Who we are

Springboard - Brighton & Hove Performing Arts Festival

Springboard - Brighton & Hove Performing Arts Festival - was formerly known as the Brighton Competitive Musical Festival and started in 1925 under the auspices of Brighton Borough Council. Competitions were held in the Pavilion Estate, including the Corn Exchange, Royal Pavilion, Dome and Pavilion Theatre.

The development of the Festival was largely the work of Olive Von der Heyde who remained involved from the beginning until her death in 1997.

Springboard now is a festival of music and drama and is still evolving after 88 years. It involves nearly one thousand local performers of whom most, but not all, are young people between five and twenty-five. It offers a wide range of activities from competitive classes to workshops and non-competitive classes adjudicated by nationally-accredited specialists. There are also performing opportunities available with local orchestras as well as prizes, cups, medals and certificates. Springboard is an affiliated member of the British and International Federation of Festivals.

The Festival is managed by a team of Trustees and a part-time Administrator. Each Section has its own Section Secretary and Committee handling the day-to-day management of their specialist area. Springboard is entirely dependent on voluntary support and receives no local authority funding.

Springboard exists to provide a performing platform for students of Music and Drama in a friendly and supportive environment.

"Springboard offers a warm hearted structure through which it is possible to appreciate what can be achieved by sheer determination. Appreciation of artistic endeavour, and the making of Music and Drama, is a vital and intensely personal part of the extraordinary phenomenon that is the human being. As a race we may do some terrible things to one another, but the sensitivity and artistry encouraged by activities such a Springboard must bring hope and inspiration for the best that we may aspire to."

Professor Gavin Henderson CBE
President - Springboard Festival
Principal - Central School of Speech and Drama

Trustees & Patrons

PATRONS

Howard Blake OBE
Jessica Hynes
Dame Felicity Lott
Andrew Sherwood
Honeysuckle Weeks
The Mayor of Brighton & Hove City Council, Cllr Anne Meadows 

PRESIDENT

Professor Gavin Henderson CBE

VICE-PRESIDENT

Robert Gunnell

TRUSTEES

Susan Sheen - Chair
Patrick Haworth - Treasurer
Anthony Purkiss - Company Secretary
Frank Considine
Mark Davies
Margaret Grimsdell
Nichola Hammer

Dr Brenda Roberts

Section Commitees & Administration

FESTIVAL ADMINISTRATOR

Madeleine Turner

CLASSICAL GUITAR

Vic Ellis
Lisa Marie Fitzgerald
Pam Fereday
James Westbrook (Secretary)

PIANO

Linda Bhattacharya
John Bruzon
Angela Davis
Rachel Fryer
Margaret Grimsdell
Nicola Grunberg
Susan Howes
June Ingleton
Luke Nakajima
Anthony Purkiss
Heather Cowl (Secretary)

CLASSICAL SINGING

Lucinda Houghton
Philip Lloyd
Jane Money
Yvonne Patrick
Sue Mileham (Secretary)

SPEECH & DRAMA

Judi Campbell
Rosie Drew
Jenny Leworthy
Nicola Patching
Sue Sheen
Mary Spink
Kate Stoner
Margaret Stredwick
Hilary Wiltshire
Mandy Winder (Secretary)

STRINGS

Santiago Carvalho
Holly Bhattacharya
Ellie Blackshaw
Rachel Dyker
Nikky Hammer
Darren Innes
Esther Ward Caddle
Daniel Bhattacharya (Secretary)

WOODWIND & BRASS

Richard Baker
Jenny Caws
Natalie Daly
Ian Glen
Zoe Rogers
Erika Schilsky
Rachel Smith
Evelyn Harrison (Secretary)