Performances
Friday night is performance night. We host live music from top artists, including internationally-renowned musicians. Concerts cover a wide range of genres, including jazz, blues, folk, classical, pop and rock music. We also put on plays, talks and more! There's something for everyone.
To book a great night out buy tickets online or call 01460 54973. Performances start at 7.30pm, unless otherwise stated. Doors open at 6.30pm with a bar.
A warm welcome awaits – just grab a drink, sit back and enjoy some of the best performances around.
Karen Sharp and the Craig Milverton Trio
Multi-Award Winning Jazz saxophonist Karen Sharp is supported by the Craig Milverton trio, which includes the man himself on piano, plus Ashley John Long on bass and Coach York on drums.
Tickets £20
The Bee Gees Experience
A 3 piece group re-creating the music of the Bee Gees. The band members perform classic harmonies featuring the unforgettable voice of Nick Lester on lead vocals as Barry Gibb.
Tickets £25
Pocket Sinfonia
Pocket Sinfonia recreate the atmosphere of 19th-century living room parties, applying the intimacy of chamber music performance to orchestral-scale pieces.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets: £18
Flying Folk
Jemima Farey presents a wonderful evening of folk music and will be accompanied by invited folk bands The Farey Family and Arquebus Trio performing a mix of traditional folk and original songs.
Tickets: £16
Three Men in a Boat - Play
A hilarious play starring Giles Shenton about boats and men behaving badly.
Tickets: £16
Louise Parker
Ilminster Arts Centre is honoured to host the magnetic voice of Louise Parker, hailed a ‘totally genuine Jazz Performer’ by Les Tomkins of The Jazz Rag and exalted for her “Sweetly soulful jazz vocals” by Mike Flynn, Jazzwise Magazine.
Louise will be joined by pianist/organist Martin Jenkins and bass player John Donnelly.
Tickets: £20
Lara Melda
An award winning pianist, we are delighted to welcome Lara Melda for the first time.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets: £18
MOSCOW DRUG CLUB
Moscow Drug Club are transcendent Troubadours of World Jazz and Folk. Combining their original material with songs by the likes of Jaques Brel, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen & Eartha Kitt, Moscow Drug Club deliver an intoxicating and intimate musical experience.
Tickets £20
Gildas Quartet
Welcoming the critically acclaimed Gildas Quartet, praised for their ‘energy, verve and refreshing approach’ to performance.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets £18
Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion
Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion refresh the blues genre with eclectic arrangements, virtuosic playing and vocal prowess. With an exciting live set based around rootsy original songs, strong catchy riffs and exciting grooves; they mix old school tradition with contemporary flare and sophistication.
Vibrant, contemporary, original, melodic, funky rocking blues featuring Hammond-organ, drums, guitar and vocals.
Tickets £20
John Law’s Re-Creations
John Law presents his new album Re-Creations: creative arrangements of some of the world’s most familiar music.
The band will be playing imaginative versions of popular tunes including Smoke On The Water, Mama Mia (mashed up with Pachelbel's Canon, believe it or not!) Eye Of The Tiger and U Can't Touch This.
Tickets: £20
Dave’s Big General Knowledge Quiz
Come and support the Arts Centre with a wonderful evening of quizzing! Fiendish questions, bar and a raffle await.
Tickets: £12 per team of 4
Sara Trickey and Ivana Gavric
A concert of passionately beautiful classical music from dynamic duo Sara Trickey and Ivana Gavric.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets £18
The Gaz Hughes Trio – Nuclear Bebopalypse
A Swing and Bop Odyssey from three rising stars of British Jazz blending Jazz Heritage with a modern twist.
Tickets: £18
Julian Phillips - Boogie Woogie Nights
Julian Phillips Boogie Woogie Nights
An outstanding night of Boogie Woogie and Blues music played by Julian Phillips (piano/piano accordion), Axel Keim (guitar, slide guitar and harmonica) and Izi Onslow (Vocals).
Together these three musicians create a Boogie and Blues performance which has rhythm and toe-tapping audiences enthralled, from traditional old-style instrumental classics through to haunting melodic blues ballads, all infused with zest and enthusiasm for the best in the Boogie Woogie and Blues genres.
Tickets: £18
The Perks Ensemble
We are delighted to welcome Oscar Perks on violin, Elliott Perks on viola, Sebastian Kolin on cello and Alexander Ullman on piano . They will be delighting us with a programme including Mozart and Brahms, among others.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets: £18
The All Seasons
SOLD OUT
Bringing to life the music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, The All Seasons present a show that will wow fans of the Jersey Boys sound.
Tickets: £22
Oh La La! Quintet - A Night of French Music
SOLD OUT
A fabulous quintet led by Parisian-born Fifi la Mer on vocals and accordion with Alex Garnett on vocals, tenor sax and clarinet; Oliver Wilby on accordion, clarinet and tenor sax; Simon Picton on guitar and Julian Bury on bass. French jazz at its best!
Tickets: £20
Flying Folk
Jemima Farey presents a wonderful evening of folk music. A mix of traditional folk and original songs.
Tickets: £12
Craig Milverton - Jazz Piano Legends
Craig Milverton pays homage to 17 of the great piano players from James P Johnson through to Dave Brubeck.
Tickets: £16
Ilminster Arts Centre Christmas Party featuring Roadstars
POSTPONED
Celebrate the festivities at Ilminster Arts Centre for a Christmas party, with a performance by Roadstars!
Tickets: £10
Ilminster Community Choir, conducted by Chris Grabham
FULLY BOOKED
The Ilminster Community Choir present their annual Christmas concert. Join us for an evening of beautiful melodies to raise money for the Arts Centre!
Tickets: £5
Ilminster Town Christmas lights switch-on
Enjoy the start of the Christmas season.
Our café, bar, gallery and craft shop will be open, with a performance from the Ilminster Ukulele Band. The café will be serving tasty treats.
FREE EVENT!
Mike Denham’s SpeakEasy with Mike Piggott
Pianist Mike Denham welcomes special guest violinist Mike Piggott for the next in a series of SpeakEasy duets. Expect swing jazz in the Hot Club style!
Tickets: £20
The Fitzroy Quartet - Classical
Described as "engaging and responsive to the emotional worlds of each piece in turn", this prizewinning string quartet will be treating us to Haydn, Debussy and Szymanowski.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets: £18
Mr Lowry & Friend - An Illustrated Talk
On the 136th anniversary of the artist’s birth, come and discover the intriguing story of one of L.S. Lowry’s most significant and enduring friendships in this illustrated talk.
A fundraising event for the Ilminster Arts Centre.
Tickets: FREE (suggested £5 donation)
Budapest Café Orchestra - SOLD OUT
Budapest Café Orchestra play a blistering barrage of traditional folk and gypsy-flavoured music plus their own unique re-imaginings of some of the biggest tunes ever written by the classical greats. Hugely entertaining, immense skill and profound musicianship - get ready for an amazing show!
Tickets: £24
Classical sonatas
Sadly Emmanuel Bach has broken his arm, so the advertised concert has been replaced with Callum Smart & Richard Uttley.
We are extremely grateful to CALLUM SMART and RICHARD UTTLEY for agreeing to come at very short notice. Callum and Richard came to play for us in July 2022, which some of you will remember. We also heard Richard play with the violist Rosalind Ventris earlier this year.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets: £18
Ladies in Jazz - Annika Skoogh + Ian Ellis & The Craig Milverton Trio
Annika Skoogh takes a look at the legendary jazz divas who have influenced and inspired her over the years and pays tribute to their voices and the songs they sang. Featuring special guest Ian Ellis and the Craig Milverton Trio.
Tickets: £20
Flying Folk
Jemima Farey presents a wonderful evening of folk music. A mix of traditional folk and original songs.
Tickets: £12
Simply The Shadows and Cliff - Established 58
Looking for a blast from the past? Look no further than Established 58 as they play The Shadows and Cliff Richard’s greatest hits! This talented group will take you back to the glory days of rock and roll with their spot-on renditions, from ‘Living Doll’ to ‘Summer Holiday’, you'll be singing and dancing along with every tune.
Tickets: £20
Please note this is a Saturday concert.
Roy Forbes + The Craig Milverton Quartet
Join us for an evening with Roy Forbes, one of Britain’s leading jazz and blues singers, together with the Craig Milverton Quartet.
Johnny Mars is unfortunately unable to perform due to illness.
Tickets: £20
A Journey into French Music
Fifi la Mer and Oliver Wilby of hit Quintet Oh La La! present a unique show that will take you on a journey through 100 years of French music, from Offenbach to Gainsbourg.
Tickets: £20
Sweet&Hot Quartet
Expect a fast-paced, fun-filled evening of music and mirth as this all-star quartet seamlessly weaves from Ragtime to Blues, Hot Jazz to Cool Swing and everything in between!
Tickets: £20
Please note this is a Saturday performance.
Riccardo Pes and Alexander Boyd - Classical
We are delighted to welcome Riccardo Pes and Alexander Boyd on cello and piano, delighting us with a programme including Chopin and Prokofiev, among others.
Promoted by Concerts in the West.
Tickets: £18
Bowie Fashion
A stardust tribute to David Bowie. “Bowie Fashion” is a five-man group dedicated to the authentic reproduction of the music of David Bowie, capturing the essence of his live performances.
Tickets: £20
Vikki Clayton - 2023 Tour
Acclaimed folk singer-songwriter Vikki Clayton has captivated audiences worldwide with her soul-stirring performances and profound interpretations of songs, including the remarkable works of Sandy Denny.
Tickets: £15