New Festival for Performing Arts in Dorset

This summer, Dorset will see the launch of Labyrinth Arts Festival, a brand new annual outdoor celebration of live arts. From 12 to the 14 July at Manswood, near Wimborne, the festival’s inaugural year will host a variety of performances, including dance, storytelling, theatre, music and improv.

Founded by industry professionals Maryanna Clarke and Kit Bromovsky, who both have strong local ties, the festival aims to provide a unique and immersive experience, and to support both emerging and established performers.

"At its heart, our festival is a true celebration of live performance," states Festival Director Maryanna Clarke. "We want revellers to come, relax, and immerse themselves in fantastic performances by professional artists that will stir the imagination and soothe the soul. This will be an opportunity for people to reconnect with nature as well as one another—and most importantly—have lots of fun."

The festival location is a recreation of by the nearby Neolithic site of Badbury Rings. It was created in 2012 and includes recreations of ancient, ritual-landscape features, including own swirling Cursus (a raised walkway made of earth, generally from the Neolithic period), a labyrinth, and the festival’s centrepiece: a beautiful, grass-covered amphitheatre. All of which offer breathtaking views of rural Dorset

Since 2021, the amphitheatre has been used to entertain visitors and residents, and provide opportunities for professional performers when Covid restrictions prevented indoor performance. This culminated in a trail run of the theatre festival that same year and saw the addition of a wooden stage and lighting to the amphitheatre.

To find out more about their planned events visit the Labyrinth Arts Festival website

Sticky Ends. Image by Matt Austin

The Winter Tale by Sun and Moon Theatre