MORE than 60 artists will be participating when the visual and performing arts are celebrated in the Wiveliscombe area with the biennial 10 Parishes Festival starting on Saturday.

The theme of the festival is Reuse and Recycle and artists can choose whether to reflect this. Some artists open their home studios so that visitors can experience the creative background and environment while others are participating in collective exhibitions at larger venues.

St Luke’s Mission Church at Langley Marsh will host three artists specialising in animal art. Innes Davis will exhibit watercolour paintings of local landscapes and wildlife, along with animal portraits. Sculptor Melanie Deegan and painter, author and illustrator Jill Newton team up to present a colourful collection of animal-related art, from prancing horses to dancing dogs.

Forkbeard Fantasy have previously featured a variety of surreal performance art at the 10 Parishes Festival. They return again as The Brittonioni Brothers at Kingsmead Community School. Slithering from Reel to Real, the fabulously Brylcreem-ed, jet setting, film-director Brothers present a sizzling medley of filmic gems from their 45-year oeuvre.

More orthodox performances during the festival include Norwich-based folk trio Alden Patterson and Dashwood at Cotleigh Brewery. The trio weave rich vocal harmonies, fiddle, dobro and guitar around beautifully written original songs and melodies and will appear on Saturday, September 14 at 8pm. Their music takes influence from folk traditions from both sides of the Atlantic with uplifting instrumentals and self-penned songs depicting tales of young travellers, sleepy seas and their affection for home.

Wellhayes Vineyard will once again feature as a live music venue, hosting The New Oxford Consort, also on Saturday, September 14, at 7.30pm. This vocal ensemble is made up of some of the finest young singers from Oxford and will perform a varied programme of unaccompanied choral music spanning 500 years.

Live music will also feature throughout Market Day in Wiveliscombe on Sunday, September 8, in Jubilee Gardens, bringing atmosphere to the excitement of the main street being closed off and filled with stalls. The popular carnival procession takes place at 3pm.

The 10 Parishes Festival runs from Saturday, September 7, to Sunday, September 15. For a full list of participants, venues and events see www.10parishesfestival.org.uk or consult the festival brochure which can be found at many outlets across the county.