PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

A major new jazz, blues, funk & soul festival to energise the South West cultural calendar

A brand-new music event, BlueTone Festival, has been officially announced for Thursday 28 May – Sunday 31 May 2026, bringing an exhilarating programme of jazz, blues, funk, and soul to Vivary Park, Taunton. Set to become a standout event for the South West, BlueTone aims to showcase world-class artists, champion emerging talent, and expand cultural engagement across the region.

The festival is being produced by Gala Collective, a creative production team known for delivering high-quality, community-led cultural programmes. Organised through a brand new Community Interest Company (CIC) – Taunton Collaborative Arts, BlueTone will reinvest all profits into sustaining the festival and providing free music engagement opportunities for local residents, schools, youth groups, and community organisations.

“BlueTone Festival is a great opportunity to strengthen Taunton’s cultural offer, its identity as a destination on the river, its cultural sector, and to boost the creative sector and foster pride in our town. This festival could readily grow into a defining cultural asset for the South West and I urge all potential sponsors, funders and concert goers to wholeheartedly support it.”
Gideon Amos MP, Member of Parliament for Taunton & Wellington

The debut edition of BlueTone Festival will feature a series of high-profile headline performances, including:

• Ruby Turner – Thursday 28 May
• The Brand New Heavies – Friday 29 May
• Curtis Stigers – Saturday 30 May
• Southern Sinfonia plays Gershwin – Sunday 31 May

These standout acts will be complemented by a wider programme of exceptional performers, educational workshops, local musicians, and community participation events designed to involve and inspire audiences of all ages. The festival will work closely with local groups, artists, and partners to ensure its growth reflects Taunton’s unique character and creativity.

The festival organisers, Gala Collective, say it will be a privilege to work with the town to bring high-quality music to Taunton. The team is very much looking forward to collaborating with artists, community groups, local partners, and residents on this exciting new venture.

“The new BlueTone Festival is just brilliant news for Taunton. Residents can look forward to amazing music from leading jazz and blues artists on their doorstep for the first time and new visitors will give us a business and tourism boost. The Festival team want to build something really special with and for the town that will benefit our local music scene and opportunities for young people long term. Taunton is so ready for this!”

Cllr Vanessa Garside & Cllr Caroline Ellis, Co-Chairs of Taunton Town Council Arts and Culture Working Group

Tickets are on sale now, and for those who act fast enough the whole weekend is available for the launch price of only £89. Once the launch allocation of tickets have sold, early bird festival tickets will cost £99 for the whole weekend. Full ticket details along with individual day prices can be found at the festival website – www.bluetone-festival.co.uk

Local artist applications, volunteer registration, sponsorship enquiries, and partnership opportunities will open soon, with Gala Collective leading an open and collaborative engagement process.

Key Facts

• Festival Name: BlueTone Festival
• Location: Vivary Park, Taunton, Somerset
• Dates: Thursday 28 May – Sunday 31 May 2026
• Website & Tickets: www.bluetone-festival.co.uk
• Headline Artists: Ruby Turner (Thu), The Brand New Heavies (Fri), Curtis Stigers (Sat), Southern Sinfonia plays Gershwin (Sun)
• Focus: Jazz, blues, funk & soul
• Produced by: Gala Collective Limited
• Organisational Structure: CIC (Community Interest Company)
• Impact Goals: Cultural enrichment, community participation, economic uplift, and reinvestment into free music engagement

Press & Media Enquiries

Gala Collective — Production Partners for BlueTone Festival
hello@galacollective.co.uk