ABOUT
Let’s Get Taunton Together
Taunton Town Council recognises the importance of arts and culture for the town and have a key objective to deliver an annual arts and culture event for Taunton. This year sees the birth of Taunton Together.
Taunton Together is dedicated to growing cultural vibrancy, community engagement and artistic collaboration.
We want to do this by celebrating diversity and culture, enhancing community identity and pride, supporting and showcasing local artists, engaging in community participation and revitalising our town centre.
Everyone in Taunton should be able to enjoy a diverse range of arts and culture. We will protect and nurture our arts and culture sector and seek to remove barriers, financial and otherwise, that prevent people accessing great cultural experiences.
Following recent events, we will continue to work tirelessly alongside our communities and partners to ensure that Taunton remains a place where diversity is celebrated, and everyone feels safe.
You can find out more information from Taunton Town Councils Art and Culture Strategy.
Download the Arts and Culture Strategy
Poster designed by:
THEME
River Tone
Why are we celebrating the river tone?
The River Tone is a central part of Taunton’s history, heritage, and culture .
The River Tone is central to Taunton’s history and culture. Our event celebrates its role in shaping the town, from providing water and transport to supporting trade and industry. The river connects people, offering spaces for recreation and enhancing community.
By focusing on the River Tone, we will honour its past and its ongoing ability to unite and inspire us all.
A pre consultation has been launched on Taunton’s Waterways Strategy and Guidance. Check it out here and have your say: https://somersetcouncil.citizenspace.com/planning/waterways-pre-consultation
Program of Activities
| Taunton Sites | All Day | Timed Activities and Performances |
| Castle Green | 10am to 6pm Independent Food Market Crafts Home Wares 10am – 6pm DJ | 10.00am Millicent Morgan 11.30am Stevie Nicole Brown 1.30pm Skintight Samba 2.15pm Luis Martelo 3.15pm Jon Pattison 4.45pm Follow The Dolphin |
| Taunton High Street/ Orchard Center | 11am – 3pm Caricaturist 12 noon to 6.30pm Bands and Music Performances 4pm-6pm Disco GoCreate Gallery | 12.00pm SOS Performance / On the street 12.30pm Slow Burne 1.05pm Rise Accoustix 1.35pm Hammer Head 2.05pm SOS Procession 2.30pm Fuse Circus Spectacle / Aerial Rig 3.00pm Blue Bird Theatre 3.40pm Sasha Picado 4.20pm Set in Stone 4.00pm – 6.00pm Disco Dewy (Orchard Shopping Centre) 4.30pm Blue Bird Theatre Show 5.00pm Lifter Band |
| Taunton Minster / Hammet Street | 10-4pm Join in Somerset Community and Charity Stalls Volunteering Opportunities Music Performances Food and Beverages | 11.00am – 3.30pm Dennis Demille /Chloe-Marie Aston / Topham Taylor 1.45pm Rivertones |
| Somerset County Cricket Club | Free Match Day 3pm | — |
| Somerset Square (Brewhouse) | 11am to 5pm Sports and Activities Performances Music Food and Beverages | 11.30am “A Traipse through Time” – Youth Theatre 12.30pm Razammo 1.30pm Krystian Polanski – Beatboxer 2.00pm “A Traipse through Time” – Youth Theatre 3.00pm Jamie Yost |
| Goodland Gardens | 11am to 6pm – Skate Ramp 12pm Shed-Ache 12pm to 6pm DJ Rends Arts and Crafts Stalls Food and Beverages Thespians Dress Up Tent Face painting | 11.00am The Fitzwarren Collective CIC 12.00pm Luis Martello Trumpet / Shed Ache / Megan’s Academy Dance 12.40pm Conscious Fairies 12.55pm Camilla Flute 1.00pm Chhavi Rajasthani Bollywood Dance Performance 1.15pm Somerset Youth Theatre featuring Michael Loader 1.50pm Poppy 2.00pm Su & Jules Folk Duo / Story Telling with Michael Loader / Jo and Hannah 2.25pm Johnny and Max 2.50pm Alice 3.00pm DJ Dinky and Dancing 3.15pm Whiskey Teachers 3.40pm BOB 4.00pm Stevie Nichol Brown 4.05pm John and Nigel 4.30pm Robbie and Senna 4.50pm Millicent 5.00pm Dayeeta Bollywood Dance Performance 6.00pm Giant Robot Bodies |
Promo Video
Taunton Together
A collection of clips capturing the excitement of the festival planned for 28 September 2024.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Locations Across Town
Somerset Square
Home to Brewhouse Theater and in close proximity to a number of Taunton’s small independent businesses, Somerset Square will be alive with performances with a strong focus on health, sports and wellbeing. Access to Somerset County Cricket Ground can be made through Somerset Square.
Taunton Minster
The Minster in Taunton will see the High Sheriff of Somerset, Rob Beckley shine a light on volunteers – Join in Somerset. Ceremonies will be taking place throughout the day in the Church with a large number of stands providing useful community information and showcasing a range of voluntary opportunities not just in Taunton, but across Somerset. Taunton Minster will be host to the Signing of The Charter for Compassion.
Castle Green
The Taunton Independent Market is an unmissable destination street market launched in March 2020, showcasing over 75 of the South West’s best artisan traders of food and drink, crafts, gifts, homewares, beauty, fashion, and more. They will also be showcasing a range of world flavours too and the occasional flash-mob of dancers and entertainment!
Taunton High Street and Orchard Shopping Centre
Home to number of cafe’s and eateries, the high street will be home to a number of local musicians for the day, playing a variety of tunes and creating a platform for young musicians to play for the people of Taunton, mixed in with song and dance, we will also have circus skills, and street theatre with a link to the River Tone. The Orchard Shopping Centre will host a gallery for local artists and have a number of family activities including a caricature!
Goodland Gardens
This area will be looked after by Go Create and will include skateboarding, a performance zone and a range of participatory workshops and really highlight the river, it’s an area full of engaging entertainment you can’t afford to miss!
Somerset County Cricket Ground
The Cooper Associates County Ground will be hosting a free open day, where members of the public will be able to enter the ground to experience watching a day of County Championship Cricket, making the sport more accessible and enjoyed by all. Go and experience the T20!
GET INVOLVED
Our Supporters
Yes, that’s you!
We’re always looking for more community groups to get involved in Taunton Together, if you believe you’ve got something worth sharing with the community, please get in touch to let us know!
You will be making our event more diverse, more creative and more TOGETHER! – Thanks!
The High Sheriff of Somerset
“Join in Somerset”
Around Taunton Minster and Hammet Street, over 80 charities and community groups are setting up stalls to showcase their work. They are promoting their services, volunteer opportunities, and interactive displays. Enjoy street music, coffee, and food provided by some charities. Many stalls sell goods made through their charity.
The event caters to all ages, with opportunities for young people to volunteer. The Minster will display art from local primary schools themed “The River Tone,” and its coffee shop will be open until lunchtime.
Hosted by the High Sheriff of Somerset, Taunton Vale Rotary Club, Spark Somerset, and the Minster, this event celebrates community contributions!
You can find out more by visiting the High Sheriff’s website.
Useful Information
Toilets:
Castle Green, Canon Street, Goodland Gardens and Somerset Square and Taunton Brewhouse.
First Aid:
Control Room Brewhouse Theatre
Fore Street, Taunton (Roundabout)
Lost Child Point:
Taunton Minster (Hammet Street)
Taunton Brewhouse House
General Assistance:
Volunteers and Marshals will be in High Viz and around the site areas
They will be happy to assist you.
More about our cultural partners
Arts TAUNTON
Their aim is to encourage and support investment in the arts to help make Taunton a vibrant, attractive place to visit and in which to live and work; a place where everyone has the opportunity to enjoy high quality culture and to explore their own creativity.
CICCIC
CICCIC is an exciting place where being enterprising about your community or creative practice is what they are all about. They unite all good things that make us happy and connected as individuals, groups and communities.
Brewhouse Theatre
Taunton Brewhouse is a hub for quality entertainment. From music, comedy, theatre, film and dance there is a huge variety on offer. They also hold regular classes and workshops in all fields of the creative arts. The café is a social space for the whole community to enjoy freshly prepared food and drinks. The whole theatre is accessible and welcoming to all.
Go Create
As a Community Interest Company GoCreate have been striving to make arts accessible to everyone in and around Taunton since 2014. Our strapline is “Seeking. Encouraging and Promoting Creativity” and we do this by engaging with other local artists. community groups, charities and schools. We produce festivals such as Taunton Live Arts Festival, Taunton’s first Pride, Outdoor Arts Trails, Pop-ups in Taunton town centre and The Arts Hub where we are based.
Taunton Independent Market
We’re delighted to have TIM part of our Taunton Together plans, after all, they’re showcasing and supporting small, independent business every month in the heart of Taunton.
Taunton Minster
Taunton Minster is an integral part of Taunton, since becoming a minster is reaching out to all to provide support and help to all. Taunton Minster is an incredible Church, but also stunning venue to host a range of community events.
And there’s more
As well as working together with our key cultural partners, we have been supported by our amazing community in Taunton. See below for other free activities happening to bring TAUNTON TOGETHER !
Sangha House | Museum of Somerset | Taunton Independent Quarter | Quaker House
Transport
How to get here..
We need you think about your carbon footprint, have you considered using alternative methods of transport to reduce your carbon footprint? Take the bus, cycle or car share are all great ways to reducing your carbon footprint.
Buses of Somerset continue to serve the Park & Ride sites after the normal Park & Ride ends these are:
Service 1E Priorswood -Taunton Town Centre – Musgrove Park Hospital – Silk Mills Park & Ride site.
Buses leave Taunton Parade stop J at 1935, 2035, 2135 and 2235
Service 30 Taunton – Chard – Axminster
Buses leave Taunton Parade stop I at 2010 and 2210
Return tickets purchased on the Taunton Park & Ride service are valid for use on these two services to return to the Park & Ride sites in the evening and all of these journeys are funded by Somerset Council as part of the evening bus service network in the Taunton area.
Thank You!
Partners
“My aim through Taunton Together is to inspire our community to try new activities, learn new skills and embrace their creative side. This day will be a wonderful opportunity for visitors to find out more about Taunton Brewhouse and all of the entertainment we provide”
Vickie Robbins
Executive Director
Taunton Brewhouse
We’re passionate about engaging with our cultural neighbours and building stronger links with the town and when I heard of this opportunity, we were keen to get involved, to bring cricket to the community and provide an opportunity for people to experience a great game of Cricket.
Vickie Robbins
Marketing Manager
Somerset County Cricket Club
“My aim is to encourage and support investment in the arts to help make Taunton, Somerset’s county town, a vibrant, attractive place to visit and in which to live and work; a place where everyone has the opportunity to enjoy high quality culture and to explore their own creativity.”
Jackie Clementines
TYCA Organiser
Arts Taunton
Passionate about the arts, Taunton Together is platform that will help showcase what Taunton has to offer for the community and I am looking forward to using this platform to show exactly what Taunton’s all about from an arts and cultural perspective.
Jackie Clementines
Jenny Keogh
Chief Executive of Go Create
Since becoming a Minster, I have a clear objective, that’s to become more involved in every aspect of our diverse community. Taunton Together is exciting opportunity for all, which will open many doors and opportunity and I look forward to these new friendships and connections.
Jackie Clementines
Tobie Osmond
Vicar, Taunton Minster
“The Taunton Together Arts Festival 2024 has been created in partnership with the council, local artists and arts organisation for everyone to enjoy a cultural showcase of all the amazing things our town and region have to offer. It will inspire people to engage with creative practice and contribute to the social and cultural development of this amazing town and its community. Let the fun begin”.
Richard Holt
Richard Holt Director
Creative Innovation Centre and Arts Hub