Home
Welcome to Cheltenham Festivals Changing lives through culture

Literature for Schools 2026 Tickets Now on Sale
Join us from 9–18 October for inspiring events with Michael Rosen, Katherine Rundell, Nadia Shireen, Nathanael Lessore and many more.
This year's programme offers something for every age group, with events designed to spark imaginations, nurture creativity and inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing.
Book Your PlaceWe believe in a world where everyone can explore and create culture
Our charity brings joy, sparks curiosity, connects communities and inspires change year-round through four world-class Festivals in Jazz, Science, Music and Literature and projects for education, community and talent development
What's On What's on

Shakespeare's Sisters
Mothers and mistresses, saints and sinners, fairies and murderers, witches and wenches – this recital puts Shakespeare’s female characters centre-stage and lets them speak their minds. Harriet Walter (Succession, Killing Eve, The Crown and…

Pavel Kolesnikov
Pavel Kolesnikov is hailed by The Guardian as an ‘outstanding pianist in every degree’ and for the ‘great emotional intelligence with understated virtuosity’ of his playing. He returns to Cheltenham Music Festival with a very special…

Verdi's Requiem
Verdi poured all his skill into depicting the extremes of human emotion in his Requiem. Already the grand master of Italian opera, Verdi borrowed his experience dramatising heartache, grandeur, violence and intense beauty to create perhaps…

Oleg Shebeta-Dragan
BBC New Generation ArtistUkrainian clarinettist Oleg Shebeta-Dragan is one of today’s most distinctive young artists. He first gained international recognition in 2022, when he won the prestigious Carl Nielsen International Competition in…

Mixtape x Squidsoup
Mixtape returns in 2026, refreshed by a brand new collaboration with world-leading arts collective Squidsoup, masters of beautiful immersive lighting design. Grab a drink, sit, stand, or lie back and get lost in the magical interplay of…

Composer Academy Showcase
A window into the future of contemporary classical music, featuring four new pieces written by a carefully-selected group of leading young composers performed live by the Carice Singers, led by George Parris.Held in DEYA’s intimate and…

It's time for the Next Chapter
Since 1945, thanks to your support, we've been changing lives through culture. And now it's time for the Next Chapter. Read all about our Five Year Strategy today.
Keep up to date with Festival news See all news
Cheltenham Music Festival 2026 Programme Notes
Friday 3 July 2026Welcome to Cheltenham Music Festival 2026. We're thrilled to have you join us for an incredible programme of performances celebrating the best in classical musicBelow, you'll find the performance programme notes, providing insights and…
The Big Read 2026
Tuesday 16 June 2026The Big Read 2026One book. One community. One Big Read.
The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival Announces Women's Prize for Fiction Winner 2026 ‘Big Read' Title
Tuesday 16 June 2026The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival has today announced Women’s Prize for Fiction winner Virginia Evans’ and The Correspondent as this year’s Big Read title, launching a celebration of reading ahead of the Festival…


