The festival raised over £9000 for Centre’s work empowering young disabled adults to build independent, fulfilling lives through performing and creative arts.
Chloe Smith, Orpheus Principal said “I’d like to thank our community, guests, performers, sponsors, vendors, staff, students, family and friends for attending and showing support for our brilliant students. Community engagement is a core part of the work we do at Orpheus and the students lead on design, rehearsals and performances at events like Orphest. Events like Orphest are also real-world work experience We saw new and old faces at the best Orphest ever and we can’t wait to see you next year!”
The Orpheus Centre is a charity and specialist college founded by Sir Richard Stilgoe in 1997. Its annual festival celebrates the extraordinary talents of its students while championing greater visibility, inclusion and opportunities for disabled people.
Throughout the day, students delighted festivalgoers with moving musical performances and dynamic dance routines, alongside sets from local artists including Andrew Scullin, Cold July, Jackie Moon & Band, Warm Lights and Jon Hart. The Life Skills Kitchen students also played a key role in preparing and serving food for attendees throughout the day.
Orphest was made possible thanks to the generous support of local businesses, sponsors, charities and volunteers, whose contributions helped make the day a huge success. Among the highlights was The Orpheus Centre’s partnership with The Wombles, which brought a memorable ‘Meet a Womble’ experience to the festival. Attendees had the chance to meet the character Alderney, following the exciting announcement that the iconic franchise is set to return with a big-budget film and television comeback.
Independent brewery Titsey Brewing Co, based in Tatsfield, kindly donated the festival’s ale and lager, while a great selection of local food vendors and stalls kept visitors well fed throughout the day. Amazing local arts charities including Bloomin’ Arts, Freewheelers and Roundabout Drama Therapist also attended the celebration alongside independent stalls selling handcrafted cards and jewellery, skincare products from BodyEnrich, homemade glassware, tarot readings and much more.
With its highest turnout on record, this year’s Orphest highlighted the power of the arts to bring people together in support of a more inclusive future for young disabled adults. Building on this momentum, The Orpheus Centre is preparing for an exciting new chapter after securing planning permission for a transformative expansion, which will include a fully accessible 250-seat theatre, a state-of-the-art sensory room, purpose-built teaching spaces and a café. For more information about The Orpheus Centre and upcoming events, visit https://www.orpheus.org.uk/ .
Orphest 2026 Gallery
