News

‘Say it in 60 seconds’ the first winning score

We are delighted to premiere the first of our winning scores from our ‘Say it in 60 seconds’ composition project. We present ‘Scuttle’ from ‘Three Bagatelles’ composed by Carl Borg and performed by Brendan Ball. This is the first of five winning 60 second scores for solo trumpet that will be released over the coming weeks. The project continues later this year and will include a mentoring element as we encourage young composers to write Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago

OFA creative writing competition

In association with our Partnerships team at MCS, we asked the award-winning children’s author Ross MacKenzie to suggest a title for this year’s creative writing competition. Children aged 7-11 are invited to write a short story entitled ‘The Door in the Cellar.’ The story should be no longer than 250 words and submitted via email to info@artsfestivaloxford.org and include your name, age and school. The closing date is Monday 14th June. The winners will receive Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago
singer songwriter Sam Smith

Multi-award-winner Sam Smith to headline Music for Mustardseed concert

Singer songwriter Sam Smith will join an all-star line-up this Sunday, when Oxford Festival of the Arts launches its 2021 season with an online fundraising concert at 2pm. Music for Mustardseed will raise funds for Mustardseed Junior School in Uganda, the partner school of Magdalen College School. The concert features a stellar line-up of contemporary music stars including ELIZA, King Krule & Jme Isaac, Westerman, Children of Zeus, Lava la Rue, John Caroll Kirby, Brass Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago

Gaia Global Dance Film Project

Today is the launch of the Global Dance Film Project; a collaboration between OFA, Dancin’ Oxford, Oxford International Links, Mandala Theatre and Ashtar Theatre’s International Digital and Live Festival. Supported by the British Council Digital Collaboration Fund. The project’s theme is Gaia, taking inspiration from Mother Earth, and aspirations of hope and renewal. We are inviting community and youth dance groups from across Oxford and its twin cities; Bonn, Grenoble, Leiden, Padua, Wroclaw, Perm, León, Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago

The Phoenix – send us your artistic responses

Today OFA launches a new arts project in collaboration with Oxfordshire Artweeks. We invite you to send us your artistic responses on the theme of The Phoenix, rebirth and resurgence. As the world slowly emerges from lockdown and the arts begin a period of renewed activity, we want to know what it means to you and how it prompts you to respond creatively. We can accept any medium as long as your entry can be Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago

Savills to sponsor OFA Virtual 2021

We are grateful to our friends at Savills, long-standing supporters of OFA, who will be the headline sponsors of this year’s online festival, OFA Virtual 2021. This year the summer season of events will embrace dance, music, animation, film, theatre and discussion. Simon Hope, Head of Global Capital Markets at Savills said “The creative and performing arts are extremely important to the people of Oxford, particularly so in a year such as this. Oxford Festival Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago

OFA partners with Oxfordshire Artweeks for film shorts

Four artists participating in Oxfordshire Artweeks (1-23 May 2021) are producing exclusive short films about their work and inspiration and giving us a behind-the-scenes peek into their studios and what they’re currently working on. The Oxford-based artists we are featuring in our 10-minute film shorts are Elaine Kazimierczuk landscape painter, Becky Paton mosaicist, Piotr Gargas sculptor and Vital Peeters glass artist. Their films will be broadcast across May and June as part of #OFAvirtual.

By Alexis Thompson, ago
Historian Dr Janina Ramirez standing in front of Berkeley Castle

Dr Janina Ramirez named as Honorary Patron of OFA

Oxford Festival of the Arts has announced that historian, author and broadcaster Dr Janina Ramirez is to become OFA’s Honorary Patron. Dr Ramirez, who lives in Oxford, is a researcher, lecturer and course director at Oxford University and is well known to television audiences for her many documentaries. Her most recent series ‘Raiders of the Lost Past’ has just aired on BBC2. Dr Janina Ramirez said, “’I’m honoured and delighted to become an Honorary Patron Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago

Creative Industries discussion attracts large online audience

On March 11, together with Magdalen College School we hosted ‘How Resilient is the Creative Industry?’ to explore the future for the arts and culture. MCS alumnus Jim Hawker assembled a stellar panel of artists and experts who didn’t pull their punches in exploring the post-pandemic and post-Brexit landscape for the creative industries. Our expert panel were: Dame Harriet Walter actress, John Caird  writer and stage director, Stephen Boxer actor, Tom Piper artist and theatre designer, John Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago

Our #sayitin60seconds winners are announced

We were delighted to receive so many entries and after much consideration, our judging panel; Dr Michelle Castelleti (OFA Director), Paul Max Edlin (Composer) and Brendan Ball (Trumpeter) have chosen their winners: Congratulations to Darren Fellows, Richard Montgomery, Dan Jenkins, Carl Borg and Richard Peat. Student composer Jacob Lewis was awarded a Special Commendation. All the scores will be performed by virtuoso trumpeter Brendan Ball and professionally filmed to be broadcast on social media. [All Read more…

By Alexis Thompson, ago