City Livery Company Lays on Lunchtime Treats

Thanks to The Worshipful Company of Musicians this year's Rye Arts Festival will feature lunchtime concerts for the first time. On Monday 17th September, at 1.00pm the young Australian baritone Duncan Rock will be singing at St Anthony's RC Church in Watchbell Street accompanied by Elizabeth Rossiter. And on Thursday 27th September, the brilliant young classical guitarist will be playing at the same time in the same venue.

Them Good Old Boys are Creating History in Rye

Rye Arts Festival (running from 15th to 30th September) is a forum for international performers, Brits with a national reputation, up and coming stars of the future and also is a showcase for talented locals.

This year, we have Rye author Frank Barnard talking about his latest novel, A Time For Heroes, just out in paperback. Meanwhile, the multi-talented Dave McKean (who talked about his work at the Festival a couple of years ago) has an exhibition at Rye Art Gallery to run in conjunction with the Festival. And John Howlett, screenwriter of the British film classic If  who also spoke a couple of years ago, is about to publish his new novel.

Lizzie Archer Telling Tales - Spooky Ghost Stories!

No, not Nigel Pargetter's voice from the grave! Alison Dowling, who plays Lizzie Archer in the long-running eponymous Radio 4 soap, will be telling The Singalmen and other Ghost Stories on Friday 28th September at the Fletcher Centre - the buildings in Lion St that were once the old Library, art room and coffee lounge of the FE Centre - as part of this year's Rye Arts Festival.

ARRCC Journeys Into The Sixth Continent

Members of ARRCC - the Rye and Folkestone Centres for people living with physical/sensory impairments have recently made two intrepid trips into the sixth continent (aka Romney Marsh). Their mission?

Czech Date

The Zemlinsky String Quartet will be flying into Rye from Prague on Monday 17th September for their only UK concert of 2012. The concert will be at St Mary's Church in Rye at 7.30pm , and the programme will consist of works by Czech composers and Tchaikovsky.

Instant Sunshine in Rye

A gloriously sunny day in Rye today and with more on the way this week it is just what the doctor ordered. And that's not the end of it, as Instant Sunshine are booked to play Rye Arts Festival on Tuesday 18th September.

Mapp & Lucia - Rye's Foremost Ladies Return

You don't want to mess with Mapp and Lucia! So when Guy Fraser-Sampson decided to write sequels to the famous series of books by EF Benson he had to tread carefully. Anyway, the author is coming to Rye Arts Festival on Saturday 15th September to give a talk on his latest addition to the series (which are Rye's literary 'crown jewels') - Lucia on Holiday.

"Bliss!" oozes Gyles Brandreth, who wowed the audience at last year's Rye Arts Festival.