The 77th Stroud Arts Festival proved to be its most ambitious and rewarding in recent years. Audiences were transfixed by a series of adventures through traditional and modern art forms, mingling Argentinian Tango with Parisian elegance, melding musical and operatic classics for a special needs audience, re-orchestrating a progressive rock iconic album in a classical setting, and bringing together the spiritual with jazz and big band blues.

And did we mention the tap dancer?

Artistic Director Dave Ayre said, “We set the bar really high for this year, bringing genuinely world class arts to the people of Stroud. I’m so proud of everything we managed to achieve. We’re going to build on it for next year so watch this space!”

Chair of Stroud Arts Festival, Jon Collins, said, “This was my first festival as chair, and the team involved behind the scenes absolutely knocked it out of the park. I’d like to thank each and every one of the organisers and the broader pool of volunteers - especially those at the Sub Rooms and Lansdown Hall - who ensured all events passed without a hitch. Stroud Arts Festival is a huge asset to the town, we’re now planning towards our 80th anniversary in three festivals’ time.”