Literary & Performing Arts


Over the past few years we have staged productions ranging from a large-scale celebration of Sussex in words and music to more intimate events such as an evening of ghost stories at Penshurst Place.  We have also hosted author events including talks from radio producer and author Simon Brett, leading historian Alison Weir and novelist/restaurateur Prue Leith. 

We also run regular Booklovers and Playreaders groups as well as occasional writing workshops and competitions. During the COVID lockdown, an online poetry group was formed and this has now moved to physical meetings with themed writing and discussions each month.

Here are some of our highlights:

Author Events

  • Mick Jackson - An Evening with the Booker short-listed novelist
  • Mark Infield - 'Beautiful Beasts, Beautiful Lands'
  • Simon Brett - 'Tickled to Death'
  • Alison Weir -  The Monstrous Regiment of Women 
  • Prue Leith -    A Serving of Scandal
  • Tessa Boase - The Housekeeper’s Tale

Live Performance Events
  • 'Writing from Home' - in both 2023 and 2024, we held poetry and music evenings with our poetry-writing group, with performances by professional musicians.
  • A Concert for Twelfth Night (2024) - Christmas readings with music from The Martlets Community Folk Choir & Band
  • Writing from Home - an evening with our poetry group, with music from 'Missing Richard'.
  • A Christmas Box (2022) - Christmas readings with music from The Martlets Community Folk Choir & Band
  • Inspired by Art - An evening of ekphrastic poetry with contemporary folk music from Intarsia
  • Come into my Parlour - A Victorian-inspired Christmas event
  • A Sussex Salmagundi - A celebration of our county in music, song, poetry and drama
  • Hi-Di-Die - Murder at Bertie Bantam's Holiday Camp: a murder mystery supper hosted by the Kings Arms, Rotherfield.
  • The Sound of Paint - Musician and Lecturer Peter Medhurst talked about the link between music and painting.
  • Leading Ladies - Celebrating 100 years of female suffrage with Crowborough Arts performers and music from Intarsia
  • Rudyard Kipling: His Life & Verse - a performance by actor Geoff Hutchinson.
  • Face to Face - four original monologues by Gaye Jee, on the theme of transformation, with music from Against the Grain
  • Secret Sussex - a celebration in words and music of some of the less known aspects of our county.
  • A Christmas Box - a festive miscellany of prose, sketches, poetry and music.
  • "Inspired by Knole" - a talk by National Trust curator Emma Slocombe.
  • Murder at St Vernon's - a murder mystery tea with The Company Upfront, hosted by Hendall Manor Barns.
  • Murder at Wyldboare Hall - a murder mystery supper hosted by The Kings Arms, Rotherfield
  • An Evening with Brett Dolman - Curator of Collections at The Historic Royal Palaces.
  • Dickens With A Twist – Bertie Pearce talking about and reading from the works of Dickens plus Magwich, a short film by local film-maker Sam Supple, a prequel to Great Expectations
  • Mrs. Beeton’s Christmas – a festive talk with tastings by food historian Dr Annie Grey
  • Fifty Shades of Summer – a miscellany of poetry, prose, drama and music celebrating high summer and performed at The Permissive Garden in Crowborough
  • From Flanders Field to Sussex Weald – a commemoration of the outbreak of The Great War
  • Ghost Stories – classic and contemporary tales of the supernatural in the fourteenth century Buttery at Penshurst Place
  • The Great British Holiday – an evening of readings held at Crowborough Library, capturing the essence of holidaying at home 

Literary Workshops 
  • A Life in Writing – a series of three workshops exploring autobiography
  • Poems and Places – an exploration of this popular genre including readings from our own favourites, writing and choral verse speaking.