Annual competitive festival of music, dance, speech and drama held in Eastbourne, with music singing and piano sessions at the Royal Hippodrome.
The Eastbourne Performing Arts Festival returns to the town this winter, with the music side of things kicking off on 23 and 24 January 2027. It's a competitive festival, which means performers aren't just playing for the crowd — they're being judged, too. The music is split across two venues: singing takes place at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre, while piano goes to Emmanuel Church on Upperton Road.
If you're more into dance, you'll have to wait a bit longer. The dance section runs from 13 to 20 February at The Winter Gardens. Between the two, that's nearly a month of performing arts spread across the town, so there's plenty to choose from whether you're there for the singing, the piano or the dance.
There's some history behind it, too. The festival was founded in 1961, so it's been a part of Eastbourne's cultural calendar for over sixty years. It's affiliated with The British & International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech, and it's run by a registered charity with an Executive Committee and an Advisory Panel. The festival's stated aim is to promote and encourage the study and practice of music, dance, speech and drama in all their branches.
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On the practical side, you can pick up a session ticket for £10 or a day ticket for £20, so you can drop in for a single performance or settle in for the whole day. The music runs 23-24 January, and the dance follows 13-20 February.
