Organisations
Ashford Barbershop Harmony Club
Formed at the start of 2010 following a highly-successful "Learn
to Sing" course held in Ashford in 2009, the group sing
unaccompanied four-part harmony in the barbershop style. Our
repertoire includes popular music from the Edwardian era through to
present day songs from the charts and West End shows. The
Chorus is currently twenty strong but are always happy to hear
from new potential members.
The Chorus rehearse on Thursday evenings 7.30 - 9.45pm at
Highworth School (Term Time) and at St Mary's Community
Centre in Kennington (During Holidays), and is directed by
David Holloway who has been singing Barbershop for more than thirty
years and currently sings with Sussex Harmonisers in Burgess
Hill. For more information please visit the Ashford Barbershop Harmony Club
website or contact the Club Secretary Barry Andrews by e-mail.
Ashford Choral Society
Ashford Choral Society was founded in 1857, and in 2007
celebrated its 150th anniversary with a special concert held in
Canterbury Cathedral. The present conductor, Mark Deller, is a
professional musician, and director of the annual Stour Music
festival, who has also worked with choirs in France, Belgium,
Holland and South America. The Society currently has a membership
of approximately 130 singers, and usually gives three to four
concerts a year, during the period September to May. For more
information visit the Ashford Choral Society
website
Ashford Concert Band
Ashford Concert Band is a group of brass and woodwind players,
for adult players of all abilities, playing a mix of music.
Current membership is around 30 players, with room for plenty
more. Rehearsals are held once a week on a Thursday evening,
7.00 – 8.30pm, at Highworth Grammar School. The band likes to
perform concerts for charity, at least twice a year. For more
information please download the attached poster, or contact the
band leader Gary George, GaryGeorge@live.co.uk, 07764
613520.
Ashford Sings
Ashford Sings! is a community choir for the people of Ashford,
Kent. It's set to launch in October 2010 and welcomes anyone who
loves to sing (even if it's only in the car or shower!). There are
no auditions or age restrictions and everyone is welcome. The aim
of the choir is simple - to have fun singing together and then take
our voices to locations in and around Ashford to spread a little
joy. No doubt we'll spend as much time laughing as singing!
Email - info@ashfordsings.org or for
more information visit the Ashford Sings website - www.ashfordsings.org.
Ashford Music Society
Mrs. Brenda McCormack "Bumbles", The Lees, Boughton Aluph,
Ashford, Kent
TN25 4HX
Telephone: 01233 622971 Email: Macatbumbles@aol.com
Ashford Photographic Society
Ashford Photographic Society caters for photographers of all
abilities and interests. They meet every Friday evening at St
Mary's Parish Hall in Ashford town centre. For more information
visit the Ashford Photographic Society
website.
Ashford Rocks!
Ashford Town Centre is rocking again in Club Q. The Idea is
to get as many local and not quite so local bands a Gig, somewhere
to play their hearts out, Somewhere for the many talented Rock, Hip
Hop, Metal, whatever you want to call them artists to perform in
front of as many people as possible. For more information on the
next gig visit the Ashford Rocks website.
Ashford Visual Artists (AVA)
AVA is an
association of professional visual artists connected with the
Borough of Ashford and its rural areas.
Founded in 1999, AVA aims to develop the practice
and appreciation of the visual arts in the region by promoting
exhibitions and events. Members include artists in the fields of
painting, photography, video, graphics, textiles, installation,
sculpture, metalwork, jewellery, furniture design and other
media.
Visit the Ashford Visual
Artists website
Basketmakers South East
A regional group of makers and fibre artists who regularly
meet as well as run short workshops at Yonsea Farm. Courses
range from Willow sculpture, Practical Coppicing and Primative Bow
Making, run by AJS Crafts.
Visit the AJS Crafts website
Contrafusion
Contra dancing is such great fun
that Contrafusion would like to introduce it to as many people
as possible; they would especially like to encourage younger people
from 18 years and up. Apart from developing skills in dancing
it is good exercise and also a wonderful opportunity to meet new
people.
Visit the Contrafusion
website
Live Literature Network East Kent
A network for writers, artists, producers and venues in East
Kent. What is live literature? And where do you find
it? In theatres, libraries, bookshops, bars, galleries,
public spaces - anywhere you encounter text that is live and
dynamic, face to face. It's more than poetry slams, readings,
spoken word work or text-based installations - its all this and
more. It's Live Literature. And it's happening in East
Kent. Visit the Live Literature
website
Love To Sing! The Ashford Community Choir
Formed in September 2008 as part of the Highworth Grammar School
community outreach programme, the choir numbers have grown from 5
to over 70 members of all ages and abilities. Membership of the
choir is FREE and there are no auditions and no need to read music.
The only requirement is to "Love To Sing!" and to be prepared to
rehearse with commitment in an atmosphere of friendship and
enjoyment. It is conducted by Tessa Fineman, who was formally a KCC
Music and Drama Adviser and has taught for 46 years in primary and
secondary schools, and colleges, conducting numerous massed choirs
and directing many musical productions for schools and
adults.
The Choir meets on Tuesday evenings in term time from 7pm-8.30pm
at Highworth School. For more details please e-mail the Choir
Secretary at maureen.grassals@btinternet.com.
Form a Band!
If you want to form your own band, or are looking for that one
musician to complete your sound, look no further than the Form
A Band website. Developed by Ashford based business
Right Track Music School, this is a step towards a
one-stop shop to get you moving! Details are
also available on where rehearsal rooms are available
in the area and where to get lessons from.
Visit the Form a Band Website
Future Dance
Future Dance started as a small community project in
Ashford and has now blossomed into the whole of East
Kent. The pilot project began at Kingsnorth
School and now 6 months later have several after school
clubs including the John Wesley, Beaver green two classes
(infants and junior school.) Kingsnorth, Victoria Road, and six
others in Folkestone/Dover area. Wendy Richardson is an IDTA
Dance Teacher and is the Dance Manager. She has nine
years experience of teaching children Freestyle Dance and Pauline
Beer is the Operations Manager (Voluntary) with 20 years
experience of Community Development and running Charities and
businesses. Look out for their summer clubs and future
shows! For more details please contact Pauline on 07846
631912.
House of Aces
House of Aces is an illustration collective comprised of three
members, Dan Burrows, Louise Bragwin and Vicky Newman all who met
through a local art school. Since then they have spent less
time in the hot metal type room and the canteen and more time
working as professional illustrators. House of Aces seeks to
explore unexpected illustration and get it's fingers inky.
Visit Vicky Newman's Website
Intimacy Promotions
Initially set up for music promotion in 2008, the
Ashford born "Intimacy" brand has gone on to expand it's
promotion to comedy and other arts. Shows are regularly held at
Ashford School with the biggest success stories
including two tour dates for Chatham band 'Underground
Heroes' and a warm up show for comedian Mark
Watson. The original aim was to bring Ashford a
reinvented music scene, which has led the teenagers behind the
brand to aspire to offer new facilities for the town to host
all sorts of events
Visit Intimacy Gigs
website
PANEK (Performing Arts Network East Kent)
PANEK aims to increase the amount of theatre and other live
performance in the East Kent area.
Visit the Panek website
Right Track Music School
Offering friendly music training and helping Ashford develop its
local music scene
Visit Right Track Music
School website
Rock Chior
National Phenomenon", Rock Choir™ is available in Ashford
offering the opportunity for everyone to enjoy singing &
performing. As featured on BBC Breakfast, Rock Choir™ offers pop,
gospel and Motown singing for all ages and attracts all ages &
levels of experience. FREE taster session at St Mary's Church of
England Primary School. No audition & no requirement to read
music! Have fun, develop your singing & be part of this up-beat
& trendy choir. Book your FREE place or join as an official
member at http://www.rockchoir.com For
further information please call 01252 714276 or
email office@rockchoir.com
Singleton Giant
Flora the Singleton Giant is officially the largest resident the
Ashford has ever seen. Created by Strange Cargo Arts Company,
14ft Flora stands on a wheeled wooden frame using a combination of
basketwork, papier mache and textiles. Designed to reflect
the borough it represents, her costume refers to the natural
surroundings, from bark and leaves in her cloak to the lizards,
which cascade down her back. Flora is now looked after by the
community of Singleton and graces many local and national
events. For more information on Flora, please email amanda.chappell1@ntlworld.com or
visit Flora's website.
Stour Valley Arts
Stunning open air venue with international works of art in Kings
Wood, Challock.
Visit the Stour Valley Arts
website
Shiva Nova
Shiva Nova Arts Company brings an outstanding line up of leading
international musicians, dancers and storytellers to Ashford. This
World Series is supported by Ashford Borough Council and the Arts
Council England.
Visit the Shiva Nova website
Tenterden Folk Day Trust / Tenterden Folk Festival
Tenterden Folk Day Trust is a registered charity formed in
May 1994 to preserve and advance public education and appreciation
of traditional and contemporary folk music, song, dance and other
related traditions, crafts and folk arts as a part of the living
heritage. The Trust is supported by Tenterden Town Council,
Ashford Borough Council and Kent County Council and an increasing
number of local businesses and other community
organisations.
Visit the Tenterden Folk
Festival website
This webpage was updated on
5/31/2011