Anyone that has visited Haslemere in the past 2 weeks can’t fail to have noticed the beautifully painted CDs that are taking pride of place in so many local businesses. If you are curious about their purpose, then this is the start of the Haslemere Fringe Community Arts Festival, a two month initiative that is a celebration of Haslemere’s creative identity.

Haslemere has already built a strong reputation for creative and performing arts through the Haslemere Fringe Festival. But this year, the Community Arts Festival broadens the festival’s reach, taking it into schools and businesses and involving local residents and artists.

Donated CDs are literally being transformed into works of art. The project has already visited local schools and nursing homes. From young infants to pensioners, everyone is getting a chance to decorate the town this Summer, filling it with colour.

Across the next few weeks, in the run up to the Fringe Festival in early July, more and more parts of the town will be decorated to make the most of the festival atmosphere. Watch out for an array of fringe-inspired creative displays which will take pride of place in shops as Haslemere’s retailers and businesses collaborate with local artists and organisations. 

One of these artistic collaborations is with Marty at Gallery Thirteen. He has already released the first of a number of Leo the Crabby Lion mini prints into the wild! In total, 150 will be released between now and the Fringe Festival. Volunteers will be helping to hide them as far afield as Liphook and Guildford… maybe further! All with the aim of bringing footfall from outside the town into the centre of Haslemere, thus supporting local businesses. 

Many will already be familiar with Marty's Crabby Creature Art Hunts but this is the biggest to date so, make sure you are following the Crabby Creatures and Haslemere Fringe on social media for clues as to where they are hidden. Alternatively, just keep your eyes peeled whilst you are walking around town for the next couple of months as you never know what you may find!

Not only that, for those who like to get creative with their writing, the Haslemere Fringe Festival and Gallery Thirteen have also teamed up with the Haslemere Bookshop. Creative writers need to come up with their reasons for why the lion is crabby. Winning entrants will receive one of a number of prizes that include T-shirts and book vouchers! To enter, grab a postcard from the Haslemere Bookshop or Gallery Thirteen. Simply write your reason down and hand it into the bookshop!

In the meantime, keep a look out for artwork that showcases local artists and their creativity and take the opportunity yourself to get involved to show off your own creative flair. To ensure you don't miss anything that's happening, we’ll make sure that we share the town’s colourful transformation with you at This is Haslemere, ensuring it’s accessible to all.

During this year's Haslemere Fringe Community Arts Festival, there is no excuse not to let your creative juices flow!