This year’s Festival will be officially opened during the Art Exhibition Preview at Marden House. The Preview evening is for Festival Friends, Artists and by Invitation only. 

The Open Art Exhibition will be on display throughout the Festival. Please consult the Festival calendar for opening times.

This evening is sponsored by Bevirs Law and the wine has been kindly supplied by LWC Drinks.​

To mark the beginning of the Festival, join us for a FREE family day which will include music and drama workshops, an art treasure hunt, live music, Claire’s Circus, Calne Silver Band and a craft workshop throughout the day. Refreshments and light lunches will be available to purchase from our café. Children must be accompanied at all times. 

An evening of music, dance and chanson bringing the spirit of Paris, la Belle Epoque and the Moulin Rouge to Calne. Featuring the ‘Flaming Feathers’ Cancan dancers, and the French duo of Frankie and Pete who will perform, on accordion and guitar, all the favourite songs of the era including Edith Piaff and Charles Trenet.

​Admission to include tea. 

The Cartref Chamber Collective, formed in December 2024, is a vibrant young ensemble already making its mark with performances across the UK and appearances on local radio.

Their programme will feature highlights from Bruch’s Eight Pieces, Mozart’s elegant ‘Kegelstatt’ Trio, alongside works by Roberts, Brahms and D’Indy, offering a rich and expressive evening of chamber music.

A Life Drawing session held in the main hall of Marden House surrounded by the Open Art Exhibition. A live model and a variety of lengths of poses with some light 'tuition' if wanted. Please bring your own materials / drawing boards, though some will also be available. This event is for ages 16yrs and older. Art students are particularly welcome.

Choral Evensong is a gem of traditional Anglican worship. In essence it is a service of psalms, canticles, readings and hymns dating back to the 15th century.

The choir of St Mary’s will be joined by Friends and supporters from across the town to mark the beginning of Festival week.

We are delighted to once again welcome to the Festival Gail Brown of Tangerine Art Talks, art historian and formerly from Calne. The talk will explore the life and style of both artists and look at how they experimented with the latest innovations in paint and technology. David Hockney has always been open about the influence of Van Gogh on his painting. Each artist’s fascination with colour took off when they moved to different locations. The South of France for Vincent in the 1880s, California for Hockney in the 1960s. Invigorated by these new places, both artists began to use colour as the guiding principle to describe their experience of the world around them.

Enjoy an uplifting showcase of young musical talent from across Calne, featuring performances by St. Mary’s Young Voices led by Jemima Palfreyman, St Margaret’s Chamber Choir and The Major Minors led by Bethan Fryer.

A wonderful opportunity to celebrate the dedication, enthusiasm and achievements of local young singers.

Join Calne School of Speech & Drama for a lively performance of scenes from Neil Simon's classic comedy The Odd Couple.

Full of wit, humour and memorable characters, this production highlights the talent and creativity of local young performers.

Dear Reader…

“In 2026, the National Year of Reading is reconnecting reading with the things that already inspire us – from playlists and football matches to films, food and family time. It’s reading that fits how we live, not the other way around.” Dept of Education

An exploration of books and reading in prose and poetry. Members of the Calne Wordfest Writers’ Group relate their memorable experiences of the written word and what it means to them.

Take a pause in your day and enjoy a vibrant lunchtime concert performed by the talented music scholars of St Mary’s School, Calne.

This uplifting programme will showcase a wonderful variety of music, highlighting the creativity, dedication and flair of these young performers. It’s the perfect chance to soak up some live music in a relaxed immersed in art.

Everyone is warmly invited, come along, take a seat, and enjoy an inspiring musical interlude.

We are delighted to welcome this 5 piece band which will bring you the authentic sounds of 1920s and 1930s America, jazz, blues, ragtime and gospel. Songs of murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor and redemption. They perform on a mix of traditional and vintage instruments like the washboard, harmonica, musical saw and the jug.

Acclaimed British violinist Philippa Mo, graduate of the Royal Academy in London and Central Conservatory in Bejing, makes her Calne Festival debut with a captivating programme exploring the close relationship between classical music and dance.

Featuring Bach's majestic Chaconne, Prokofiev's Sonata for Solo Violin and works by Bartók, this recital showcases the extraordinary expressive range of the violin. Praised by Gramophone Magazine for her "faultless technique and unfailing insight", Philippa brings warmth, virtuosity and musical imagination to an afternoon of exceptional music-making.

This year’s Wednesday evening Chamber Music event is again one not to miss. A fine, hand-picked ensemble of string players presents two legendary cornerstones of the repertoire. Shostakovich’s 8th Quartet from 1960 is the Soviet composer’s most personal response to the horrors of World War 2, but also to the impact that the years of Stalinism had on him directly - an unforgettable testament. Schubert’s late String Quintet, composed in the last weeks of his life in 1828 is quite simply one of the greatest works in all chamber music, a monumental statement of joy, beauty and reverence.

Based in Calne, wildlife and travel photographers Pam and Eddy Lane have received many international awards for their work. They will present some of the many fascinating stories behind their award winning pictures, covering people, wildlife, environments and ecology from many corners of our planet. And with prints and projected images they will reveal some of the secrets behind their most successful images and will help you to improve and understand your own photography.

Join us for a delightful midday escape as talented students from Marlborough College present a vibrant lunchtime concert.

Showcasing a rich mix of musical styles and instruments, this performance is a wonderful opportunity to experience the energy, skill and passion of emerging young musicians. Whether you’re looking for a moment of calm, inspiration, or simply beautiful live music to accompany your lunch break, this promises to be a joyful and uplifting hour.

All are warmly welcome, come along, take a seat, and let the music carry you through your afternoon.

Andrew Hurst is a multi-instrumentalist specialising in classical guitar, lute and piano. After a decade of study at the Royal College of Music with Charles Ramirez, John Williams and Robert Sutherland, he developed a career spanning solo recitals, theatre composition and Baroque opera continuo. He has performed in ensemble concerts with Jane Ryan of the Julian Bream Consort. Alongside performing, he maintains a strong commitment to teaching and regularly presents extended improvisation concerts exploring instruments and musical traditions from around the world.”

Mark has had an illustrious musical career coming latterly to Calne as head of keyboard at St. Mary's via the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide, Australia.Today he will perform Chopin’s Ballade No.4 in F minor and Schubert’s Sonata in B-flat major, D960

Georgia Browne and Tom Payne present a set of traditional folk music, followed by The Magnificent AKs, Wiltshire’s singing men, who wowed us last year with their powerful, original modern folk songs of life and love.

Join Art Director Genevieve Sioka for an intimate and inspiring conversation with local artists Rachel Heard and James Dobson. In this relaxed and engaging talk, we’ll explore Rachel’s evocative semi-abstract landscapes, inspired by the natural world, alongside James’s remarkable career in photography, capturing everything from historic interiors and landscapes to wildlife for the National Trust.

Together, we’ll uncover the stories behind their creative journeys, the influences that shape their work, and the processes that bring their ideas to life.

An unforgettable selection of opera’s most loved arias, duets and ensembles from the masterpieces of Verdi, Puccini, Bizet and more, performed live by ‘Opera Anywhere’ who have delighted Calne audiences with their various operas for the past five years.