iKnow Devon
Devon Accommodation
Agatha Christie's 'An Unexpected Guest', Palace Theatre, Paignton
The Unusually shaped Landmark Theatre at Ilfracombe, right on the seafront
Princess Theatre, Torquay Promenade, opposite Princess Pier
Spacex Gallery, Exeter MuralDevon Theatre, Cinema, Contemporary Art Devon UK
Devon has a rich contemporary cultural scene, with it's two main cultural hotspots Exeter and Plymouth, both university towns, offering a superb choice of art house and mainstream cinema, great theatres and drama and contemporary arts centres to die for.
Check out Devon's North coast, particularly Ilfracombe, and inland Barnstaple for superb Devon theatre at the unusually shaped Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe and the Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple. And what about that holiday theatre magic on the English Riviera. There's great theatres at Babbacombe, Torquay and Paignton!
Devon Cinema
Exeter has developed a reputation not just for superb art house cinema venues, but as a hotspot for exploring the history of cinema and popular culture. In conjunction with Exeter University, the relatively new Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema and Popular Culture puts Exeter on the map as a city for cinema fans. Take your pick in Exeter from a choice of chic cafe bars, arthouse cinema, cutting edge contemporary art, and a selection of arts and crafts shopping, particularly on Quayside. Fans of Early cinema history and popular culture will particularly love the Bill Douglas Centre for Cinema and Popular Culture. Check out the new arthouse cinema in Exeter - The Picture House.
Plymouth Cinema couldn't be better. The superb Plymouth Arts Centre on Looe Street has it all. Cutting edge exhibitions with a cinematic focus and a choice of Art House and World cinema to blow ya socks off. They've a tasty little restaurant/bar on-site as well. Calling all Vegetarians, the Plymouth Arts Centre Resturant won the Vegetarian Society Award for the best Bistor/Cafe of 2005. Excellent stuff.
Tiverton is blessed with a rather good little cinema, The Tivoli on Fore Street. This cinema seats 300 people, and has an excellent choice programme of both art house, international and mainstream cinema. Check the Tivoli Cinema's website to the right for full details.
Sidmouth Folk Festival
After the great success of the Sidmouth Folk Festival week in 2005, the 2006 date for your folk festival diary is from 4th-11th August in Sidmouth. It's developed a real classy reputation with prime acts such as Black Umfolosi, Bellowhead, Patterson Jordan Dipper, BlackThorn and more big folk names. A host of entertainment runs through the week including workshops, young folk events, Ceilidhs and arts and crafts stalls and events.
Events are held at various superb venues around Sidmouth such as the Sidmouth Arts Centre, The Bedford Hotel and Manor Pavillion. Check out the Sidmouth Folk Festival website to the right for full details on what to expect. Box Office Tel: 01395 578627.
Devon Theatres
Torquay and the English Riviera has a superb selection of family holiday theatres showing a range of dramas, musicals and comedy. Paignton has a delightful theatre - The Palace Theatre, which has a real community feel about it, and regularly shows Agatha Christie plays, including recently 'The Unexpected Guest'. Check out also the superb 1500 seater Princess Theatre in Torquay on Torbay Road near the Promenade. They often get the big West End Musicals here!. Friendly Babbacombe Theatre is situated right on Babbacombe Downs on the cliff top. Take a look at Babbacombe Theatre's little website to the right for current show details. Brixham has it's own small theatre too. It's a cosy, community theatre showing sporadic drama performances and concerns. Check with Brixham Tourist Information in the Harbour for details.
Music events, tea dances, films, drama and a bit of frequent Agatha Christie plays thrown in are on the menu at Ilfracombe's architecturally celebrated Landmark Theatre. Check out also the Queens Theatre, Barnstaple for more great North Devon Theatre!
How about the superb little Shaftesbury Theatre in Dawlish. This little rep company puts on five plays per year, and has a pantomime season. Well worth a look!
Contemporary Art Devon
Spacex Gallery, Exeter, prepared to be wowed by this superb contemporary art gallery. Changing exhibitions, and projects that are not just in these galleries here on Preston Street, but are spread out across Exeter (note the Blue Boy statue in the heart of Exeter's shopping district!). Exeter's Phoenix centre is a blending of visual arts, theatre, and music events, particularly jazz, and film.
Robert Lenkiewicz is an artist who has been based in Plymouth through the 1970s, 80s and 90s, through to today. Lenkiewicz is increasingly getting some attention, and rightly so. View Robert O Lenkiwicz's work at The Annexe Gallery, at Barbican Quay. A large mural by Lenkiwicz can be viewed on Southside Street, Plymouth which focuses on local Barbican characters.
Simon Drew Gallery, 13 Foss Street, Dartmouth, Devon, TQ6 9NR. Tel: 01803 832832. Well worth a look with 3 large rooms displaying some of the best Devon ceramics you're likely to see! A number of renowned ceramic artists display there work here. For contemporary art in Dartmouth, look no further than the D'Art Gallery where some superb sculpture and paintings are on sale, most with a local South Hams theme. Well worth a look as well for the work of contemporary local artists focusing on the South Hams and Salcombe estuary area, check out the superb Ariel Centre. They have many music events here as well, especially folk music. And what about the historic Dartington Hall, a recognised historic cultural centre, now a superb centre for the arts offering a selection of cinema, art and crafts, plus courses and music events.
Broomhill Sculpture Park near Barnstaple consists of 10 acres of pure magic, with 300 sculptures scattered about by 60 internationally renowned sculptors. Discover superb pieces such as Greta Berlin's giant red shoe. Give yourself at least a day for this attraction, for as well as the 300 magical sculptures in the 10 acre park, there are smaller pieces for sale by many of the same artists.
