The annual Romney Marsh smorgasbord of new music, art, photography and poetry is back, despite the pandemic. Founded 20 years ago, traditionally the festival takes place across different venues across the Marsh. But this year, the nine concerts and three exhibitions will all be featured online at jamconcert.org.
A virtual gallery will open on August 6 featuring exhibitions by Carsten Birkebaek, Tristan Fewings and Susan Pilcher. This will continue until August 15. Birkebaek’s aerial drone photography features Jon Foreman’s beach art, from last year’s festival on Dymchurch beach (see picture above). Fewings’ photography retrospective is connected to the sky and sea and Pilcher presents a series of extraordinary night photographs, both based around the Marsh.
Over August 7-15, JAM will present a new concert streamed every evening at 7:30pm. Highlights include:
- World premiere of Paul Mealor’s Piano Concerto with the London Mozart Players
- The Gesualdo Six, Fauré Requiem, with new poetry by Grahame Davies
- Onyx Brass perform British jazz for brass quintet
All the events are free to attend though JAM does hope that viewers will donate if they are able, in order to help sustain the future of the festival. This year, thanks to Covid-19, ticket income is likely to be non-existent, but the organisers are keen to support performers and the audience.
Publicity is vital. This year, numbers are not restricted by capacity in the various venues. It would be good to spread the word far and wide. The more people that attend one of the events, the more that might donate, hence helping to preserve the future of the festival.
The Hay book festival earlier in the pandemic transformed itself into a digital event and ultimately attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers from 70 countries, the vast majority of whom never before have visited the Welsh town.
The organisers of JAM ask Rye News readers to share the news with their social networks if they can and encourage their friends to attend and tell others. The relevant links are:
- Facebook: JAMedarmitage
- Twitter: @JAMedarmitage
- Instagram: @jamonthemarsh
Image Credits: Carsten Birkebaek .