September 22, 2026
Hello, September! This month’s newsletter is bursting with creativity, countryside cheer and community spirit from our Cultivate programme. Plus news of the next Somerset Arts & Culture Diversity Forum.
Nearly 1,500 people joined us for Chill on the Hill, a joyful day of creativity, community, local food and outdoor performances. And even the weather behaved itself!
Set against the stunning backdrop of Ham Hill Country Park, the day once again showed why Chill on the Hill has now become such a special part of Somerset’s cultural calendar. Families, friends, local residents and visitors gathered to enjoy the beautiful countryside setting, take part in creative activities and share in the feel-good festival atmosphere.
Produced by Take Art in partnership with Somerset Council’s Ham Hill team, Chill on the Hill forms part of the Cultivate programme, a creative partnership that brings local food, arts and people together for the benefit of rural communities and the natural environment in South Somerset.
Celebrations began at 10am at the Visitor Centre, where families got involved in drum-making with Drum Runners and arts workshops with Yeovil Art Space before a lively procession of music and sound moved through the country park towards the Millennium Stones for the afternoon programme.
Across the day, visitors enjoyed storytelling, hands-on creative workshops, circus skills sessions, live music and performances. Somerset and Southwest-based performers included Sarah Mooney, Cirque de Silk, Ghingo, Alfie Galpin, Fusion Dance Circus and nature-based activities run by the Ham Hill Country Park team.
Somerset’s internationally acclaimed circus company Pirates of the Carabina, entertained a large audience in the afternoon with its new show On the Shoulders.
Combining aerial theatre, circus, dance, puppetry, live music and real-life storytelling, the performance captivated audiences and created a memorable focal point for the day. Centred around a giant female puppet, the show celebrated the strength, resilience and experiences of women in a powerful and moving way. The performance, which also featured dance from Dorset’s Grace and Growl, was touching, uplifting and visually unforgettable, adding something truly special to this fifth anniversary edition of Chill on the Hill.
Local food and drink also played an important role in the day, with independent producers including A Slice of Salerno Pizza Horsebox, Somerset Sizzlers, Elaichi, ARVO Caffeine, Utazo Spirits and ARK at Egwood helping keep visitors refreshed and well fed.
Chill on the Hill was made possible through the generous support of the Fine Family Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Stoke sub Hamdon Sports and Recreation Trust, Abri Community Fund, Arts Council England and Somerset Council.
We would also like to thank Caroline Lefley, our official event photographer, for taking the wonderful images included in this newsletter.
Graham Harvey’s book, Underneath the Archers, will be republished in paperback later this autumn. For over 30 years, friend and supporter of our Cutivate programme, Graham shaped the farming storylines of this iconic radio show.
While the book is partly about The Archers, it’s also about our land, health and rural heritage. Graham investigates what this vintage radio drama, currently celebrating its 75th anniversary, can tell us about managing the countryside today.
Stephen Fry describes the book ‘as hilarious, charming, eccentric, informative, addictive and delightful as the show itself.’
The book is released in October and will be available at many book retailers just in time for Christmas!
How can we better understand and respond to the creative needs of older adults? In what ways can participation in creative activities enhance mood, support cognitive and physical wellbeing, and reduce social isolation? And how might an artist’s practice evolve with age, both in terms of process and perspective?
This is an opportunity to hear from older people themselves as well as artists and organisations whose work is informed by them.
Take Art, Somerset Film and Somerset Art Works are collaborating to deliver this forum, which aims to have honest discussion, share experiences and provoke individual and collective action.
If you are an older person who would like to share your perspective, or someone who works with older adults, whether as an artist, educator, care worker, or arts professional, we warmly invite you to join the conversation.
Dates and Details:
Friday 9 October 10.00 am - 1.00 pm
Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil BA20 2DD
Free (places are limited) | Book here
Tea and coffee will be provided. Food and drinks will be available to purchase in the café for those who wish to continue networking after the event.
The Arts and Culture Diversity Forum Somerset champions diversity and equality in the arts in Somerset. Facilitated by Take Art, Somerset Art Works and Somerset Film, it represents a safe space for us all to talk honestly, share experiences and best practice, challenge perceptions, and provoke individual and collective action.
All good wishes,
The Take Art Theatre and Cultivate Team
