Winter Doors Festival

Wishing you happy times and good health, loud music, festivals, dancing, singing and creating .....in the company of your family and friends hopefully no zoom needed 2021! Thankyou for being part of Winter Doors 2020 as an artist and in the audience. People have been overwhelmingly kind, generous, hardworking and inspiring and made us laugh smile and dance. Many of the artists went to huge efforts to make really special creations for us and shared new and yet to be released material. We hope you feel the same and join us in knowing the arts are for everyone and our lives are all the better for them. The donation page will remain open until the end of this year so there’s still time to add something if you can. Find it on here justgiving. We can let you know we have raised £377 at this point which is way over and above our £250 target. The snowflake sold to the highest bidder at £127 and will be on it’s way to them very soon. This is a fantastic amount and we feel proud to be making t

Some rather special little theatre doors are opening up for us today for a unique performance on a magical travelling stage. This professional Music and Theatre company based in Somerset specialise in creating new and innovative work. It’s our pleasure to share their Christmas creation with you and we are so happy you were able to stop a while along the lanes of Somerset to make this for us.

Winter Doors are huge fans of the immensely talented duo behind door 23. Expect virtuosic skill, passion, and rhythmic drive from these grass root whirling dervish legends. Today's gem will bring you hope and the promise of summer, tribe and travelling. Its music like this that’s kept us going this year reminding us about what really matters.

The artists waiting behind this door have been entertaining the crowds at Glastonbury for over 10 years with their upbeat sound and festival style. They are old friends of Winter Doors and pretty fantastic humans too. Todays act is guaranteed to bring some fun and cheer into your home. Thanks for joining us and look forward to seeing you when possible!

These guys are riotous, irreverent, and loud. They can whip a crowd up into a frenzy the likes of which you’ve never seen before with their wild melodies and stomping bass lines. We are delighted to have this band on board and to share a film from their latest EP ‘A Class Issue’ made earlier this year. This is a film about hope, joy and the mayhem of coming alive. It’s mesmerising and life affirming and we are really happy to have permission to share it. More details on their door about how and where you can buy this latest album. Merry solstice all. (First video is an intro, and a work of Art in itself!)

As we get closer to the longest night and shortest day of the year, we feel the need for a bit of mischief making. So behind door 20 we have a Whitby based arts collective who deliver mischief of the highest order. The collective was set up and run by Elaine consultant psychiatrist and Laurence a musician/graphic designer both of whom have collaborated with Mind before. In usual times they coordinate a Krampus Run which has developed to become ‘ a unique, special and well regarded event attracting collaborative partnerships with others including community groups, environmental projects & organisations promoting social inclusions and mental awareness. A big thank you to the Whitby massive.

We have a wonderful storyteller for you today. She is utterly mesmerising, breathing life into stories with rhythm and song. Be ready to be taken to another place and time, and enjoy this journey through her words. This story has been specially recorded for Winter Doors, Thank you Jan!

If you like puppets then today’s calendar treat is for you. The artist is a performer, puppeteer singer and designer who specialises in creating quirky and surreal, visual and immersive theatre. She is the director of The Birdcage Stage, a touring giant golden birdcage with a range of joyous entertainment, street theatre and spectacle. She is a core member of Headstrung Puppets, creators of puppet-based mayhem for adults and children alike. This performance was created specially for the Winter Doors festival in collaboration with Collen Chandler, Claire Jones and Angie Waller

Today's band play live electronic dance music with styles of rocktronica , funk, house and a variety of textural influences Their multimedia shows combine electronic and live instruments with triggered video samples and vocoder, live and sample textures. The 4 piece which includes founding twin brothers have played many festivals in the UK and around the world. While gigs are on temporary pause, here is a little self made animation. Thankyou for this timely reminder of the brightness of fields in the spring.

We are very proud to share some work created especially for Winter Doors today from an very talented man. Watch out for him in the fields and on the stage next year. This talent is rising and its going to keep rising and rising we just know it. Lots of love and a mahooosive thanks to the artist behind number 16.

Expect the unexpected and prepare for an adventure into the magical realm that's waiting behind this door. There is nowhere else quite like this special place and you'll be sure to want to visit again which is quite lucky because they open their doors again on the 19th December. Check out their info on the door for details of where to see their next live show. Thank you for joining us magical people and we look forward to seeing you in a green room somewhere next year.

We have a real treat for you today! The wonderfully talented Artist Julian Taylor has created an original Artwork especially for Winter Doors. See the making process and the Art emerging, and there will be an auction of the Snowflake, which will run for 10 days, till Christmas eve. 100% of the profit (after any fees and postage) from the auction will be donated to Mind. A massive thank you to Julian for your time, support, energy and creativity. Once we have listed the Snowflake on ebay we will post the link on this page. On ebay search: Winter Doors Snowflake Sculpture. Auction is now live till 11am on 24th December 2020 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Winter-Doors-Snowflake-Sculpture/174558717024?hash=item28a482a460:g:fu0AAOSwVs1f1zjX

Beautiful and poignant words for these times are waiting to set sail behind todays door from a very talented lady living and working near the sea. We would like to thank this artist for all her hard work and support in helping this festival to happen. It is much appreciated.

The name of todays act means ‘to move’ in St Lucian Patois. And move they certainly can. Join us with this wonderful insight into the World of these exquisite dancers, for some new wings and exciting and dynamic dance. Thanks to the artists for sharing this beauty and finesse with us all.

Two people who are very special to Winter Doors have collaborated on a unique creation that will be shared behind door 11. The story of this years unexpected events have been intricately recorded in a fabric journey and will be shared in public for the first time now. The work of art is a beautiful record of so much of 2020…the hopes, the fears, the comedy, the ridiculousness, the kindness, the inequalities, the darkness, the humour and compassion and the love.

Here comes the carnival!! With an alchemy of brass, woodwind, drums and percussion waiting to burst onto the stage ... We have some really special footage to share with you, as one of this bands favourite gigs, at a super spooky Lantern Company Halloween event in Liverpool. You’d better get your funky vibes on ready for this one! Thankyou to the amazing Lantern Band.

Today’s performers are literally out of this World! They are firm favourites on the festival circuit and sure to bring a smile to your face with their playful, interactive Street Theatre. I hope you are ready to give these aliens a warm Welcome…

We have a story for you today brought to you by a multitalented wordsmith and illustrator living and working in Somerset. We believe in the power of story to help us understand and celebrate the complexities of our existence on this beautiful planet. We would like to say thank you to the storyteller for reminding us of how important that is to do amongst the chaos and noise of modern life. Prepare for laughter and lots of it too.

Winter Doors are happy to share a performance with you today by Mark Duke Box... a man who can play any song and make it look so easy! A highly skilled artist and a lovely family man. We are very happy to have support from the man behind number 7 and are looking forward to singing along too. Thankyou Mark for this brilliant song today.

Today’s show is brought to you by one of our Lockdown Angels. A lady who has kept us focused and moving throughout this pretty strange year. A talented dancer and amazing teacher, Winter Doors are really happy to share this dance performance made especially for this festival and thank you for all your hard work and efforts this year.

We are in awe of todays mix of musical talent, comedy and humour. This man certainly knows how to rock a lockdown show and his talent knows no bounds. Get your festival gear on and get ready to hit the dance floor there’s a treat behind door 5.

Claire from Winter Doors would like to make a special mention about today’s production company. ‘It is not an exaggeration to say that the Lantern Company have changed my life. I was lucky enough to be at their first Halloween event in Sefton Park, which was magical and beautiful beyond belief. Since then I have learnt so much working for them. They take Community Art to a whole new level, with enchanting events and wonderful puppets. They bring light into the darkness for thousands of people.' Winter Doors are over the moon to be able to share today’s work by the Lantern Company with you.

Todays door will feature a unique and dazzling creation to wear and enjoy from one of our most favourite people. Wire work magic as you’ve never seen it before. Winter Doors are very proud to share this rare insight into a craftwoman’s world and are going to embarrass her publicly now in letting her know how much her ridiculous humour and friendship has kept us going this year.

Today brings you three women who continually push the boundaries of music. Their latest album is called Big Wows and they are certainly wowing us and 6 music listeners too. Winter Doors are really proud to have these multitalented ladies on board supporting our festival fundraiser for Mind UK. Let's see what they got up to during lockdown. Thanks you so much ladies. Please note: we have had some technical difficulties uploading todays video to this blog! To see that one you nedd to go to facebook @winterdoorsfestival Here is another Stealing Sheep video we love!

We were blown away by the band waiting behind the first door when we saw them last year. In fact, it’s fair to say we well and truly wore our dancing shoes out getting down to the funky timeless tunes these guys play so well. Multitalented and with addictive tunes and charismatic stage presence we know you’ll want to check out their new album ‘Butchers of Bristol’ that comes out next year. Until then, we’re delighted to give you a sneak preview of what lies in stall and with more information about how to purchase this album on their door.