Audiences can expect an eclectic selection of live arts as Library Presents returns to Cambridgeshire

The Library Presents is making its return to Cambridgeshire libraries and outdoor locations this Spring in an exciting burst of live arts-based events.

This year’s Spring Season will officially launch on April 23, providing audiences with an eclectic selection of workshops, musical events, live theatre and more at libraries and venues across the county including at March, Chatteris and Wisbech.

Back for a ninth consecutive season, The Library Presents’ new Spring programme will build on last year’s success, showcasing a wide array of local and national artists and even some international artists, as well as returning with favourites enjoyed by adult and family audiences in past seasons.

Cambridgeshire residents can expect to see over 30 events scheduled in the programme with tickets ranging from £3 to £20 including a family saver and free companion tickets for disabled audience members.

For those who enjoy music, Shake, Rattle & Roll will get all ages up and moving, focussing on bringing young families together through the love of song and dance.

Audiences will hear anything from Bowie to Baroque and Chopin to Chas'n'Dave. On a national tour from Ghana, one of the leading traditional African musical groups, the Kakatsitsi Master Drummers, will bring infectiously funky grooves to local communities, coupled with incredible dance moves in an amazing opportunity to experience traditional Ghana in rural England.

Folk singer Daria Kulesh is described as “one of the finest voices and one of the most intriguing and interesting songwriters on the present folk scene”. Kulesh’s soaring, evocative vocals and vibrant and colourful stories and songs take you on a journey, both historic and personal, through the past in tribute to and celebration of her grandmother and her family and their long-lost homeland of Ingushetia.

Theatre lovers will get the chance to share an adventure with Miss Sherlock Holmes and her companion, Doctor Jane Watson, as part of Lantern Light Theatre Company’s series of short 19th century Sherlock Holmes plays, while those after a magical twist will be treated to a hilarious evening of mind-bending tricks and jokes courtesy of delightful duo, Kane & Abel. Parents with younger children can enjoy the delights of Garlic Theatre’s wonderfully funny and warm-hearted re-imagined celebration of the classic Goldilocks and the three bears, with the help of puppets.

This programme of events has been developed after Cambridgeshire residents were invited to select from an online menu list of their favourite performances and workshops to see in their local library this Spring.

Certain events run by The Library Presents will include enhanced accessibility so even more audience members are able to enjoy them. These include relaxed performances (autism and neurodiverse friendly), a performance with a BSL interpreter and staff who speak BSL to welcome audiences, and include seating, building access, and toilets to accommodate audience members using mobility aids. Service animals will be welcome at all events and audience members can also get in touch to make specific access requests.

Speaking on the upcoming season, Councillor Tom Sanderson, chair of the county council's communities, social mobility and inclusion committee commented: “I can’t wait for the upcoming season to launch this Spring. I’ve witnessed first-hand how important these events are to our community, so it’s a real privilege to be able to return these for another two Seasons. Arts Council England has agreed funding for the coming year, so we are able to bring a wonderful selection of arts back into our town centres as the days start to grow longer.”

The Library Presents is run by Cambridgeshire County Council and works in conjunction with Babylon ARTS, based in Ely. Tickets to the upcoming season can be purchased at: www.library.live/the-library-presents-events

For more information, please visit: www.library.live/the-library-presents or stay up to date on Facebook and Instagram at: @TheLibraryPresents.