VBF believes high-quality productions of Baroque music and drama should be open to everyone. By combining contemporary artistic disciplines in performance and having pop-ups and installations away from the stage beforehand, we aim to produce vibrant events that will inform, challenge, and entertain both new and seasoned audiences. These events will be a platform for emerging artists to play, sing, dance, act, design, and create alongside some of the industry’s leading lights and to tell old stories in modern ways.
By observing and questioning the traditional access to classical music culture, we hope to nurture a sense of belonging for all our artists and audience members, regardless of age, race, financial position, or experience of music. Via the gateway of the Baroque era, we want to introduce young people to the joy of live classical music and its many benefits, to inspire their creativity, and to invite them to build bridges between our past and present.
We present an annual summer festival, as well as other smaller projects throughout the year.
In 2021, our education programme comprised a children’s choir performing in our Bach cantatas programme; sound installations by local school children; a scheme for selected student singers comprising a masterclass, career mentoring and a side-by-side performance with professionals; and invitations to individuals and community groups see our Acis & Galatea dress rehearsal free of charge.
We have ambitious plans to grow both the festival and our education and outreach programme further.
