Oxford Festival of the Arts

04/06/2026

James Gemmill. An Exhibition

Why not come along to the private viewing tomorrow evening? Open from 6pm-8pm for browsing, with the artist and other like-minded people in attendance. Entry is free.

After that, the free exhibition will be open every day until 14th June.
Weekend opening - 11am-4pm
Weekday opening - 4pm-7pm

For more info, see https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/james-gemmill-exhibition/

The exhibition can be found at:
The Kendrew Barn, St Johns College (Oxford)

04/06/2026

Early Music Weekend! 20th-21st June

In collaboration with Continuo Foundation

Following the outstanding interest in Early Music Day 2025, Oxford Festival of the Arts is delighted to unveil Early Music Weekend at Magdalen College and New College, Oxford. Join us for an inspiring series of concerts celebrating the finest early music

See links below for individual event tickets, or why not purchase day or weekend passes?
Full weekend pass £65
Saturday pass £40
Sunday pass £30

Saturday 20 June | 2pm Grove Auditorium: Still Life Musica d’Outrora

https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/still-life-musica-doutrora/

Saturday 20 June | 4pm Grove Auditorium: Double, Double Toil & Trouble Palisander

https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/double-double-toil-trouble-palisander/

Saturday 20 June | 5.45pm New College Chapel: Early Music Festival Evensong

https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/early-music-festival-evensong/

Saturday 20 June |7.30pm Grove Auditorium: Dreams Under the Wings of Morpheus Bellot Ensemble

https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/dreams-under-the-wings-of-morpheus-bellot-ensemble/

Sunday 21 June | 11.30am – 4pm The Old Library, Magdalen College Oxford: John Dowland: songes and ayres in the library Dowland’s Dowland's Foundry

https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/john-dowland-songes-and-ayres-in-the-library-dowlands-foundry/

Sunday 21 June | 4pm Grove Auditorium: Echoes of the Spanish Baroque Lowe Adderbury Ensemble

https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/echoes-of-the-spanish-baroque-lowe-ensemble/

Sunday 21 June | 6pm Grove Auditorium: Who was John Dowland? Nicholas Mulroy, tenor & Elizabeth Kenny, lute

https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/who-was-john-dowland-nicholas-mulroy-tenor-elizabeth-kenny-lute/

03/06/2026

THIS SATURDAY AT 19:30!

​A concert play by award-winning writer Clare Norburn, directed by BAFTA-nominated director Nicholas Renton.
1695. Hailed English Baroque composer Henry Purcell in his final illness. Purcell (Niall Ashdown) is experiencing feverish dream-like hallucinations in which the past, the present, and fantasy, collide, and where his songs take on a life of their own. With the shadow of death falling over his tousled bed, his bedroom transforms into a theatre, and Purcell revisits his childhood memories of the Great Fire of London, and his early romance with his wife.
Interwoven into the drama are Purcell’s compositions: from b***y theatre ballads and joyful celebrations of love, to slow airs, a ‘mad song’, and numbers from his semi-operas.

Tickets available at:
https://www.musicatoxford.com/partner-event/oxford-festival-of-the-arts-purcell-the-musical/

01/06/2026

Looking ahead in our events program, we present an evening interview with the BBC's James Naughtie - broadcaster and writer on a wide range of topics including literature, music, travels & espionage novels!

He will be joined as interviewer by Rob Watson, distinguished journalist and political correspondent, also from the BBC.

Tickets available below:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-james-naughtie-tickets-1985146394304?aff=oddtdtcreator

or why not combine it with our other events on the same evening?
Our talk by art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon discussing his new biography of Vermeer lines up nicely to allow you to attend both events with a gap for a drink in our Festival Bar between!
Combined tickets for both talks can be found here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tuesday-evening-talks-at-the-oxford-festival-of-the-arts-tickets-1985147837621?aff=erellivmlt

01/06/2026

Less than 2 weeks to go till an evening of weaving symbolisms and moods with Oxford's premier concert choir Schola Cantorum of Oxford, accompanied by the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet!

Tickets available here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/scholacantorumofoxford/2153329

29/05/2026

1695. Hailed English Baroque composer Henry Purcell in his final illness. Purcell (Niall Ashdown) is experiencing feverish dream-like hallucinations in which the past, the present, and fantasy, collide, and where his songs take on a life of their own. With the shadow of death falling over his tousled bed, his bedroom transforms into a theatre, and Purcell revisits his childhood memories of the Great Fire of London, and his early romance with his wife.

A musical production, featuring compositions from Purcell woven into the drama.

Tickets available at:
https://www.musicatoxford.com/partner-event/oxford-festival-of-the-arts-purcell-the-musical/

See the trailer below:

28/05/2026

Join us on the 6th June for a musical performance but perhaps not as you know! Featuring the compositions of Henry Purcell interwoven with drama as the man himself suffers on his deathbed and replays major events from his lifetime.

Tickets available at:
https://www.musicatoxford.com/partner-event/oxford-festival-of-the-arts-purcell-the-musical/

22/05/2026

Join us on Friday 29th May at Kellog College Oxford. Tickets on sale: https://artsfestivaloxford.org/events/reading-the-signs-the-conference/

22/05/2026

We are very excited about our visual arts programme this year! Thank you Ox In A Box 🥰

If you thought OXFORD FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS was all about music then think again. Not only does it boast a varied programme of theatre, talks, events and If you thought OXFORD FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS was all about music then think again. Not only does it boast a varied programme of theatre, talks, event...

14/05/2026

Oxford Festival of the Arts presents
🎶Purcell, The Musical 🎭
A concert play by award-winning writer Clare Norburn, directed by BAFTA-nominated director Nicholas Renton.
6 June | 7.30pm | Grove audtiorium, Magdalen College Oxford
🎫Tickets on sale now, via www.artsfestivaloxford.org