From Nothing Rhymes With Orange and John Otway to Scummy Mummies and Milton Jones; Devizes Arts Festival Celebrates 40 Years with an Amazing Lineup

Featured Image: Helen Polaxpix

What has Devizes’ greatest millennial musical export, England rugby player Jodie Ounsley’s ghost writer, some scummy mummies, a professor of biology at the University of Sussex, and a world poetry slam champion all have in common? Yep, usually not a great deal, but they’re all among a stellar lineup for this year’s Devizes Arts Festival, and it’s their fortieth anniversary…..

Forty years and Devizes Arts Festival has gone through some changes, yet continues to offer the town a unique and differing variety of world class celebrities, musicians, comedians, artists and all manner of inspiring people. Make no mistake, we LOVE Devizes Arts Festival with big, bold capslock; happy 40th birthday!

This year the festival runs from 29th May till June 24th. The committee have already announced the headliners, and Devizes Retailers and Independents let the cat out of a bag which I promised I’d keep my cake hole shut about; that our very own Nothing Rhymes With Orange will play a homecoming at the Corn Exchange on Saturday 13th June! And thankfully, there’s loads more to reveal about what’s also going down for the town.

I’ve found it excruciating to have kept schtum about Devizes’ greatest musical export since The Hoax, Nothing Rhymes With Orange returning, who, while some years ago produced a phenomenon in the Devizes area I likened to Beatlemania, are now studying at Bristol and have had the same effect nationwide. I think this is a brilliant move for the festival, which often suffers with the public wonky presumption it’s a Saga holiday entertainment venue. Producing the widest variety of arts and entertainment in Devizes, Devizes Arts Festival volunteers work tirelessly through the season, preparing and hosting this extravaganza, and there’s something for everyone here. Examples? Yes, mate, I’m not going to reel off details of the entire program, which will be out soon, but there’s plenty of secrets I can leak, so keep reading…..

So, headliners, be art punnyman off the telebox, Milton Jones, on Friday 12th June; he makes me look sane, but he’s hilarious, I’m just mildly laughable. I know a certain salsa group who will welcome London’s premier salsa orchestra, delivering an irresistible night of Cuban‑inspired rhythm and dance; Salseology! I also know many in town will welcome John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett at the Cons Club on Monday 8th June.

Those outrageous Scummy Mummies will make a welcomed return, and Midsomer Murders and Foyle’s War writer and producer Anthony Horowitz pays Devizes a visit on 1st June. But these are just the tip of the iceberg.

There’s conservationist, passionate story teller and “human swan,” Sacha Dench, African-American concert pianist Beatrice Nicholas, BBC Sports journalist Becky Grey talks ghostwriting, Patrick Grant is on clothes. Bee specialist Professor of Biology at University of Sussex, Dave Goulson talks on saving our insects.

You can watch Portuguese classical guitarist and lutenist Fábio Fernandes, listen to the life of Derek Jarman, and join Wiltshire cameraman Nick Upton for a fascinating account of his life and work capturing wildlife.

Clare Durham and Paul Martin to explore the world of collectors and collecting. Book plugs from television and radio journalist Grahame Lloyd, acclaimed author of six novels, Charlotte Philby, and climate activist and the co-founder of Transition Network, Rob Hopkins. The Wharf Theatre presents The Secret Life of Enid Blyton, and there’s a world poetry slam champion Harry Baker coming to town.

More music from The Robert Vincent Band, shanty-punk folk with Man The Lifeboats, all‑string jazz quartet Swing from Paris, and organist John Challenger.

Free fringe events are aplenty, John Handby talks on AI, brilliant Bristol‑based songwriter Elly Hopkins is playing Hillworth Park Cafe, Old Baby Mackerel play high‑energy, foot‑stomping bluegrass at the British Lion, The Rigmarollers with a unique take on the blues, and local writers Vanessa Tanner and Louisa Davison have an open mic for poetry and prose at The Black Swan.

Have-a-go workshops also make a return, with ones for singalong country, memoir writing, phone photography, and sketching at the wonderful White Chalk Gallery. And Erlestoke Prison presents an art exhibition by the inmates; what more do you want?!

We cannot wait for June, and hope to have a “Devizine Assemble,” to bring you as much coverage as possible; if you would like to volunteer as a reporter, do drop me a message. Now we await the box office to open; keep in the know by bookmarking their website, HERE.