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Greenbelt Festival | |
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Genre | Mixed |
Dates | August Bank Holiday weekend (Weekend of the last Monday in August) |
Location(s) | Prospect Farm Charsfield (1974) Odell Castle (1975–1981) Knebworth Park (1982–1983) Castle Ashby (1984–1992) Deene Park (1993–1998) Cheltenham Racecourse (1999–2013) Boughton House (2014–) |
Years active | 1974–present |
Website | Greenbelt.org.uk |
Greenbelt Festival is a festival of arts, faith and justice held annually in England since 1974. Greenbelt has grown out of an evangelical Christian music festival with an audience of 1,500 young people into its current form, a more inclusive festival attended at its peak around 2010 by around 20,000, including Christians and those from other faiths.[1]
The festival regularly attracts the biggest names of Christian music and many mainstream musicians. Those that have played the festival in the past include both new and established musicians, mostly playing rock, folk and pop music. This list includes The Alarm, U2, Moby, Cliff Richard,[2] Ed Sheeran, Martyn Joseph, Steve Taylor,[3] Midnight Oil, Amy Grant,[4] Kevin Max, Lambchop, Goldie, Jamelia, After the Fire, The Proclaimers,[5] Daniel Bedingfield, Eden Burning, Duke Special, Athlete and Sixpence None the Richer.[6]
Greenbelt is also a venue for teaching and discussion about (but not exclusively within) the Christian faith, and has attracted number of Christian speakers, including Rowan Williams[7] (the former archbishop of Canterbury) who is currently the festival's patron. However, the festival also welcomes anyone who the organisers believe 'speaks for justice', and has had Anita Roddick, Peter Tatchell, Bill Drummond, and Billy Bragg sharing their thoughts.
More recently with its links to the NGO Christian Aid,[8] Greenbelt has become heavily involved in campaigns for trade justice. The festival was one of the main catalysts for the huge Jubilee 2000 movement. Greenbelt is also a Christian showcase for performing arts, visual arts and alternative worship.