Cultural festivals in UK`s hinterland

WHILE foreign tourists flock to London in the summer, Brits head for the sea if they aren`t going abroad for a vacation. Cornwall and Dorset are favourite weekend destinations. Both have spectacular coastlines, and the walks along Dorset`s Purbeck coast are especially popular.

I have just spent three days in and around Swanage to participate in some of the events of the weeklong Purbeck Art Festival, and have returned deeply impressed by the range of talent on display. Spread across several towns, villages and barns, the events take the visitor through some of the loveliest countryside in Britain. Many of the exhibitions were in artists` studios located in villages and towns.
The biggest art exhibition was at the Rollington Barn where a dozen or so local painters and sculptors displayed their works. We bought several prints of seascapes and Dorset cliffs as prices were amazingly reasonable, given the high quality of the work. Tony Viney, a noted sculptor and the moving spirit behind the festival, was kind enough to present us with one of his large stone plates. Tony had spent a fortnight with us in Sri Lanka, and this gesture was a way of reciprocating.
The local stone is used extensively in construction, with dark stone used in cut tiles, and soft, honey-hued stone forming the walls. Most houses in the area are single-storeyed, with the towns imposing strict limits on high-rises. The local authorities guard Purbeck`s character zealously, and there is no industry in the area that sticks out. No wonder property prices here are some of the highest in the country.
The festival included several lectures, and one of them was given by Phillip Mansell, the well-known historian and a good friend. His talk about Turkey from the Ottoman period to the present at his huge country house, Smedmore, was followed by a Turkish meal. Frankly, the talk was much better than the meal. Phillip`s recent book Levant was on sale, so I got him to sign a copy for me.
The village of Worth Matravers is a pretty sprawl of stone houses, but is better known for the Square and Compass, a 15th century pub that is a favourite watering hole for hikers trekking along the coast. Many park their cars there and set off for a day of walking before returning for a pint. In good weather, people sit outside in the long summer evenings, while the huge fireplace and low, quirky room are very inviting when the weather turns cool.
One of the talks I`m glad I attended was given by Sir Anthony Caro, the world famous sculptor. Well into his eighties, he spoke disarmingly of his large, abstract metal works. About his philosophy, he said simply: “I see the purpose of my sculptures as an effort to amuse the eye, and feed the soul.” For me, this was as succinct a definition of the meaning of art as any I have come across.
The third talk I went to was given by Frederick Forsyth, the famous author of such bestsellers as The Day of the Jackal and the Dogs of War. This event was the first of the Dick Odgers Memorial Lectures in memory of my late father-in-law, and was very well attended. The writer spoke at length about his early life when he became the youngest fighter pilot in post-World War II Britain at the age of nineteen. He then went on to become a foreign correspondent before sitting down to write The Day of the Jackal, the book that won him international fame. He still rues his decision to sell the film rights for 20,000 pounds instead of demanding a percentage of the earnings. As we all know, the movie made millions across the world.
In between events, we went on long walks and had some good seafood meals. I was finally able to relax, having finished the first draft of my book. It`s been a long haul getting to this point, and I hope it will have been worth the effort when it comes out later this year.
Not long ago, culture was an exclusive London preserve. But now, the whole provincial festival scene has caught on in a big way across Britain. Designed to attract tourists and display local talent, most towns have annual events sponsored by local councils and businesses. In Purbeck, there is a jazz festival in July, and a film festival in October. Organised by volunteers who put in long hours to make these events a success, they reflect a vibrant civic spirit.
The literary festival at Hay-on-Wye, of course, is world famous now, and has been turned into an international franchise. Although I have been to six or seven Hay festivals, I fear the whole thing has become far too big for my taste. With literally scores of events to choose from, the emphasis has gradually shifted from literature to politics. In addition, the venue has been moved from the picturesque town, with its dozens of second-hand bookshops, to fields half a mile away.
Probably the biggest and oldest of annual cultural events in the UK is the Edinburgh Festival with theatre, music and comedy as the focus. Hundreds of aspiring actors, directors, musicians and stand-up comics congregate here to try their luck. A good review in a national daily or a TV programme can launch a career. We went there for a week one August several years ago, and I was exhausted keeping up with the lady wife who had booked us into a raft of events.
Here in Devizes, the annual festival begins this week. Sadly, it lacks the range of events available in Purbeck, and only attracts people from neighbouring farms and villages. But it provides an opportunity for citizens to turn up at the large Market Square to participate in events, and an excuse to meet friends at the many picturesque pubs.
In these recessionary times, such locally organised festivals are reminders that the community spirit in Britain is still alive and well.