Hastings Storytelling Festival

Hastings Storytelling Festival Hastings Storytelling Festival is a registered charity, supported by Arts Council England.

Each October it brings live storytelling, music, dance, poetry and performance to Hastings & St Leonards.

07/10/2026

A quiet moment behind the scenes with at The Stables Theatre, where her newly evolved show ‘Things I Know and Things I Don’t’ will be performed later this month.

Over the past year, Bev has shaped this piece through scratch performances, audience conversations and careful development, listening, refining and adding new layers to the story.

This October’s performances bring the show to its fullest form yet, with new elements woven into the wood and steel tree created with sculptor Leigh Dyer, and brand‑new visual moments that deepen its poignancy.

Funny, intimate and deeply human, the show explores memory, music and the landscape of Fairlight, asking what we pass down and what remains when language falls away.

Two nights only — Friday 23 & Saturday 24 October, 7.30pm at The Stables Theatre.

Tickets available at hastingsstoryfest.org.uk

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England, alongside generous support from our partners and sponsors.

OPEN CALL for Poets and Spoken Word ArtistsAs part of Hastings Storytelling Festival we are inviting two poets or spoken...
06/10/2026

OPEN CALL for Poets and Spoken Word Artists

As part of Hastings Storytelling Festival we are inviting two poets or spoken word artists to open the evening for Zena Edwards at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery on Wednesday 21 October.

We are looking for artists whose work explores themes connected to Zena’s practice, including storytelling, identity, environmental poetics, resilience and the relationship between people and place.

If you would like to be considered, please email [email protected] with a short introduction and a sample of your work.

The deadline to apply is Thursday 15 October 2026.

06/10/2026

Meet Thomas Taylor - author/illustrator

Local author, illustrator and Patron of Hastings Storytelling Festival. His imaginary town Eerie‑on‑Sea, with its swirling mists and strange happenings, bears an uncanny resemblance to Hastings itself. It’s the setting for his award‑winning books Malamander, Gargantis and Shadowghast, where mysterious stories seem to wash up on the shore.

Thomas joins us for a free Children’s Event at Sacred Heart Primary School on Thursday 22 October at 4.30pm, sharing the inspiration behind Eerie‑on‑Sea, his writing process and the characters that have captured readers’ imaginations.

A brilliant chance to meet one of our Festival Patrons and dive into the world of Eerie‑on‑Sea.

Find out more and view the full festival programme at hastingsstoryfest.org.uk

02/10/2026

Flick through the full Hastings Storytelling Festival line‑up.

Nine days of stories, music, illustration, puppetry, parades and performance across Hastings and St Leonards.

From world famous illustrator Axel Scheffler to Dorothy Koomson, Sarah Jane Morris & Deaf Rave, Bev Lee Harling and Zena Edwards, to children’s events with Piers Torday, Nadine Kaadan, The Norman Quest, a Carnival Arts workshop and our big free Children’s Day at The Stade… there’s something for everyone this October.

Many events are free, and tickets for our headline shows are on sale now at hastingsstoryfest.org.uk (link in bio)

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England, alongside generous support from our partners and sponsors.

01/10/2026

Ahoy there!

CBeebies’ Pirate Gem is sailing into Hastings Storytelling Festival for Children’s Day on Sunday 25 October, bringing her high‑energy pirate show to The Stade for families of all ages.

Children’s Day returns with stories, puppets, music and lively walkabout performances. This year’s theme is Connections, with plenty of chances to join in, dress up, meet characters and enjoy our Gruffalo‑inspired fun throughout the afternoon, including a special guest invited by Axel Scheffler.

We’re welcoming a brilliant line‑up of storytellers, illustrators and performers:

Tor Freeman – author and illustrator invited by Axel Scheffler

Long Nose Puppets – performing ‘Penguin’, a colourful musical puppet adventure inspired by Polly Dunbar’s book

Pirate Gem Gemma Hunt – CBeebies presenter with her high‑energy pirate show

Alliouagana Pearl – Caribbean storytelling with music, rhymes and activities

Xanthe Gresham Knight Storytelling – a swirl of stories and a whirl of tune

Mermaid Tales Applause Touring – magical mermaids on giant seahorses

Circo Rum Ba Ba – Pesky Pirates on stilts

Nightingale Music – gentle immersive musical storytelling

Sambalanco and Raven – leading our carnival parade

Join our Gruffalo‑themed parade, line‑up at 2.45pm.
If it’s wet, don’t fret - most of our stories are under cover.

Children’s Day is completely free and runs from 12–4pm at The Stade. We’d love to see you there.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England, alongside generous support from our partners and sponsors.

30/09/2026

Tickets are now on sale for two of our featured events at this year’s Hastings Storytelling Festival.

Dorothy Koomson:
Dorothy joins us with her gripping new thriller The Quiet Girls, a story of secrets, danger and a prestigious boarding school where a teacher is dead and a pupil is missing. In conversation with Festival Trustee Rounaq Uddin, she’ll explore the inspiration behind the book, her writing process and the themes that shape her work.

Mon 19 October, 7pm
White Rock Studio
Tickets available at hastingsstoryfest.org.uk

Sarah Jane Morris & Trio + Deaf Rave:
An uplifting live set from Sarah Jane Morris and her trio opens an evening exploring how music can be felt as well as heard. After an interval, Deaf Rave take over with a high‑energy drum and bass experience from Deaf DJs including DJ Jeffo.

This event introduces haptic vests, wearable devices that translate music into vibration. The performance is relaxed, with space to move freely, come and go, try the vests, or spend time in a quieter breakout area. It’s designed to welcome d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent audiences as well as the wider community, offering a rare chance to discover how vibration, rhythm and movement can transform the way we experience sound.

BSL support will be present throughout the event. A free companion ticket is available if required and can be redeemed directly through the White Rock Theatre Box Office.

Saturday 24 October, 7pm
White Rock Theatre
Tickets available at hastingsstoryfest.org.uk

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England, alongside generous support from our partners and sponsors.

Hastings Storytelling Festival is just around the corner and our town is about to come alive with stories in all their f...
29/09/2026

Hastings Storytelling Festival is just around the corner and our town is about to come alive with stories in all their forms.

From live performances and creative, hands-on workshops to puppetry, music, walkabout theatre and free family events, there are so many ways to explore this year’s programme.

Our festival booklet is now out across Hastings in local businesses, venues, libraries and eateries, so pick up your copy and start planning your October. The full programme is also live on our website, with tickets available to book.

hastingsstoryfest.org.uk

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England , alongside generous support from our partners and sponsors.

24/09/2026

The Hastings Storytelling Festival booklet is out NOW!

You can find copies in local businesses, venues, libraries and eateries across town, so pick up your copy featuring original cover artwork by AXEL SCHEFFLER and explore everything happening this October.

The full festival programme is also live on our website, with tickets available to book. We cannot wait to share nine days of storytelling in all its forms with you.

www.hastingsstoryfest.org.uk

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

Great design by

Programme featuring:



Kate Corkery






Axel Scheffler













22/09/2026

Exciting delivery today.

The Hastings Storytelling Festival booklet has arrived after weeks of planning, writing and pulling the programme together behind the scenes with the team.

Huge thanks to Erica Smith for the fantastic design work.

We’re very excited to finally reveal the one‑off artwork Axel Scheffler has illustrated especially for this year’s cover.

Booklets will be out across Hastings this week, so pick up your copy!

Close‑up images coming soon.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

05/03/2026

📚 Happy World Book Day!

Today we’re celebrating the books, characters and stories that spark imagination everywhere!

From all of us at Hastings Storytelling Festival, we hope your day is full of brilliant costumes, favourite characters and storytelling magic. ✨

Throwback to the sensational at Hastings Storytelling Festival 2025 🦭

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