All you ever wanted to know about Chorlton Arts Festival .... tonight

Historian and author Andrew Simpson and local artist and author Peter Topping will take you on a journey through the history of The Arts Festival showing how it has grown into a successful community event in Chorlton.*

It began when a teacher, a city councillor, and a vicar sat down with a bottle of wine and explored the possibilities of an annual festival of the arts here in Chorlton. **

They were ….. Ed Wyllie, Val Stevens and Hilary Barber and that was in 2002

And now in 2026, the aim remains to bring “the Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, and Crafts at all levels to the Chorlton Community”.

Leaving me just to say come along and find out about all the bits from 2002 till 2026.

The presentation will is part of Chorlton Arts Festival and will be in the Community Rooms of Chorlton Library, Manchester Road starting at 8pm and conclding at 9pm.

*Chorlton Arts Festival https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

**Chorlton Arts Festival stories, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20Arts%20Festival

Music from the Jewish diaspora ……. here in Chorlton

Chorlton Arts Festival just keeps giving ....... from paintings to poets, to drama and music .... its got the lot.*

James Nissen

And last night we listened to James Nissen take us through what was billed as “Journeys in Jewish Song”, encompassing music from across the Diaspora with influences from classical, pop and jazz.

He is a researcher, teacher and musician, and has collaborated with arts and media organizations including Band on the Wall, the BBC, Music Action International and Olympias Music Foundation. 

He says of his work, “I am an active community musician, and I have experience performing in a variety of musical styles, including pop, jazz, classical and klezmer/Yiddish song. I have also taught in university, school and community contexts. 

The HE modules I have taught on include ethnomusicology, fieldwork and ethnography, music cultures of the world, music and consumption, and ensemble performance.

As part of my project on international music festivals in the UK, I am building a network for scholars to engage in collaboration and exchange in this area of research.”

But last night it was the variety of songs and his engaging performance which captivated the audience and made for a memorable evening.

Having looked Mr. Nissen up I was confident we were in for a memorable evening and for those who want to know more there is a fascinating interview in which James talks about his music.*

Location; 99 Reasons, 99 Manchester Road

Pictures; “Journeys in Jewish Song”, 2026 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

*James Nissen's Oral History, The Yiddish Book Centre, https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/oral-histories/interviews/woh-fi-0001750/james-nissen-2025

A community play ............ for a community festival

Our arts festival is now in full swing and yesterday one of the events caught perfectly the guiding principle of “a community Arts Festival for and by Chorlton people”.

It was billed in the programme as “A Play In A Day – Workshop” which took place in one day involved 30 participants, followed by a performance and no experience was needed.

And in the words of Jules Gibb the project director "This play has been created today in the true spirit of the Arts Festival- by forming an inclusive community of local people. 

The participants have never worked together before and have created this piece in an afternoon. 

They tell an important story. 

Ada Nield Chew was a self-educated young factory girl when she took on the patriarchy and capitalism single handedly. 

She went on to become an important campaigner for women’s rights, suffrage and socialism. 

She started her activism in Crewe and after her marriage lived in various addresses in the northwest.

 From her address in Chorlton she continued her work unionising and organising women workers everywhere along with her daughter Doris."

And the rest was a rewarding day for the actors and an equally enjoyable night for the audience.

Which is all I have to say other than I am glad I went and include these sleeve notes from Jules on Ada Chew,who "was a Staffordshire lass and travelled on the first Clarion Van which left in the 1890’s from Chester and travelled across the north and Scotland speaking to women about the ILP and union membership. 

The Vans had three feminist activists on board. On the first one was Sarah Reddish and Caroline Martin as well as Ada. 

The Vans were horse drawn and George Chew was the driver. He was from Rochdale but an active ILP member. After their marriage they settled in Rochdale. 

Ada continued her activism from there and travelled with her baby daughter all over the country. The family definitely lived at the Chorlton address according to Doris Nield Chew the daughter. 

They finally settled in Burnley where Doris got the education that was denied her Mother. She graduated in History from Mcr University and taught History in Burnley Grammar School. 

She published a book of her mother’s writings". 

Location; Chorlton Arts Festival

Pictures; “A Play In A Day”, 2026 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Chorlton Arts Festival started on May 8th and runs through to May 21st, with 200 events across Chorlton, covering all the Arts. 

*Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

OK let the Chorlton Arts Festival begin …….*

Last night saw the launch of our own arts festival.

It has been a feature of Chorlton’s cultural life for 24 years and yesterday evening’s event was a mix of speeches, music and lots of fun.

The speeches were short, the music from the choir was uplifting and artists, poets, musicians and writers celebrated together the start of another community-based arts festival.

And much fun was had.

To be followed by even more fun with over 200 events across Chorlton from May 8th to May 21st, in pubs, cafes, church halls and schools.

All of which will mean there will be something for everyone and as ever they celebrate our own community talent.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; Celebrating our own arts festival, 2026, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

Some history …. a bit of fiction …. heaps of music …. and a smash of art …… Chorlton Arts Festival today …. for 14 days*

It’s our arts festival back for its 24th year and as I do, I whizzed through the programme and chose some of the events that I will be going to.

So here in no particular order are the authors, historians, artists and musicians I will be enjoying.  Of course there are other authors, historians, artists and musicians and I will be taking a second dibs as the fortnight progresses.

First there is Juliette Tomlinson “writer of ‘Longford’ and ‘Sunnyside: The story continues’" on Wednesday May 13th at the Beagle on Barlow Moor Road between 7 & 9pm.  

Juliette is engaged in a trilogy of books focusing on John and Enriqueta Ryland.  The first was Longford which came out in 2024, and the second Sunnyside has just been published.

And while the books are fiction, they are based on endless hours of meticulous research and are rooted in the history of Manchester, Stretford and Altrincham.

Which seems the perfect point to advertise the story of the Arts Festival which is another in those historical presentations by me and my artist chum Peter Topping on May 12th in the community room of Chorlton Library on Manchester Road.

It fits well with Danielle Lowry’s "Time Threads  … a collaborative project presenting imag
ined encounters with ancestors, [which is an all-day event] inviting visitors to contribute personal stories” at Chorlton Library on Friday and Saturday of May 8th and 9th.

It is followed up by “Family History Research – Talk and Tips” which is a drop in with Mark Burton and Danielle Lowry on Saturday May 16th between 2 and 5 pm and is also at Chorlton Library.

And given that I have already mentioned Peter Topping I will be taking some light refreshments in the Tutku Café on Barlow Moor Road and viewing his Paintings from Pictures exhibition from Friday May 8th to Sunday, and sitting with a cake later on the same day at Mary and Archie on Manchester Road to look at the “Photographs of folk dance , folk musicians and folk traditions by a real life folkie”. 

Which blends nicely into “Baroque: History and Bagpipes with Baroque Giants’ Peter Paul Rubens and JS Bach by Steve Millward, plus Michael Billington talk and play with bagpipes ‘Everything but the Highlands -Bagpipes of the world and influence on classical music" Chorlton Methodist Church, on Sunday May 17th from 2 till 5.

Along with the Ordsall Acapella Singers from Salford in the Wilbraham St Ninian’s Church on Saturday May 9th for an hour at 3pm, concluding with Chorlton Sings  the “50 strong modern pop choir based in Chorlton, an all-inclusive friendly group that loves singing together at Benito Lounge on Wednesday May 20th".

Leaving me just time to visit “The Stories of Our Lives – writing by members of a writing and storytelling community group with an opportunity for audience interaction” at Chorlton Library on Saturday May 16th from 11 to 12.30pm”, and “The Next Thing about being a West fan, a photographic exhibition which follows the unique fan base of West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC during the 2025-26 season” by Jim Doxford in their club house at the end of Brookburn Road between May 13th and 14th.

Location Chorlton

Pictures; covers of Longford and Sunnyside, courtesy of Juliette Tomlinson and the rest from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

Your Arts Festival wants you ……

To be more accurate you will want to be part of this year’s Chorlton Arts Festival.

It runs from May 8 to May 21st encompasses all the arts and is live across Chorlton in our church’s, bars, cafes, pubs, and community venues.

And because it is so good the team were out today in Chorlton, handing out programmes, and talking to people.

Added to which there was live music from local bands.

All very good on a day when the sun shone.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures;  out with  Chorlton Arts Festival, 2026 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Chorlton Arts Festival https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

**Chorlton Arts Festival stories, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20Arts%20Festival

Twenty-four and as exciting as ever .... Chorlton Arts Festival is back

So, there I was passing the Makers Market and who should I see but Peter and Linda at the Chorlton Arts Festival stall.*

Its twenty-four years since the festival was a lunched and this year promises that same mix of events spanning all the arts and still “a community Arts Festival for and by Chorlton people”.

I could say more but won’t.  

But you can find stories of how the festival came about along with plenty of pictures of past events by following the link.**

The programme is available online or as a hard copy from Chorlton Library.

Location; Chorlton, May 8-May 21

Pictures; Peter & Linda, and the programme

*Chorlton Arts Festival https://chorltonartsfestival.org/

**Chorlton Arts Festival stories, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20Arts%20Festival

 

When Richard took our Lych Gate to Barlow Hall

  l am a great admirer of the models Richard Griffiths constructs and especially so his latest of the Lych Gate beside Chorlton Green.

The original has long been one of the iconic images of where we live.

So l was pleased to see that it will feature in this year's Chorlton Arts Festival, and will be on display with heaps of other art at Barlow Hall.*

The model has already been exhibited in the Marble on Manchester Road and in the window of Chorlton Book Shop.

But l will drop in to Barlow Hall to see it again along with what promises to be the largest collection of paintings by Chorlton artists.

And that is it.

Location; Barlow Hall

Picture; Model of the Lych Gate courtesy of Richard Griffiths, 2025

*Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/  

Chorlton Arts Festival is back …..

That festival of all things Chorlton Arts is back, running from May 16th for ten days, across heaps of venues and showcasing art, the performing arts and lots more.*

And last Thursday over 90 people attended the launch, including many of the participants, sponsors and of course the volunteers who are vital to the success of the Festival

The new Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Carmine Grimshaw opened the evening and included one of his own poems.  

It was clear he enjoyed the event staying almost till the end taking time out to talk to the organizers and the young performers from Chorlton High school.

And that is it.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; Chorlton Arts Festival 2025 is launched, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Chorlton Arts Festival, chorltonartsfestival.org

Chorlton Arts Festival is back …… May 17th to May 26

 Yep, Chorlton Arts Festival is back, with another exciting mix of cultural events, spanning art, literature, drama, and music.*

Along with our annual book festival it is one of the things that marks Chorlton out as something a bit special.

And last night the week was launched in the presence of the Lord Mayor, civic dignitaries, patrons of the festival and friends.

Four young musicians from Chorlton High school performed a selection of songs and there was a tribute to Ed Wylie one of the founders of the festival.

Leaving me just to point you in the direction of the link to Festival’s site, and in preparation for all that is to come suggest you read up on the history of the event and look at pictures a stories spanning the full 24 years of its existence at Chorlton Arts Festival ...... the history.**

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; Chorlton Arts Festival, 2024, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Chorlton Arts Festival, 2024, https://chorltonartsfestival.org/ 

**Chorlton Arts Festival, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20Arts%20Festival