
14:00 – 15:00 Workshop: Earthenware pottery - learn to prepare clay, construct pots and pattern them. All levels welcome
15:30 – 16:30 Workshop: Have a go at Improv Comedy with The Maydays. All levels welcome
17:00 – 17:30 Performance: Kate Walsh. Suitable for all ages
Friday 11 May
Opening times: 10:30 – 18:00
11:00 – 12:00 Workshop: Creative Writing with Gary Mepstead. All levels welcome
12:45 – 13:15 Performance: Kate Walsh: graduate from the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, with an amazing no. 1 album in the iTunes chart. Suitable for all ages
14:00 – 15:00 Workshop: Lean to paint in Acrylics with Amy Alderson. All levels welcome
15:30 – 16:30 Workshop: Earthenware pottery - learn to prepare clay, construct pots and pattern them. All levels welcome
17:00 – 17:30 Performance: Kate Walsh. Suitable for all ages
Saturday 12 May
Opening times: 10:00 - 18:00
10:00 – 11:00 Workshop: Earthenware pottery – learn to prepare clay, construct pots and pattern them. All levels welcome
11:30 – 12:00 Performance: Ramshackle Union Band: peddling a fine line in stomping bluegrass-tinged folk, with rich three-part harmonies, and raucous tumbling rhythms. Suitable for all ages
12:00 – 12:30 Talk: The 3 Creative Wish Artists talk about their work. Suitable for all ages
13:00 – 13:30 Performance: Nick Mulvey: a chance to see one of the founding members of Portico Quartet performing original solo material. The Mercury Music Prize nominated musician, whose songs have been described as 'Paul Simon meets José González', is causing a real stir in 2012. Suitable for all ages
14:00 – 14:30 Performance: Ramshackle Union Band. Suitable for all ages
15:00 – 16:00 Workshop: Learn to Salsa with Ashraf Hakim from Salsa Brighton. All levels welcome
16:30 – 17:00 Performance: Nick Mulvey. Suitable for all ages
Watch out for roaming performances in the Pavilion Gardens by the quintessential, Brighton-based, swing band Swing Ninjas
Sunday 13 May
Opening times: 10:00 - 18:00
10:00 – 11:00 Workshop: Earthenware pottery – learn to prepare clay, construct pots and pattern them. All levels welcome
11:30 – 12:00 Performance: Nick Mulvey: a chance to see one of the founding members of Portico Quartet performing original solo material. The Mercury Music Prize nominated musician, whose songs have been described as ‘Paul Simon meets José González', is causing a real stir in 2012. Suitable for all ages
12:30 – 13:00 Performance: Ramshackle Union Band: peddling a fine line in stomping bluegrass-tinged folk, with rich three-part harmonies, and raucous tumbling rhythms. Suitable for all ages
13:30 – 14:30 Workshop: Create your own Ceramic Pottery Painting with Gill Parry – all levels welcome
15:00 – 15:30 Performance: Nick Mulvey. Suitable for all ages
16:00 – 17:00 Workshop: Learn to Tango with Kirsty Bennett. All levels welcome
17:30 – 18:00 Performance: Ramshackle Union Band. Suitable for all ages
Watch out for roaming performances in the Pavilion Gardens by the quintessential, Brighton-based, swing band Swing Ninjas
*This schedule may be subject to change.