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Creative Cambridge Get ready to celebrate the city’s cultural scene as the Cambridge Arts Festival returns next month T he Cambridge Arts Festival will return for its third year from 9 to 18 February 2026, with an exciting programme of city-wide multi-disciplinary arts, culture and community events. Organised by Cambridge BID, the festival will celebrate the vibrant arts scene, encourage residents and visitors to discover new creative experiences and design events that let city-centre businesses contribute to Cambridge’s cultural life. With support from local partners and sponsors – including Mills & Reeve and Clarendon Fine Art, where the opening night will be held – the festival is striving year on year to become a stronger platform for the city’s creative community. What’s on This year’s festival includes an Art Makers Fair on Saturday 14 February held in The Guildhall, where visitors can experience, view and purchase a range of creative work from local artists. Families heading to the Lion Yard Shopping Centre during half term (on Monday and Tuesday only) can join a Chinese New Year-themed workshop, trying their hand at traditional Chinese brush painting in a friendly, drop-in setting. Guided walking tours will highlight Cambridge’s artistic heritage, exploring cultural landmarks, street art and finishing at independent galleries for those keen to continue their creative journey. Exhibitions from local artists and community groups – including work from Rowan Humberstone, an arts centre and forest school for adults with learning disabilities – will also be displayed in venues across the city, with more artists to be announced. Meanwhile, on King Street, three local artists will create an impressive 50-metre mural to celebrate the city’s character, history and creativity.
LACKING INSPIRATION? Feel creative on the Arts Festival’s Gallery Crawl through the city’s art hotspots
in the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Big Deal Comedy Club will hold a child-friendly comedy show in the Town & Gown pub. Creative collaboration The festival is funded and delivered by Cambridge BID, a local, business-led, not-for-profit organisation that was set up to improve and promote Cambridge’s city centre. It’s a collaboration of around 1,200 businesses, organisations and properties within the Cambridge city centre and surrounding BID area. The idea is that, by working together, local businesses can achieve far more than if each acted alone – thus improving public spaces, increasing footfall, supporting local economy and culture and enhancing the overall appeal of Cambridge as a place to visit, live, work and study.
A dedicated Gallery Crawl will run from 5 to 7pm on Thursday 12 February. Participating galleries include Byard Art, Modo, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge Contemporary Crafts and Corpus Gallery, each offering something different. From solo artist exhibitions to talks and artistic demonstrations, there’s something for everyone. Photography enthusiasts (professional and amateur alike) are invited to take part in a competition put on in partnership with Campkins Cameras. Running all throughout February, local residents are encouraged to capture the theme of ‘Secret Cambridge’ through their own lens. A variety of interactive workshops will also take place throughout the festival. For example, the Cambridge Poetry Festival will host an ekphrasis-themed poetry workshop
The full schedule of Cambridge Arts Festival events will be announced in January – follow @lovecambridge_ to keep up to date or visit love-cambridge.com/arts-festival
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