F.A.B. Festival of Arts, Brixham 2026

F.A.B. is a collaboration between Brixham Heritage Museum, Brixham Theatre, Brixham Library, A Kick Up The Arts (AKUTA) and The Music Factory CIC, supported by Brixham Town Council. Its aim is simple: to celebrate and strengthen the town’s arts and cultural sector, bring new creative partnerships together, and give residents and visitors of every age the chance to discover, try and enjoy high-quality cultural activity on their doorstep. The festival’s rallying cry is CREATE! PARTICIPATE! CELEBRATE!

The inaugural festival ran for a week in October 2025 and was so well supported that many sessions sold out, with around 350 people at the Saturday celebration in the Scala. For 2026 it has grown to almost two weeks and spreads across the museum, theatre, library, AKUTA’s studio on Bolton Street, the Scala Hall at the Town Hall, The Workroom sewing studio on Fore Street and the Con Club on New Road.

Highlights include a photography exhibition by Diane Highfield at the library and an art exhibition at the museum running through the festival; comic poet Robert Garnham’s poetry workshop and open mic; life and figure drawing with Brixham artist Mark Bell; an author talk with bestselling historical novelist Kate Furnivall; stained glass, fused glass and felt landscape workshops; a talk on the folklore of Dartmoor; teen takeovers, kids’ art sessions and a junk-music workshop; the Brixham Art Society exhibition; and evening shows at Brixham Theatre including a Tina Turner tribute, The Upbeat Beatles and The Music Factory’s live concert.

The centrepiece is the F.A.B. Saturday Social on 24 October – free art, music and dancing from 10am, with pop-up makers, dance taster sessions from Polynesian dance to swing, a fashion catwalk and a family ceilidh at the Scala, plus a Music Factory rehearsal drop-in at the theatre. Sunday 25 October brings a free Community Art Day and Songwriting Day at AKUTA.

Many events are free. Booking is essential for all events except those marked as drop-in – email festival.arts.brixham@gmail.com for booking information. Open each event in the programme below for times and prices.