A ten-day ‘festival of music and art’ is to be held in Islington this summer.

Following a successful first edition last year, Islington Festival of Music and Art will be back with 14 events across five contrasting venues around the borough.

The classical music based concerts will see 12 performances featuring 30 musicians performing works of greats including Schumann, Janacek, Beethoven, Mozart. There will also be art classes and photography workshops while all tickets will be free to those under 26.

A festival statement read: “Blessed by mainly glorious weather, the people of Islington and further afield turned out in great force to attend [last year’s] concerts, and the positive support and response was overwhelming.

“This gave us renewed energy, and with the help and support of the venues, has inspired us to grow and expand a little for the 2022 festival.”

All events will be held from July 15-24.

There are three strands to the series of concerts. The lunchtime series will be held from 1-2pm at Islington Square; the evening series will be 7-9pm and split between Christ Church Highbury and St Mary’s in Upper Street; and the late night series will be 9.30-10.30pm in Newington Green Meeting House as well as the Little Angel Theatre.

The statement added: “We hope that our programme will attract great interest not only from local people but many others from further afield, and we aim to deliver a high-quality product at reasonable price to
hundreds of people.”

Organisers have also sought to add more female composers’ works to the bill of performances with Clara Schumann, Louise Farrenc, Mel Bonis and others set to be featured.

The violinist Joana Ly added: “I am delighted that so many top-class musicians have enthusiastically agreed to return to us, or to perform for the first time in this Festival, and to bring a smile to the residents of Islington and beyond.

“All the performers from last year were greatly moved by the huge attendance and enthusiastic response from the audiences.”

Series bundles, day passes and early bird tickets are on offer. For more information, visit www.islingtonfestival.com