Arts, Cinema and Live Music in the run up to Christmas

The run up to Christmas sees another vibrant mix of music, art and performance, from award-winning internationally renowned artists to homegrown talent. Alongside this thrilling programme of live events, Studio 74, Exeter’s new independent cinema presents an inspiring, hand-picked programme of first-rate alternative film and the latest arthouse releases.

Music highlights this season include a South West visit from one-time Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes, ambient house pioneers The Orb and ex-Bombay Bicycle Club singer Lucy Rose. Exeter’s most imaginative New Year’s Eve event returns with more live music, zany performers and hidden surprises as a fitting finale to a jam-packed season. Following the success of 2013’s Spectacula Fantastica and 2014’s Time Travellers’ Ball, this year’s Wonderland themed party is set to be the season’s hot ticket.

Comedy fans will have their pick of familiar faces from television panel shows, including James Acaster and Robert Newman. ‘Tis the season for family theatre, so those with young ones in tow will be pleased to see two fantastically inventive productions hitting the Exeter Phoenix stage. Theatre Alibi present their action-packed new show, Olive and the Dream Train, while Quirk Theatre return with their innovative alternative to the traditional pantomime, a new show titled The King With Donkey’s Ears.

Our new cinema Studio 74 will be coming to life with an inspiring collection of new release indie films, amongst a host of buzzing festivals and special events. Highlights include hotly anticipated film The Lobster, an absurdist story of human-animal transformation in a dystopian near future, and award winning documentary Salt Of The Earth.

As part of one of the UK’s biggest celebrations of romance, the BFI LOVE film season, cinema-goers can rekindle their passion for the big screen with a series of films exploring romance; from vintage love flicks like Brief Encounter, to those which challenge conceptions of what love is, such as cult-classic Blue Velvet. November sees the return of Two Short Nights, the festival celebrating short film and the people who make it.

In an unprecedented Exeter gallery takeover, we are teaming up with Double Elephant Print Workshop to exhibit work from the Redefining Print project in Surface/Contact, an exhibition exploring themes of surface, layers and sense. Work from the Redefining Print project will also be exhibited across the city, in RAMM, Exeter Central Library, Brook Gallery and TOPOS.

Find all the new season events and ticket information here >>