BlakeFest offers celebration of the poet and artist William Blake
This year’s BlakeFest celebration of the poet and artist William Blake is being held on Sunday, September 28 at Venue 24 on Bognor Pier, which has hosted performers including Charlie Chaplin and Tony Hancock.
BlakeFest 2025 is showcasing award-winning writers and performers to create a celebration worthy of one of England’s greatest literary and artistic figures.
William Blake’s comic brilliance has been called everything from “the nervous ramblings of a neglected genius” to “the tomfool doodles of a distracted youngster.” Now to celebrate Blake’s comic genius BlakeFest is bringing that same playful spirit to the stage.
Organisers are promising wit, satire, and musical mischief from Roger Ruskin Spear, original member of the iconic Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah band, and the rest of the BonzoBills Comedy Band headlining on the Sunday.
Daytime performances include a presentation of Romany storytelling, poetry and music based on the newly published anthology KIN (Salmon Press); plus uplifting jazzy blues from vocalist Olivia Stevens with musician Stefan Rajic. Poetry in Motion put the focus back on Blake featuring award-winning Charlotte Glasson on saxophone, Chris Hardy on vocals and guitar and wordsmith Barry Smith. Blake’s poems will be performed in musical settings of Tyger, The Lamb, London and Ah! Sunflower, alongside 1960s works from the Beats. The Sunday event on the Pier kicks off at 12 noon with a short introductory talk and then a session by artist Tamsin Rosewell on Blake’s sketchbook, followed by the Romany life presentation.
BlakeFest director Rachel Searle said: “This is the chance to participate in a unique, diverse cultural experience with live music, art, jazz, and spoken word. Blake was seen as an outsider so we’re particularly thrilled to be welcoming Romany writers, poets and musicians celebrating the travelling communities represented in Raine Geoghegan’s new anthology, KIN. Olivia and Stefan are not to be missed.
“Audiences will be able to hear Blake’s own words and his influence on Beat poetry in brand-new musical settings created by the poet and guitarist from music/poetry ensemble Little Machine and the velvet voiced South Downs poet, Barry Smith. In the evening session, the BonzoBills also highlight Blake’s impact on the counter-culture of the 1960s, particularly with the Beat generation of poets and artists, led by Allen Ginsberg, who visited Bognor in tribute to his hero. For a crazy, hilarious climax the stage will see that the spirit of the Bonzos lives again.”
SDPF director Barry Smith added: “William Blake lived nearby in the Sussex seaside village of Felpham and was later acquitted at his trial for sedition in Chichester. It’s a tremendous honour to be celebrating the great radical poet and artist in his Sussex home area.”
Blakefest 2025: Blakefest with the BonzoBills, Venue 24 at Bognor Pier, PO21 1SY, Sunday 28 September, 12 noon (afternoon session) and 6.30pm (evening session).