Many world famous musicians and groups have graced the stage of the Festival over its 70-year history. Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears in the 1950s, George Malcolm and The King’s Singers in the 1980s, to name just a few.

Central to the Festival is Hexham’s glorious medieval Abbey, which acts as the main venue and provides a stunning backdrop and world class acoustic for music making.

Development and innovation have been at the heart of Hexham Abbey Festival’s mission. The Festival not only presents a huge range of classical music from early to contemporary periods, but has extended its programme to include jazz and world music, as well as improvisation, theatre, poetry, puppetry and film. We endeavour to maintain close involvement with community groups and work closely with schools on special projects.