
About Us
The Croydon Performing Arts Festival, which was formed in 1913, was, in 1925, one of
the Founding Festivals of the British & International Federation of Festivals, our parent body.
In our Music section we have, since 2018, had a simple structure of classes based upon ability levels and not dependent upon age or choice of repertoire. At all levels we offer non-competitive workshop formats – which have proved very popular with students, teachers and audience alike – as well as competitive recital classes where the performer is encouraged to fill the allocated time and, possibly perform their examination repertoire in one structured recital.
Cash Awards and Prizes for noteworthy performances may also be awarded for both
our advanced classes -- Concerto Class and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Class -- as well as the recital classes, which give performers adequate performing time to show their skills from elementary levels to diploma levels in a competitive form.
We offer classes across a wide range of instruments, vocal and choral, for Western
music. In addition, our South Asian music classes are structured in the same workshop and recital format for performers of all standards.
Selected performers from all sections will be invited to perform in our Gala Concert to be held in Fairfield Halls on May 25th.
The winner of the Concerto Finals will, as in previous years,
be invited to perform with our partners, the London Mozart Players.
Our enthusiastic section of Speech & Drama retains its competitive structure from
previous years, with top-quality feedback from expert adjudicators, and prizes.
Sadly, the Western Dance section is currently not happening as we lack suitable and
adequate volunteer support for that section. However, we are still offering a comprehensive syllabus for our South Asian dancers.
We are extremely fortunate that Royal Russell School, with its amazing facilities, has
again, generously agreed to host most of the sections of the festival. Thanks are due to the Head of Royal Russell and his staff for their tireless support of our work.
We look forward to our 2024 festival. See the "Events" page for dates. The Music,
South Asian Dance and Speech & Drama syllabus will be available mid-September 2023.
Contact us
Chair
(including safeguarding)
Richard Deering
cpafchair@gmail.com
Festival Co-ordinator
(including stewards)
Rachele Howes
info@croydonperformingartsfestival.com
Music
Richard Deering
cpafmusic@gmail.com
Speech & Drama
Jenna Manji
speechatcpaf@gmail.com
South Asian Dance
Pushpa Nagarajan
cpafdance@gmail.com
President:
The Mayor of Croydon
Vice-Presidents:
Helen Watkins Snart MBE (Former Festival Chair)
Geoffrey Lawrence Hon. ARAM (Former Festival Vice-Chair)
Chloë Hanslip (International Violinist)
Martin Jarvis (Stage and Screen Actor, previously of Whitgift School)
Viram Jasani (Asian Music Circuit)
Councillor Toni Letts
Trustees:
Richard Deering (International Pianist and Adjudicator)
Flynn Le Brocq (Executive Director of the London Mozart Players)
Chris Hutchinson (Head Master of Royal Russell School)
Vamshikrishna Vishnudas (South Asian vocalist)