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Henley Festival Trust

Interested in becoming a Friend of the Festival?

The Henley Festival Trust is the charity behind Henley Festival of Music & the Arts.

The Trust is working hard to promote the arts in the community encouraging the wealth of arts organisations in and around Henley; funding artists in residence programmes in schools and colleges; and supporting young artists at the start of their careers.

In 2004, we expanded the Henley Festival Trust Scheme by offering different levels of participation and providing additional benefits to those choosing to become Gold and Silver members.

To give you an idea of the activities now undertaken by the Henley Festival Trust:

Each year, as part of the annual SHOUT (Schools in Henley OUTreach) programme, a different professional company-in-residence is appointed to give pupils from each of the participating schools an in-depth introduction to a different art form.

Every school within the Henley area is invited to join in this huge project that dwarfs any similar activities undertaken by other arts organisations around the country.

In addition to SHOUT!, the Henley Festival Trust

  • funds year-round music therapy at the Townlands Hospital, in association with the charity Headway and national music therapy charity Nordoff-Robbins
  • they support the activities of many of the region's arts and cultural groups
  • gives grant aid to talented up-and-coming young artists and performers
  • seeks ever more innovative ways to encourage and develop the cultural life in the area.

How to Become A Friend

Supporting the Henley Festival and the Henley Festival Trust

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2007, the Henley Festival passed a major milestone. Recognised nationally and internationally as one of the Summer's great British events, the Festival is nonetheless hugely reliant on the support of its friends to sustain and develop both the Henley Festival and its parent charity, the Henley Festival Trust.

What do you get in return for becoming a friend? Crucially, friends have the all-important first call on Henley Festival tickets - priority booking.

Tickets to the Festival have traditionally been in enormous demand and friends can avoid the disappointment of missing out on magical Festival evenings that are invariably hugely popular. Beyond that, however, friends have increasingly been offered additional and attractive incentives to join, and these are detailed on the opposite page.

We would also urge that you consider upgrading your support beyond the basic entry level.

Besides endeavouring to produce extraordinary annual events, the Henley Festival is also committed to the community and the stimulation of its cultural life, as well as providing an important music therapy programme for the brain injured. Few Festivals around the country have more substantial programmes. Please help us to sustain and develop these!

The possibilities for the friends are endless, the funds currently not so.

Stewart Collins, Artistic Director

Accordingly, we invite you to consider joining/rejoining the friends scheme as Gold (£250), Silver (£100) or Bronze (£30+) Members.

1.An invitation to the Artistic Director's champagne reception at the Henley Festival G
2.An invitation to the annual Festival launch event, normally held in February G
3.A named listing in The Muse when joining G
4.Free upgrade to higher priced seats at the Festival on the night, if available G
5.A complimentary copy of the Festival Souvenir Programme GS
6.A named listing in the Souvenir Programme GS
7.An opportunity to purchase Special Edition prints, created by Festival Artists (when available) GS
8.Invitations to performances and workshops staged by H.F. Trust GS
9.Priority booking for the Henley Festival before the general public GSB
10.Priority booking for moorings GSB
11.Prior notice of Henley Festival extra events throughout the year GSB
12.Reduced price tickets to theatre and English National Opera visits GSB
13.Free membership of "Let's Go" Henley Festival's cultural Travel Club GSB
14.The Muse - the Friends' newsletter keeping you up to date with all Friends' activities GSB

Henley Festival Trust (Registered Charity No 296965)
14 Friday Street, Henley on Thames RG9 1AH

To read the Friends for the Future brochure online or to download it, please click HERE.  NOTE: This is held as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file.

Please click HERE if you are interested in receiving information on becoming a member of the Henley Festival Trust. ENQUIRY FORM