WITH a week to go until the start of the 2013 Royston Arts Festivals, organisers are promising that this year’s event will be the most ambitious yet.

With over 50 shows, workshops and exhibitions spread over a week, the festival is ready to build on its position as a landmark event in the town calendar.

Festival chairman Graham Palmer said: “There has been a lot of hard work gone into the planning of this year’s events.

“We have attracted some key performers, but at the same time ensured that we keep the local element with a whole range of performances and activities.”

The week-long arts festival – which has the theme Small World - will begin next Saturday, September 21, with a workshop provided by Aardman Animations, the Oscar-winning production company which created Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

Those attending the workshop at Tannery Drift School will have the opportunity to make their own version of Gromit or Shaun the Sheep under the guidance of Will Harding, one Aardman Animations’ senior model-makers.

Events in the week will include the Corvus Amateur Drama Society (Cads) production of Little Shop of Horrors at Meridian School on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and a special Song of Praise run by Royston Churches Together in the parish church on Sunday.

Pupils from Greneway School and Roysia School will be displaying their work at the Schools Art Exhibition at the Royston & District Museum, while the Royston Fringe events at the Royston Methodist Church will have a talk by Prof Anthony Slinn on the life and work of Surrealist master Salvador Dali.

Pianist Clare Hammond, who was recently described by The Daily Telegraph as a musician of “amazing power and panache”, will be giving a classical concert at Greneway School on Friday September 27.

Mr Palmer added: “Tickets for all events are selling well and I would urge anyone to book now to avoid disappointment.”

This year’s programme and booking details are available on the arts festival’s website at RoystonArtsFestival.org

*Going to the Arts Festival? Why not tweet us your favourite bits to @roystoncrow, or email your thoughts on the festival to postbag@royston-crow.co.uk.