A Festival begun by clergy in the Yorkshire Dales which is aimed at promoting rural regeneration and combatting isolation is launched this week in the Craven district of North Yorkshire.
Voices of Craven was a project begun last year by a group of clergy and lay people from churches in the area who believe that singing and choral music can be used to connect, inspire and enliven their rural communities. A year ago more than 100 people participated or performed and more than 1000 people attended the June Festival which was staged at churches and community venues from Austwick to Gargrave.
This year the Voices of Craven Festival is back, bigger than before and with a series of concerts, events and workshops which local people are being encouraged to get involved in.
This year among the artists performing at the Festival will be Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span, performing ‘ A celebration of folk’ with guests at St James Church Clapham on June 15;
International opera star Sarah Fox performing at St Alkelda’s Church, Giggleswick on June 10 at 7pm with friends including Royal Opera House regular Graeme Danby, mezzo-soprano Valerie Reid and tenor Austin Gunn; and an evening of opera and jazz to open the festival with Bibi Heal at the Coniston Hotel, this Thursday June 1st .
The Festival is launched in the local churches on Pentecost Sunday June 4, with Choral Evensongs for Pentecost taking place at 4pm at each of the churches involved in the Festival: St Andrew's Church, Gargrave, St Alkelda's Church, Giggleswick, St Peter's Church, Coniston Cold, The Church of the Epiphany, Austwick and St Aidan's Church, Hellifield.
Workshops will be held with the award winning Gospel Touch Choir on June 17 St Andrew’s Church, Gargrave, 1pm , followed by a family friendly concert at 4pm. The choir have appeared on The One Show and BBC1’s Songs of Praise.
For more information about the project and about the Festival go to the Voices of Craven website, voicesofcraven.org