We run regular monthly ChAT (Chippenham Arts Team) meetings for Chippenham based Arts organisations, groups and individuals interested in developing community arts events in the town. The meetings take place the first Tuesday in every month at the CBLC offices and have been set up to encourage collaborative and community partnership working. Please get in touch by email if you’d like to attend the ChAT meeting
We run Chippenham Arts and Cultural Events aimed at local arts and culture groups, organisations and individuals. Providing support, training and networking opportunities and creating opportunities for collaborative working. The Chippenham ACE hold monthly ‘Culture Cafés’ with guest speakers at the Cause Arts Centre.
Laura, our Arts and Education Officer, runs the Chippenham ACE group. She also manages the Chippenham ACE pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. These provide great opportunities to share and find out about local events, positive ideas and get actively involved in Chippenham Arts and Culture.
To be added onto our Arts and Cultural events email mailing list &/or to provide information about Arts/Culture related events please send us an email.
Welcome to the very first Fringe Feb event in Chippenham. The idea for this came following discussions with the ChAT group (Chippenham Arts Team) about trying to expand the type of performance work on offer in our town. You may be surprised at just how much is already going on in our town and the variety of things on offer.
We have a rich and varied programme for you ranging from music, performance, dance and comedy to art, poetry, crafts, photography and markets. Events take place across many different local venues and also outdoors in the town centre (weather permitting). Any changes to the published programme of events will be communicated on here and also via the Chippenham ACE Facebook page.
We hope there is something for everyone to watch, take part and enjoy over the 3 days of Fringe Feb.
Above are a small selection of posters and images from the many events that make up Fringe Feb. Below you can see an overview of the full Fringe Feb programme of events and underneath that you can see the full programme with links (where available) to find out more information about each individual event. Please click on the +/- signs to view the date/s you are interested in and then find the individual event that you would like to find out more about. You can also keep up with Fringe Feb and other Arts and Culture events around the local area by following the Chippenham ACE group on Facebook.
| All day | Haiku Street Poetry & Art Exhibition | Poetry & Art | Town Centre | FREE | Local companies Call of the Page and Rag and Bone Arts CIC, have worked together to present a visual poetry display throughout the town centre. Look out for Haiku poems through the town centre and join in by making up your own Haiku and sharing them via #ChipHaiku |
| 10.00 – 16.00 | Goldiggers Exhibition
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Exhibition | Chippenham Museum | FREE |
Following a two-year project with Wiltshire College and University Centre, this exhibition brings together memories and memorabilia to tell the story of this iconic Chippenham venue. More info… |
| 18.00 -19.00 | February Bookclub Meeting
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Book Club | Waterstones | FREE |
Book club will be discussing The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. More info…
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| 19.00 | Danny Buckler | Comedy | The Old Road Tavern | £7 |
The Chippenham Comedy Club have been running monthly gigs for 15 years in venues across town. The Comedy Club is on the last Thursday of every month, starting at 8pm. |
| Doors open 19.00 (20.00 start) | Genesis – Visible Touch
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Live Music | The Neeld
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£16 | Genesis Visible Touch are the ultimate Phil Collins-era Genesis show! Expect old classics alongside hits such as Turn It On Again, Misunderstanding and Follow You Follow Me! More info…
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| All day | Haiku poetry & art street exhibition | Poetry & Art | Town Centre | FREE |
Local companies Call of the Page and Rag and Bone Arts CIC, have worked together to present a visual poetry display throughout the town centre. Look out for Haiku poems through the town centre and join in by making up your own Haiku and sharing them via #ChipHaiku
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| 08.30-16.30
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Market Day | Market | Town Centre | FREE |
Chippenham Town Market held every Friday and Saturday. |
| 12.30-17.30 | Live Knitting | Craft | RSPCA Chippenham shop | FREE |
learn &/or join in with Chippenham’s Knatty Knitters. Tea, cake and chats available for anyone who wants to join them. Sale of goods in aid of RSPCA & Salvation Army. For more info call 07853 048822
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| 17.30 -19.00 | Culture Café featuring a talk by Luke Emmett “How do the arts help to strengthen communities?” – 6pm | Talk | The Cause | FREE
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Luke Emmett of Theatre Bath starts the conversation about how the Arts can help us to form strong communities and help with our wellbeing. The Chippenham Culture Café takes place on the last Friday of ever month and is for anyone interested in arts and cultural events in Chippenham, both amateur and professional. For more info &/or to be kept in touch about forthcoming café dates and events please email Chippenham Ace. Sponsored by CBLC |
| 19.00 – 21.00 | Music Café – Hippy Theme | Live Music | The Cause | £3 – FREE to members of the Culture Café | The incredibly popular monthly music café continues to celebrate local talent and create a platform for performance work. More info…
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| 19.00-20.30 | Picture the Moon
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Astronomy and Photography | Meet at the Neeld Foyer | FREE |
Come along and look at the night sky through telescopes with local astronomer and science communicator, Paul Hill. Bring your mobile phone and take a perfect picture of the Moon. Share your photos at #FringeFebMoon Meet in the Neeld Hall foyer at 7pm
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| 19.30-21.30 | Take The Stage – Heat 4
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Live Music | The Neeld | £4 |
The 4th heat of the music competition will see 12 young acts compete across four heats for a place in the final with the chance to play for some great prizes from Riverbank Studios. Sponsored by Blue Spark Foundation |
| 19.30 – 20.30 | The Sahara and beyond | Belly Dancing workshop & show & Photography | The Citadel Hall | £7 | The Sahara Sisters will take you on a fun journey to some different places around the world, showing different styles of belly dancing. For more information please email. |
| All day | Haiku poetry & art street exhibition | Poetry & Art | Town Centre | FREE | Local companies Call of the Page and Rag and Bone Arts CIC, have worked together to present a visual poetry display throughout the town centre. Look out for Haiku poems through the town centre and join in by making up your own Haiku and sharing them via #ChipHaiku |
| 10.30-15.30 | Vintage & Vinyl – Vintage fair
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Market | The Yelde | FREE | Browse clothing, music and more in the beautiful setting of Chippenham’s medieval Yelde Hall. This vintage market, the first to take place in this venue, co-insides with Chippenham Museum’s Goldiggers exhibition, celebrating an iconic local venue in the 80s and 90s. More info… |
| 10.30 – 12.30 | How to research the history of your house.
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History and Culture | Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre | £6 | You don’t need to live in an old house to research its history. This introductory hands-on workshop with Julie Davis and Max Parkin will give you all the skills you need to get started researching the building you live in and the people who called it home before you. |
| 11.30–12.30 | Introduction to photography workshop
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Photography | Borough Parade | FREE – funded by LYN | Come along and get FREE introduction to photography with local photographer Kez from The Photo Club. An introduction to her regular sessions. Funded by Wilts Council’s Local Youth Network. |
| 11.30 | Twist in the Tale | Interactive Performance | Chippenham Library | FREE |
A travelling player has lost her troupe, so the audience become the extra players to complete the performance. An interactive performance from Knapsack Productions where you help tell a well-known fairy tale, and maybe even help re-shape the ending! Suitable for children from 3+ and their adults. Come to just watch, to help out, or take a leading role in the show. For more information email or call 01249 476400. Sponsored by CBLC |
| 11.00-16.00 | Live Knitting | Craft | RSPCA Chippenham shop | FREE |
Watch, learn &/or join in with Chippenham’s Knatty Knitters. Tea, cake and chats available for anyone who wants to join them. Sale of goods in aid of RSPCA & Salvation Army. For more info call 07853 048822
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| 11.30-15.30 | Department of Complaints | Street Theatre | Town Bridge | FREE | Department of Complaint Tent – In support of our national pastime (grumbling), Curious Company’s Department of Complaints would be delighted to see you. Need to vent, air an issue, noticed a niggle? No grumble is too big or too small. Post it on the board or if you want to take it further come in to the office and fill out a form. Let’s grumble. Sponsored by CBLC |
| 12.30-15.00 | Saxophone busker | Live Music | New Road/Town Bridge/Hand of Glory | FREE | Local musician Tim Fosker from Musically Inspired takes to the streets to entertain you and cheer you up on these dark winter days. Sponsored by CBLC |
| 12.00-15.00 | Jukebox Open Mic Fringe Special | Live Music | Empty shop at Borough Parade – opposite 02 | FREE |
Open Mic for 13-19 year olds with special Guest Performances. Take a seat and listen to a variety of local musicians and bands from Riverbank Studios. Sponsored by CBLC
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| 12.30-13.30 | Folk Dancers
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Folk Dance | Buttercross | FREE |
Displays of folk dancing by local groups the Chippenham Morris Men and Hips and Hawes.
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| 12.30-14.30 | Letter writing | Interactive performance | Tent outside Hand of Glory | FREE | Sit down, relax, and let Karen from writing group Call of the Page help you write a letter to someone who you think would appreciate a thought. Sponsored by CBLC |
| 13.45 | Xpressions Street Dance | Dance | Buttercross | FREE |
Witness Xpressions Street Dancers sock it to you in a short burst of energy and sass. Blink and you’ll miss it so don’t be late!
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| 13.30 | Twist in the Tale | Interactive Performance | The Neeld Meeting room | FREE |
A travelling player has lost her troupe, so the audience become the extra players to complete the performance. An interactive performance from Knapsack Productions where you help tell a well-known fairy tale, and maybe even help re-shape the ending! Suitable for children from 3+ and their adults. Come to just watch, to help out, or take a leading role in the show. For more information email or call 01249 476400. Sponsored by CBLC |
| 14.00-15.00 | The Secret Self – A Life Show | Live Poetry Performance | The Cause | FREE | Performance coach and poet Nigel Linacre fuses inspirational poetry and practice in an enjoyable, interactive and surprising life show. |
| 16.00 | Kids Comedy feat. Andrew O’Neill plus support
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Kid’s Comedy | Rivo Lounge | FREE but limited. Book in advance. Donations taken | The Chippenham Comedy Club present a FREE kids comedy show, featuring the hilarious Andrew O’Neill plus support from Cina Qedesh and Will Hodgson. Children must be accompanied – aimed at 6+. Sponsored by CBLC. |
| 18.00-22.30 | Fringe Megashow | Live Music | Old Road Tavern | FREE | 9 Bands across 2 stages presented by Vamos Promotions at The Old Road Tavern. Bands include The Real Cheesemakers, Tea & Biscuits, NerveEndings, Lost Moon, Longcoats, Mike Barham, Phreakers and Meekers |
| 19.00 | Dolly Parton Tribute Act
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Live Music & Disco | Consti Club | £8 for members, £10 non-members |
Dolly Parton Tribute act live at the Consti Club! Playing all your favourite Dolly Hits! Tickets available behind the bar or call 07849 491684
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| 19.30-21.00 | Instant Wit! A quick-fire Comedy Improvisation show
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Comedy | The Cause | £12 |
Witness this hysterical trio improvise their way through a host of games and scenes, with suggestions from the audience. Following their brilliant show last February in Chippenam – Instant Wit are back to wow you and make you laugh. Never the same show twice. Hosted by Rag and Bone Arts CIC– bringing quality Theatre performances to Chippenham.
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| 21.30-22.30
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Will Hodgson and friends
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Live Comedy
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The Cause
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FREE – donations for Unity House
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Local Perrier award winning comedian Will takes to the stage, supported by other funny friends in the field. Hosted by The Chippenham Comedy Club. |
Today is the start of the A-Z of CBLC – hopefully by the time we get to Z you will know lots more about our grant giving charity: what we do, how we can help and you will also find out about our existing and upcoming projects. A is for ARTS. We help individuals and…
We’re excited to announce that we’ve launched a new community website – onechippenham.org.uk Eventually, we hope it will become the first choice ‘one stop’ place to find community information and information about ‘what’s on’ in Chippenham. In the short term the new website focuses on essential local information relating to Coronavirus. It includes information on volunteer support…
We are concentrating our support to help with basic welfare provisions and emergency requests/applications relating to Covid-19 only (for example food, transport and electricity/gas). We are only able to help local individuals and groups/organisations that support the Chippenham community. If you are a local organisation or group who thinks we can help you to support the Chippenham community…
It was fantastic to see so much fun, colour and talent in Chippenham last weekend with the town full of music, comedy, performance, dancing, photography, art, craft, poetry, talks and a market. We would like to say a HUGE thank you to all of the different individuals, groups and organisations who joined in, took…
Sadly we have another weekend of wet and windy weather ahead but fear not Fringe Feb is still on. Many of the Fringe Feb events are already indoors but where it has been possible outside events have been, or are in the process of being, moved inside to new venues. We will keep the below post…
Our Chippenham Ace Group have put together an exciting new event in Chippenham for 3 days at the end of February. From the 27-29 February Chippenham is going to come alive with music, comedy, performance and dancing to photography, craft, poetry, talks and markets. The events take place across multiple venues including outdoors in the…
Would you like to try something new in 2020? We are trialling a new grant scheme called the Enrichment Grant this year to enable Chippenham residents to join a local class, activity or group and try something new in 2020. Have you always fancied taking up a sport, learning a craft, joining an exercise class or…
Friday 8th March 2019 5-6pm At The Cause, The Causeway, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3DD. With over 20 years running arts organisations and projects, Natural Theatre Company Director Andy Burden brings the discussion to Chippenham about how the cultural industries can help build communities and support local businesses. With years of experience in Theatre and performance…
Earlier today Luke Emmett from Theatre Bath helped lots of different cultural organisations in Chippenham learn more about engaging on Social Media. He provided lots of tips on how best to create posts, best times to post content, branding social channels, using hashtags effectively, privacy and security and also how to use analytics to see how…
Do you work for yourself or help promote a local group or organisation? It can be a lot of work and you can get left behind if you’re not careful. We’re running FREE Social Media Training event here at the Jubilee building on Wednesday 30th. The two 1.5 hour workshops for Chippenham residents will help…
