Hastings Musical Festival. Singing, Drama at White Rock Theatre

Hastings Musical Festival -at The White Rock Theatre in Hastings:

The 2023 Festival was yet again another triumph. We had so many wonderful entries and would like to thank all our loyal supporters for coming along and enjoying themselves and providing such wonderful entertainment and a great competition. As usual all the people who came who had not been before were amazed at how much talent is out there - we are not - because we know how talented everyone is who enters the Festival! Enter before 30 November 2023 on line. If you have problems using a computer please phone 07586 625309.

When you get your timetable please check the age details and all the rules to make sure you are prepared. We are changing our age entry to Age at 31st August from this year as the British and International Federation of Festivals and All England Dance Festival have changed their date to this.

In 2023 all dance entrants uploaded their music onto playandperform and this was very successful. We will continue to have dance music uploaded in the future. There will be information on how to do this on playandperform and music must be uploaded before February 12th 2024.

We have had to increase our entry fees this year - we have tried to keep them as low as possible but obviously all our expenses continue to rise each year. We are still one of the cheapest Festivals to enter - if you have any issues with being able to pay please let us know.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Feb/March 2024.

Hastings Musical Festival

About the Event

Hastings Musical Festival takes place at the White Rock Theatre in February or March each year. Dancers, singers, musicians and actors of all ages perform in classes which are marked by an adjudicator who is a specialist and an expert in the field. Feedback is given to everyone and the winners of each class are announced. In many classes a trophy is also awarded and in the junior classes we are also awarding first, second and third festival awards.

If you enter the Festival for a number of years and then wish to go on to study at a college or university on a course for performing arts you can apply for a grant from the Festival. You may also be eligible for the Molly Townson Bursary - given to one entrant each year - of £3,000. On top of that you may also gain an award from The Foster Trust to help towards your studies.

The Festival is a competitive event which gives local people a chance to perform on stage. Performance is a skill for all walks of life. It can build confidence, enable engagement with others and certainly makes you stand out as an accomplished interviewee.

Some of the best performances from the Festival are chosen to create a Festival Finale Concert which showcases the range and diversity of the talent on display during the Festival.