A semi-derelict East Devon manor house will be turned into a ‘bohemian paradise’ for a music and arts festival which is being revived this year.
It’s hoped the quirky two-day event at Poltimore House at the end of May will also help to revive the historic building by raising money for repair and restoration.
The property in Broadclyst dates back to the 1560s and was once a fine building, set in its 13 acres of parkland. But it has changed hands several times over the last few decades, falling into disrepair, and was severely damaged by an arson attack in 1987.
In more recent years the Friends of Poltimore House and the Poltimore Trust have raised enough money to bring part of the building back into use, hosting weddings and other events. In 2016 the first Poltimore Festival of music, art, comedy and film was held there, run by Exeter University students, and this continued yearly until the Covid outbreak. Until now, the festival hasn’t taken place for five years.
Its revival is a joint initiative by the Music in Devon Initiative (MIDI) and Exeter University, who hope the event will take off once again and raise money for further restoration work. Students from the university and MIDI’s Soundtribe youth project will be involved in stage management, sound engineering, social media and marketing, through volunteering and two paid internships.
The 2024 Poltimore Music & Arts Festival will take place in the house and grounds on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday 26. Visitors will be able to explore the manor house, where they will find secret cinemas, chill-out lounges, markets and an indoor acoustic courtyard stage. Outside there will be main stage performances, food and drink stalls, wellness and healing areas, workhops and other activities.
Nick Hall, director of MIDI, said: “The Music in Devon Initiative are delighted to be involved in a new era dawning for the Poltimore Music & Arts Festival after a five-year hiatus.
“Like Poltimore house, the Devon music and arts landscape is being restored after a few difficult years. What better way to celebrate this than bringing the community together via a top-notch festival, crammed with the best south west local talent?
“We hope to help bring this amazing place back to its former glory as a space for the public to unite around. I love that the Treaty of Exeter was negotiated in the Great Hall in 1646, which created peace and a chance to rebuild after the English Civil War. What a fitting backdrop to what we are hoping to achieve with the festival!”
Carol Jobling from Friends of Poltimore House said: “To bring this popular festival back for the community and use it as a platform for fundraising to secure Poltimore House’s long-term future is exciting.
“In its heyday, the house and its grounds were in regular use by the community for events, recreation and their well-being. Undisturbed by the busy hum of life, the parkland was described by the Exeter Flying Post in the 1800s as exactly the sort of retreat which ‘moves the imagination, keeps the unhappy from thinking and creates the most pleasurable feelings.’
“It is our hope that we can restore this breathtaking asset, help bring the community together and allow them to enjoy and be inspired by this beautiful space for decades to come.”
The full line-up of bands for the main stage will be announced on Friday, March 22, when tickets will go on sale. In the meantime you can register in advance for tickets by visiting https://www.fatsoma.com/e/yay1hd0p/poltimore-festival-2024
Camping will not be available this year, but the organisers plan to offer it at future Poltimore festivals.
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