Wiltshire Creative today announces full programming for Salisbury International Arts Festival 2025. The annual arts festival will return this year on Saturday 24 May and runs until Sunday 8 June.
Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative Gareth Machin said today: “A Festival is an opportunity to let imaginations soar and this year we are definitely looking skyward with a programme full of creativity and originality. This year’s festival is designed to warm spirits, lighten hearts and inspire us all to lift our heads above the challenges of the current moment. We’re excited to be welcoming a wealth of outstanding artists and local voices to bring communities together in a spirit of hope and optimism.”
Highlights of this year’s Salisbury International Arts Festival include:
UNITY, a large-scale outdoor production combining immersive theatre, circus, and community stories, will transform Salisbury’s Market Square from 24 May to 26 May.
A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy in Words and Music, a performance blending Hardy’s life, poetry, and novels with a musical programme of West Gallery music, Holst, Warlock, and contemporary folk, will be staged in front of the iconic Stonehenge on 28 May.
FLIGHT, a thrilling 30-minute experience set inside a 40-ft shipping container, will explore the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics taking audiences through two realities and two possible outcomes. The experience will be staged in Guildhall Square from 24 May to 1 June.
Festival favourites The Lord Chamberlain’s Men return in their outdoor production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at Rack Close on 6 and 7 June
Eagles, Birdsongs and Bach, presented by La Folia, features music by Bach and Vivaldi, and will be performed alongside the world premiere of Howard Moody’s Eagle Concerto, played by Piers Adams on the ‘Eagle’ recorder on 4 June at St Thomas’ Church.
Other musical and dance events at the festival will include An Evening with Jacqui Dankworth, who will showcase her incredible range across jazz, soul, and blues; Evensong, a time-honoured service celebrating the tradition of daily prayer and music at Salisbury Arts Centre and Songs of the Bulbul, a captivating solo dance performance by Aakash Odedra inspired by Sufi mythology coming to Salisbury Playhouse.
The festival offers a range of family friendly events including Family Fiesta – a free afternoon offering an array of events ranging from craft activities and workshops to live music at Salisbury Arts Centre on 31 May. Out Of The Box, a delightful outdoor family comedy show filled with surprises, will take place on 8 June.
Tickets for the Salisbury International Arts Festival are now on sale
here.
EVENSONG
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Saturday 24 May at 5pm
Evensong has for generations provided a daily form of prayer, and a rich repertoire of music has developed to enhance the beauty of this well-loved act of worship, often now delivered with a homily, hymns and prayers.
This service, led by those who keep the tradition and observance alive at the parish church of St Thomas’s, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the transformation of St Edmund’s Church into Salisbury Arts Centre. After the service, the choir will make their way to St Thomas’s Church and all ticket holders are welcome to join them there for refreshments.
Gorilla Circus in association with Wiltshire Creative presents
UNITY
Salisbury Market Square, Market Walk, Salisbury SP1 1TL
Saturday 24 May 9:30pm
Sunday 25 May at 4pm & 9:30pm
Monday 26 May at 1pm
UNITY is a reflection on community, an act of protest, a call for change and a dream for the future. A large-scale production that merges immersive theatre, circus and community stories in a powerful but intimate way. Local artist Louise Jordan has gathered reflections and responses from the local community that will be woven into the soundtrack of the performance. Salisbury Market Square will come alive night and day on this opening weekend to remember.
DARKFIELD presents
FLIGHT
Guildhall Square, Salisbury SP1 1JH
Saturday 24 May – Sunday 1 June at various times
FLIGHT takes place in total darkness inside a 40ft shipping container, resembling an Airbus 320 cabin. Over 30 minutes, it explores the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, taking audiences through two worlds, two realities and two possible outcomes. There are many worlds where this plane lands safely. Think Escape Rooms meets Immersive Simulator. Bring a group to experience this exhilarating, once-in-a-lifetime show that is soon to be the talk of the City.
Hambletts and Wiltshire Creative in association with English Heritage present
A BEAUTIFUL THREAD: THOMAS HARDY IN WORDS AND MUSIC
Stonehenge, Salisbury SP4 7DE
Wednesday 28 May at 8pm
Join us for a unique event at an iconic site. Performed in front of the Stone Circle, A Beautiful Thread weaves Hardy’s life with his beautiful poetry and great novels. Hardy put more music into his work than any other writer, and Orchestra of the Swan’s Artistic Director, David Le Page, has devised a musical programme that combines West Gallery music with Holst, Warlock and contemporary folk, which the audience will be given headphones to enjoy.
Adapted by Deirdre Shields, Hardy’s writing shines bright as ever. Anton Lesser and Lucia Bonbright bring a hugely varied cast to dazzling life: from Hardy and his mother to George Bernard Shaw and Virginia Woolf, along with characters from his novels. The show also highlights Hardy’s humour, his modernity, the time span he lived through and his global reach, from Hollywood to Japan. Please bring a picnic blanket and a picnic to enjoy.
Aakash Odedra Company in association with Manchester Camerata present
SONGS OF THE BULBUL
Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Thursday 29 May at 7.30pm
Birdsong is ephemeral – like dance, it exists only in the moment – sung once, then lost to time.
Songs of the Bulbul, a new solo dance work by Aakash Odedra, choreographed by Rani Khanam with music by Rushil Ranjan, is inspired by the Sufi myth of a bulbul bird in captivity. The nightingale’s song symbolizes a spiritual seeker yearning for union with the divine. Combining Kathak’s physicality with Sufism’s spiritual journey, this performance explores the fleeting beauty of dance and an artist’s life, rooted in the traditions of Sufi music, dance and poetry.
AN AUDIENCE WITH POLLY TOYNBEE
The Salberg, Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Thursday 29 May at 7pm
Join Polly Toynbee, Guardian columnist, former BBC social affairs editor and author, in conversation with broadcaster Matthew Stadlen. Her recent books include An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals and The Only Way Is Up: How to Take Britain from Austerity to Prosperity, a post-election book co-authored with David Walker.
Avalon Promotions presents
ELEANOR TIERNAN AND CHLOE PETTS: WORK IN PROGRESS
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Thursday 29 May at 7.30pm
Eleanor Tiernan has appeared on Stand Up For Live Comedy (BBC3), and as a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s News Quiz. Known for her acerbic wit, her style is “deceptively sharp” (Fest Mag).
Chloe Petts, called “one of the most compelling young comics” by The Guardian, is a rising star. Her debut show Transience received rave reviews, with The i praising it as a “barnstormer of a Fringe debut.”
Swansea City Opera in association with Wiltshire Creative and Arts Council Wales present
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 30 May at 7.30pm
How do you beat loneliness? How do you learn to laugh again? Swansea City Opera collected stories from members of the UK charity Men’s Shed who have experienced life’s adversities and isolation to create a contemporary and uplifting opera that explores life’s ups and downs. Wiltshire Creative are delighted that Local Men’s Shed groups from Salisbury and Wilton will also play their part on stage. Sung beautifully, Shoulder to Shoulder features singers who’ve worked at major opera houses, including the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne. The company features soprano Jessica Robinson, a finalist in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World in 2023.
Soap Soup Theatre presents
MINNY STYNKER
The Salberg Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 30 May at 11am & 2pm
What would you do if you moved to a strange city? Your friends are far away, your new house smells weird and it rains all the time?! Kit’s adventure begins when his drawings come to life, leading to a wild and colourful journey! Join Soap Soup Theatre for a riotous tale where bedrooms turn into forests, schools become solar systems and drawings take on a life of their own.
Many Hands Circus presents
OBSCURE DESIRES
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Friday 30 May at 7.30pm
Acrobatics company Many Hands Circus delves into the depths of human connection in a show that masterfully combines circus artistry and theatrical storytelling. Obscure Desires weaves together spectacular acrobatics and original live music to explore the landscape of human longing.
JBA Concerts presents
AN EVENING WITH JACQUI DANKWORTH: IN CONCERT
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Saturday 31 May at 7.30pm
Established as one of the country’s leading vocalists, Jacqui Dankworth’s live concerts showcase her mastery of a spectrum of genres, drawing on jazz, folk, soul and blues, as well as her sensibility as a songwriter and lyricist.
Audiences will be treated to a sparkling collection of songs drawn from her highly praised studio albums, alongside tracks that have inspired her incredible career.
AN AUDIENCE WITH JOANNE HARRIS
The Salberg Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Saturday 31 May at 7.45pm
Join Joanne Harris (OBE, FRSL) as she discusses her new novel Vianne, a prequel to Chocolat, set six years before Vianne opens her chocolaterie. Joanne is the author of twenty novels, three cookbooks and many short stories. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, she was awarded an OBE in 2022. Joanne will be joined in conversation by broadcaster Matthew Stadlen.
FAMILY FIESTA
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Saturday 31 May at 12pm
Join us for a fabulous Family Fiesta celebrating Salisbury Arts Centre’s 50th birthday. The grounds will be brought to life with an array of activities for all ages. There will be lots on offer including craft activities, workshops, live music, food vendors and ice cream, so bring the whole family along to join the party!
We also need your help to decorate the Arts Centre with beautiful bunting for this special event – keep an eye on our website for how to get involved!
The Central School of Ballet presents
BALLET CENTRAL 2025
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Wednesday 4 June at 7.30pm
Ballet Central returns in 2025 with a new programme of classical and contemporary dance. The evening opens with Frederick Ashton’s Foyer de Danse, staged for the first time in over 90 years. Also featured are new commissions from world-renowned Hip Hop dancer Dickson Mbi and award-winning theatre duo Thick and Tight. Kristen McNally’s modern ballet will close the show, highlighting the graduating cohort’s talent.
La Folia presents
EAGLES, BIRDSONGS AND BACH
St Thomas's Church, St Thomas Square, Salisbury SP1 1BA
Wednesday 4 June at 7.30pm
Alongside the music of Bach and Vivaldi, this concert presents music from La Folia’s Birdsongs project and the world premiere of Howard Moody’s Eagle Concerto performed by international virtuoso recorder player Piers Adams. Designed and built by the late Adriana Breukink, the ‘Eagle’ recorder has created new possibilities for the instrument, allowing it to soar away from its baroque roots.
Ever since first hearing Piers play the ‘Eagle’, Howard Moody has dreamt of writing a concerto for it, combining Bach’s orchestral line up of trumpets, drums, oboes, harpsichord and strings with the more modern sound-worlds of saxophone and percussion.
Tilted presents in association with Somethin’ Else
LIGHT AND DARK: BOURNE HILL GARDENS AND THE GREENCROFT
A Guided Walk with Frogg Moody and Neil Beagrie
Bourne Hill, Salisbury
Thursday 5 June at 7.30pm
This walk will cover the fascinating Saxon, Medieval, Georgian and Post-Modern landscape of the often-overlooked corner of Bourne Hill. The walk will also delve into the plague and the dark history of the Greencroft. The walk will start in front of Bourne Hill (outside the main entrance into the registry office) and progress to the Greencroft.
RORY CELLAN-JONES
The Salberg Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Thursday 5 June at 7.45pm
Join former BBC journalist Rory Cellan-Jones in conversation with Matthew Stadlen about his latest book, Sophie from Romania. This heartwarming story chronicles Rory’s journey adopting a shy Romanian rescue dog, Sophie, and how their bond helped him navigate his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
PLAY ON WORDS
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Thursday 5 June at 7.30pm
P.G. Wodehouse once had five musicals on Broadway simultaneously. Today, his step-great grandson Hal Cazalet, with pianist Simon Beck, transports us back to the Golden Age of stage and screen through stories and song. Celebrate the birth of the American musical with highlights from Gershwin, Kern, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Noël Coward, Sondheim, and more.
Hambletts and Orchestra of the Swan in association with Salisbury International Arts Festival present
GEORGE ELIOT IN WORDS AND MUSIC
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 6 June at 7.30pm
After their sell-out Red Sky at Sunrise last spring, Hambletts and Orchestra of the Swan return to bring 19th century writer George Eliot to bold and dramatic life. This female-led show tells George Eliot’s story through her great novels, letters, journals, poetry, and journalism. Performed by acclaimed singer-songwriter SuRie and Orchestra of the Swan alongside guest leading actress Hermione Norris (Cold Feet, Spooks).
In tune with Eliot’s radicalism, a dazzling music programme of contemporary female singer-songwriters weaves around Eliot’s immortal words.
THE MISTAKE
The Salberg Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 6 June at 7.45pm
When the atomic bomb is approved for use on Japan, Leo Szilard, tormented by his role in its creation, strives to prevent the catastrophe. Meanwhile, Shigeko Nomura, a young woman in Hiroshima, survives the bombing and fights to rescue her parents. Two actors, one British and one Japanese, portray the gripping stories of a Hungarian scientist, an American pilot, and a devoted Japanese daughter in this moving drama about the ‘mistake’ that launched the nuclear age.
WILTSHIRE COLLEGE MUSIC SHOWCASE
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Friday 6 June at 7pm
Wiltshire College and University Centre Salisbury presents a showcase of emerging talent from the Music Performance and Production Diploma course, featuring a variety of genres including indie-rock, folk, rap and electronic. Expect surprises and special guests, as the event marks the end of the students’ graduating academic year.
HEJIRA: CELEBRATING JONI MITCHELL
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Saturday 7 June at 7.30pm
Hejira is a 7-piece band celebrating Joni Mitchell’s masterpieces, mostly from the late ‘70s. Fronted by the talented Hattie Whitehead, who channels Joni’s vocal poise and guitar style, the band performs iconic songs like Amelia, Woodstock, Hejira, and A Case of You, offering an unforgettable tribute to Mitchell’s legacy.
WHO’S NEXT: WITH THE WHO
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Saturday 7 June at 7.30pm
Following last year’s celebration of The Rolling Stones’ 1964 Salisbury City Hall appearance, Wiltshire Creative and Salisbury History Festival present With The Who. In 1965, The Who performed to an ecstatic crowd in Salisbury, and now you can enjoy a tribute by the premier live band Who’s Next. Frogg Moody will also present Part 2 of his popular Whistle-Stop Tour, exploring the 1960s music scene in Salisbury.
The Lord Chamberlain’s Men presents
TWELFTH NIGHT
Rack Close, Cathedral Close, Salisbury SP1 2ES
Friday 6 June at 7pm
Saturday 7 June at 2pm & 7pm
Join The Lord Chamberlain’s Men this summer for Shakespeare’s greatest romantic comedy, Twelfth Night, celebrating their 21st year. They present this joyous play as he first saw it – in the open air, with an all-male cast, Elizabethan costumes, music and dance.
“If music be the food of love, play on!”
OUT OF THE BOX
Rack Close, Cathedral Close, Salisbury SP1 2ES
Sunday 8 June at 11am & 2pm
This outdoor family-friendly comedy show is packed with surprises as an unlikely character and his mysterious box take you on a whirlwind of wonder. You’ll never guess what’s coming next!
Every time the box opens, it’s a new adventure: trick shots, mini performances, and laugh-out-loud moments that invite everyone to join in the fun.
With Darryl J Carrington’s gentle, non-verbal clowning, everyday objects transform into the extraordinary. This show is a joyous celebration of play throughout your life, whatever your age, bringing generations together through seriously skilful silliness.
LISTINGS WILTSHIRE CREATIVE
Box office: 01722 320 333 / ticketsales@wiltshirecreative.co.uk
SALISBURY INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL:
EVENSONG
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Saturday 24 May at 5pm
FREE
UNITY
Salisbury Market Square, Market Walk, Salisbury SP1 1TL
Saturday 24 at May 9:30pm
Sunday 25 May at 4pm & 9:30pm
Monday 26 May at 1pm
FREE
FLIGHT
Guildhall Square, Salisbury SP1 1JH
Saturday 24 May – Sunday 1 June at various times
Tickets: from £10 for adults or £8 for under 25s
A BEAUTIFUL THREAD: THOMAS HARDY IN WORDS AND MUSIC
Stonehenge, Salisbury SP4 7DE
Wednesday 28 May at 8pm
Tickets from £40
ELEANOR TIERNAN AND CHLOE PETTS: WORK IN PROGRESS
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Thursday 29 May at 7.30pm
Tickets from £17
SONGS OF THE BULBUL
Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Thursday 29 May at 7.30pm
Tickets from £23
AN AUDIENCE WITH POLLY TOYNBEE
The Salberg, Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 9 June at 7:30 pm
Tickets from £16
MINNY STYNKER
The Salberg, Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 30 May at 11am & 2pm
Tickets from £12 for adults or £10 for children
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 30 May at 7.30pm
Tickets from £16
OBSCURE DESIRES
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Friday 30 May at 7.30pm
Tickets from £16
AN AUDIENCE WITH JOANNE HARRIS
The Salberg Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Saturday 31 May at 7.45pm
Tickets from £16
AN EVENING WITH JACQUI DANKWORTH: IN CONCERT
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Saturday 31 May at 7.30pm
Tickets from £20
FAMILY FIESTA
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Saturday 31 May at 12pm
FREE
EAGLES, BIRDSONGS AND BACH
St Thomas's Church, St Thomas Square, Salisbury SP1 1BA
Wednesday 4 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £26
BALLET CENTRAL 2025
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Wednesday 4 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £19
LIGHT AND DARK: BOURNE HILL GARDENS AND THE GREENCROFT
Bourne Hill, Salisbury
Thursday 5 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £10
RORY CELLAN-JONES
The Salberg Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Thursday 5 June at 7.45pm
Tickets from £16
JOSH WIDDICOMBE: WORK IN PROGRESS
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Thursday 5 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £22
PLAY ON WORDS
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Thursday 5 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £23
GEORGE ELIOT IN WORDS AND MUSIC
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 6 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £16
THE MISTAKE
The Salberg Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Friday 6 June at 7.45pm
Tickets from £16
WILTSHIRE COLLEGE MUSIC SHOWCASE
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Friday 6 June at 7pm
Tickets from £5
TWELFTH NIGHT
Rack Close, Cathedral Close, Salisbury SP1 2ES
Friday 6 June at 7pm
Saturday 7 June at 2pm & 7pm
Tickets from £24
HEJIRA: CELEBRATING JONI MITCHELL
Salisbury Playhouse Main House, Malthouse Ln, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Saturday 7 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £18
WHO’S NEXT: WITH THE WHO
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin St, Salisbury SP1 3UT
Saturday 7 June at 7.30pm
Tickets from £18
OUT OF THE BOX
Rack Close, Cathedral Close, Salisbury SP1 2ES
Sunday 8 June at 11am & 2pm
Tickets from £12 for adults and £10 for children
