Citizens of Hope and Glory! Our new tomorrow beckons. A new tomorrow that smells reassuringly of yesterday, but with wifi. One last heave and we will be there. And when the going gets tough the tough get going. Although the going won’t get tough and anyone who tells you it is going to be tough is lying.

Come join me to marvel at the majesty of our green and pleasant land. A land globally renowned for our culture, history and places, like the world-famous Salisbury Cathedral. Join me to step backwards into the future.

Please note this event is part of Platform Festival and takes place at The Old Station, Pocklington and NOT the Arts Centre.

After touring for the last year in the USA with his band the Empty Pockets, Al has decided to bring this show to the UK shores. He will be playing selections from his deep catalogue along with favourites Year Of The Cat, Time Passages, On the Border, Nostradamus and Roads To Moscow. The Scottish-born singer-songwriter has released nearly 20 introspective and lyrically powerful records featuring brilliant backing musicians (Jimmy Page, Phil Collins, Richard Thompson, Peter White, etc.). His biggest platinum successes, “Year Of The Cat” and “Time Passages”, were released in 1976 & 1978 respectively. He’s had several top 20 singles, including the above-mentioned titles, as well as “On the Border” and “Song On The Radio”.

We are delighted that the 'Yorkshire Shepherdess' Amanda Owen will be returning to the coming to the venue for 'An Audience with' show. The acclaimed author will be discussing her latest book due to be released in June 2019

Andre Rieu's annual hometown Maastricht concerts attract fans from all corners of the globe. The medieval town square is transformed into a spectacular backdrop for unforgettable concerts filled with humour, fun and emotion for all ages – and, of course, magnificent music. This year Andre Rieu invites you to put on your dancing shoes for his spectacular 2019 hometown concert from Maastricht: 'Shall we Dance?' You can waltz the night away with Andre Rieu - the majestic waltz has been such an inspiration to Andre throughout his career that its three-four beat has become, in many ways, the rhythm of his life. And this year the maestro will bring the waltz to life in an unforgettable evening of music and dance. Summer nights are made for dancing and this is a party you do not want to miss! Audiences will be treated to behind the scenes content and an exclusive interview with Andre and as always, some delicious surprises. Shall we dance?

At a time of intense public activism both at home and across the globe, explore the varied and fascinating history of public protest in the UK with this new archive film: Britain on Film: Protest! Sourced from the national and regional archives and newly digitised, Britain on Film: Protest! tells a story not just about specific protests and their causes, but about a tumultuous century, the constant presence of public dissent and its dynamic effects as a weapon of change – at a time when raising our voices feels more essential than ever.

Critically acclaimed and award winning comedian, host of his own TV entertainment show and Stand Up show on Comedy Central, Celebrity Juice regular and the only person to ever put Katie Hopkins in her place; Chris Ramsey brings his brand new 2019 live tour to venues this summer. Snap up tickets up as soon as you can!

Please note this event takes place at The Old Station NOT Pocklington Arts Centre.

Eddi's taste in co-writers, writers, songs and players is impeccable and anything with her name on it is guaranteed musical treasure. Whilst the perfection of her technique is widely acknowledged, what sets Reader apart is the depth and quality of the emotional performance; her ability not only to move the listener but to connect her experience to that of her audience.

Her passion and instinct move people in a way reminiscent of those who have influenced her work. Her rare blend of meltingly true vocals and towering romanticism combine with an astute and pragmatic nature to make her a unique and powerful figure in contemporary British music. She has effortlessly developed into one of popular music's most thrilling and affecting performers.

Mozart’s most magical comedy of The Magic Flute returns to Glyndebourne for the first time in over a decade. This new production by the renowned directing/design duo Barbe & Douce promises to take a fresh and playful look at the opera’s troublesome gender politics. Leading British bass Brindley Sherratt stars as Sarastro alongside exciting young singers including Caroline Wettergreen, Sofia Fomina and Björn Bürger.

Praise for Barbe & Doucet

"Director-and-designer team Renaud Doucet and André Barbe have captured perfectly the artifice that is a large part of Manon's charm." - The Guardian (Manon)

"Barbe and Doucet’s production plays up the humour and vitality of Puccini’s opera" - The Guardian (La Bohème)

Protest singer Grace Petrie’s unique takes on life, love and politics, delivered with the warmth and wit which have won over an army of loyal fans across the alternative, folk, political and comedy scenes. A folk singer, songwriter and activist from Leicester, UK, she has been writing, recording and touring relentlessly for ten years. She has racked up tour supports with Emmy the Great and Billy Bragg, and in 2019 supported Frank Turner on his UK arena tour. She has also made her mark in the comedy scene regularly supporting comedians Robin Ince and Josie Long on tour. She’s appeared at Glastonbury four times at the invitation of Billy Bragg, as well as an eclectic genre-crossing mix of festivals Latitude, Musicport, Blissfields, Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Greenbelt and more including of course Cambridge Folk Festival. And she has collaborated with some of the most respected names in folk, including Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey and Peggy Seeger.

A tale to enchant listeners young and old, I am Turtle is an enthralling delve into the great oceans to hear Turtle’s story and what we can do to take care of their home. Join Makeshift Ensemble for a pre-show workshop to create your very own puppets using entirely recycled materials. Use your imagination to create and play and talk a little a bit about how we can keep our seas plastic free!

True power inspires awe, and Irish Mythen packs a lot of it – lyrical, musical, and personal – into a relatively small frame.Mythen is a globetrotting troubadour – an Irish-born, contemporary Canadian folk artist who’s been amassing accolades and achievements across several continents over the years. Her presence and charisma simply command attention, and regardless of where she takes the stage, she delivers a sonic and emotional experience that transcends language and location; that reaches the very core of what connects us. It’s an experience that, in recent years, has earned her spots performing alongside Rod Stewart, Gordon Lightfoot, and Lucinda Williams and billings on major festival stages the world over.

In just the last 12 months, Irish has closed out the Philadelphia Folk Festival, performing after the iconic Lyle Lovett, and had thousands in her hands at Australia’s Woodford Folk Festival. On the back of the latter performance, she was even handpicked to open for Melissa Etheridge’s 2016 Australian run.

Texas’ genre-bending rock ‘n’ roller Israel Nash plays Americana roots songs that are meticulously crafted and gently sprinkled with life meaning and multi-hued rock and psychedelia. His latest album Lifted includes the familial harmonies recalling the Beach Boys at their most joyous to the country-rock riffage of Lucky Ones. May your ears be blessed and your soul be lifted!

“Nash settles into a languid, hallucinatory groove that recalls mid-1970s Neil Young and the more recent mystic wanderings of My Morning Jacket …Cosmic Americana of the very highest order” Classic Rock

“Cosmic poetry, crunching guitars and swooning pedal steel” - Mojo

Join The Cobblers for a one-of-a-kind concert, celebrating their ten years of making and performing music together. With two halves of the Cobblers (no support), all of the favourite tracks from the past ten years in chronological order and a few surprises along the way; expect an evening of rambunctious, instrument switching, toe tapping, smile inducing indie folk. We Will Heel Your Soles.

Award winning comedian Lucy Beaumont is back on the stand-up wagon after having her first (and only) child. Join her for an hour of proper belly laughs as she test drives new material about her new life back up north, ladies boxing, keeping out of trouble and surviving the terrible twos.

On Tuesday, September 10, Fane Productions and BY Experience will present the iconic author, Margaret Atwood, live on stage from London, on the worldwide release of The Testaments, the thrilling sequel to her 1985 classic, The Handmaid’s Tale. The global event will feature Ms. Atwood in conversation about the new book and other topics and will feature exclusive readings and special guests.

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake comes to cinemas with a fresh look for the 21st century and is 'as bold and beautiful as ever' (5-Stars - Telegraph). This thrilling, audacious and witty production is perhaps still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered convention, turned tradition upside down and took the dance world by storm. Retaining the iconic elements of the original staging loved by millions around the world, Matthew Bourne and award-winning designers Lez Brotherston (Set & Costumes) and Paule Constable(Lighting) have created a 'spellbinding' (5-Stars - Independent) re-imagining of this classic New Adventures production. Filmed live at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake stars Will Bozier as The Swan/The Stranger, Liam Mower as The Prince and Nicole Kabera as The Queen. Collecting over thirty international accolades including an Olivier Award and three Tonys on Broadway, Matthew Bourne's powerful interpretation of Tchaikovsky's beloved tale is 'still original, still unmissable' (5-Stars - Metro), a passionate and contemporary Swan Lake for our times.

Hugh Jackman is Sir Lionel frost: a brave and dashing adventurer who considers himself to be the world’s foremost investigator of myths and monsters. The trouble is, no one else seems to agree. He sees a chance to prove himself by traveling to America’s Pacific Northwest to discover the world’s most legendary creature. A living remnant of Man’s primitive ancestry. The Missing Link. Zach Galifianakis is Mr. Link: the slightly silly, surprisingly smart and soulful beast who Sir Lionel discovers. As species go, he’s as endangered as they get; he’s possibly the last of his kind, he’s lonely, and he believes that Sir Lionel is the one man alive who can help him. Together they set out on a daring quest around the world to seek out Link’s distant relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. Along with the independent and resourceful Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), who possesses the only known map to the group’s secret destination, the unlikely trio embarks on a riotous rollercoaster ride of a journey. Along the way, our fearless explorers encounter more than their fair share of peril, stalked at every turn by dastardly villains seeking to thwart their mission. Through it all, Mr. Link’s disarming charm and good-humoured conviction provide the emotional and comedic foundation of this fun-filled family movie.

Mr Shell’s, Victorian end-of-the-pier, show is about to be inspected by the ‘orrible Council Inspector – Hector Fludd. Will, hero, Charlie save the Pier? Does Mr Shell find his box of tricks and remember the Seaside Spell? Can Charlie fight off the giant Octopus? It's a roller coaster ride of music-hall, magic and mayhem. If you like funny stories, magic, juggling, comedy and joining in you’ll love this hilarious Five-Star-hit-show!

Suitable for all Primary age pupils and their families.

Andrea Levy’s Orange Prize-winning novel Small Island comes to life in an epic new theatre adaptation. Experience the play in cinemas, filmed live on stage as part of National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday. Small Island embarks on a journey from Jamaica to Britain, through the Second World War to 1948 – the year the HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury, England. The play follows three intricately connected stories. Hortense yearns for a new life away from rural Jamaica, Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer, and Queenie longs to escape her Lincolnshire roots. Hope and humanity meet stubborn reality as the play traces the tangled history of Jamaica and the UK. A company of 40 actors take to the stage of the National Theatre in London in this timely and moving story.

Nick Lowe has made his mark as a producer (Elvis Costello-Graham Parker-Pretenders-The Damned), songwriter of at least three songs you know by heart, short-lived career as a pop star, and a lengthy term as a musicians' musician. But in his current 'second act' as a silver-haired, tender-hearted but sharp-tongued singer-songwriter, he has no equal. Starting with 1995's 'The Impossible Bird' through to 2011's 'The Old Magic', Nick has turned out a fantastic string of albums, each one devised in his West London home, and recorded with a core of musicians who possess the same veteran savvy. Lowe brings wit and understated excellence to every performance, leading Ben Ratliff of the New York Times to describe his live show as "elegant and nearly devastating".

His new 4 song EP "Tokyo Bay" features Los Straitjackets as his backing band.

Los Straitjackets are the leading practitioners of the lost art of the guitar instrumental. Using the music of the Ventures, The Shadows, and with Link Wray and Dick Dale as a jumping off point, the band has taken their unique, high energy brand of original rock & roll around the world. Clad in their trademark Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling masks, the 'Jackets' have delivered their trademark guitar licks to 16 albums, thousands of concerts and dozens of films and TV shows. Their most recent album "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace Love & Los Straitjackets' consists of instrumental covers of Nick Lowe Songs.

Platform Festival 2019 featuring:

Hothouse Flowers

Seth Lakeman

The South

The Grand Slambovians

The Dunwells

Dan Webster Band

Jess Gardham

Boss Caine

Late Night Marauders

Access to Music Stage

Plus special guests....

Hothouse Flowers

This band will simply raise the roof! Something amazing happens when Ireland's Hothouse Flowers step onto the stage.

There is a sense of musical adventure, an impulse to reach new heights and depths in music as the band and audience become one and the world becomes a different place for a while.. A rock n' roll band, a traditional band, a soul band, a jam band with their own brand of jam on both sides of the bread! They have featured at numerous festivals including headlining the Acoustic Stage at Glastonbury.

Seth Lakeman

We are delighted that charismatic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman will be returning to Pocklington after 2018's whirlwind world tour with rock legend Robert Plant & the Sensational Space Shifters. During a short break from this tour Seth recorded his ninth solo album, The Well Worn Path, which has been met with rave reviews. It’s a return to a no-nonsense, organic, classic folk-rock approach with hints of Fairport Convention, Neil Young, Nick Cave and Billy Bragg – plus Lakeman’s trademark foot-stomping, fiddle bow-shredding and soaring vocals.

Lucy Spraggan

Widely recognised as one of the leading lights in the LGBT community, her songs have something to say. She has performed at many major festivals including Glastonbury and Isle of Wight. Her toe-tapping trademark sound is the rattle of rap dropped into sing-a-long folk-style numbers. Today Was A Good Day is Lucy’s fourth studio album and is scheduled to be released in April 2019.

The South

The South are an impressive 9 piece band who feature former members of The Beautiful South including singer Alison Wheeler and lifelong sax player Gaz Birtles. They play the songs made famous by The Beautiful South ( A Little Time, Perfect 10, Rotterdam) plus a few South originals and bring back the full flavour and arrangements with this exciting live band. Come on! Let’s Carry On… Regardless!

The Grand Slambovians

Playing an utterly unique blend of rock and roll, folk, and quirky Americana, they have been called “the hillbilly Pink Floyd”, which is an apt description, particularly if you throw in elements of Waterboys, Neil Young, Dylan, and maybe a dash of Zappa. Their live shows are where the real magic comes down, earning them critical acclaim as well as a fiercely loyal following.

Plus... Dan Webster Band, The Dunwells, Jess Gardham, Boss Caine, Late Night Marauders, Access to Music College plus special guests.

Please note this event takes place at The Old Station NOT Pocklington Arts Centre and will be part seated (unallocated).

One of the great storytellers, Ralph McTell, known for his virtuoso guitar style, is primarily a prolific and gifted songwriter. With a style that invites you into a unique world, he weaves a narrative that is both significant and poignant. Ralph made his debut in 1968 with the album ‘Eight Frames a Second’ and in 1974 the release of ‘Streets of London’ earned him an Ivor Novello Award. In 2002 he was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Ralph is conducting a world tour promoting his new album Hill of Beans produced by the great Tony Visconti.

The year is 2000 and Joan Stanley is living in contented retirement in suburbia at the turn of the millennium. Her tranquil life is suddenly disrupted when she’s arrested by MI5 and accused of providing intelligence to Communist Russia. Cut to 1938 where Joan is a Cambridge physics student who falls for young communist Leo Galich and through him, begins to see the world in a new light. Working at a top-secret nuclear research facility during WWII, Joan comes to the realisation that the world is on the brink of mutually assured destruction. Confronted with an impossible question – what price would you pay for peace? - Joan must choose between betraying her country and loved ones or saving them.

ROCKETMAN is an epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years. The film follows the fantastical journey of transformation from shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into international superstar Elton John. This inspirational story – set to Elton John’s most beloved songs and performed by star Taron Egerton – tells the universally relatable story of how a small-town boy became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture. ROCKETMAN also stars Jamie Bell as Elton’s longtime lyricist and writing partner Bernie Taupin, Richard Madden as Elton’s first manager, John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Elton’s mother Sheila Farebrother.

Performing Arts etc Ltd present Summer School etc; a weeklong workshop where young people work together on a piece of musical theatre. This year coming to Pocklington Arts Centre to look at the classic Jungle Book Kids -

featuring songs from the classic Disney animated film. Participants will work with professional practitioners to use the skills which they already have and to discover new skills whilst making new friends. The week will culminate in a sharing event where we aim to perform the whole of the show on the stage of one of the regions most impressive venues.

Ages 8-16

10am until 4pm each day.

Five years since they first played at PAC, Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes are now raising the bar in Nashville. The Shires have become one of the most talked about acts in the home of country music, partly thanks to their two record-breaking albums (debut Brave became the first UK country album to make the Top Ten in 2015), but also for their pulse-raising live shows. Their third record Accidentally on Purpose features “Stay The Night”, a song provided by no less than Ed Sheeran, after the international star sought out Ben and Crissie at his Nashville concert. With only three albums under to their name, they’ve gone to play Glastonbury, toured with Irish chart-toppers The Corrs, and became a staple of BBC Radio 2. We can’t wait to welcome this unique duo to Platform Festival.

Please note this event takes place at The Old Station NOT Pocklington Arts Centre and will be part standing.

TOLKIEN explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a fellow group of outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “fellowship” apart. All of these experiences would inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-Earth novels.

The estimable London 4-piece Turin Brakes are delighted to announce a UK Acoustic Tour starting Autumn 2019. The band - founder members and former primary school friends Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, along with longtime bandmates Rob Allum and Eddie Myer - are one the finest indie bands of the last two decades. This is a chance to see the band in their first full stripped back acoustic tour since way back in 2002. They will be playing a range of songs spanning their 20 year career - which includes seven top 40 singles and 6 top 40 albums with sales over a million worldwide.

In celebration of her bicentenary year, Northern Ballet's major new production brings the sensational story of Queen Victoria to life in dance. Choreographed by Cathy Marston, creator of Northern Ballet’s acclaimed Jane Eyre, Victoria reveals the passion, tragedy and fierce devotion of one of Britain's most iconic monarchs, told through the eyes of her youngest child Beatrice.