A unique collision of artists and activists, prophets and poets delivers on promise of richest festival programme in the UK

24th - 27th August 2012 - Cheltenham Racecourse

Organisers of the Greenbelt Festival have commended the "loyal and engaged" audience and thanked them for creating the "best Greenbelt ever" despite challenging weather conditions during the festival weekend.  Although advance ticket sales were slightly down on the previous year, "exceptional" walk up sales on each day meant that the festival welcomed just under 20,000 festival goers across the weekend.  Boasting arguably the most culturally diverse programme of any UK festival, Greenbelt provided a unique collision of artists and activists, prophets and poets to deliver an eclectic mix of music, visual art, theatre and comedy alongside an impressive programme of speakers, talks and debates tackling issues as broad as criminal justice, faith, equality and tolerance.

Opening day, Friday 24th August kicked off with a headline slot from impassioned songwriter Bruce Cockburn whose political, ecological and spiritual lyrics reverberated across the Mainstage and proved a highlight amongst festival-goers. For those fortunate enough to secure a place at the live broadcast of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions, a panel lead by the charismatic and warm current affairs presenter, Jonathan Dimbledy proved to be not only thoroughly entertaining but also instigate a debate that created a fervour amongst the audience. Talks from John Bell, Lucy Winkett and Tony Campolo were a perfect place to start the weekend's talks and were met with packed out tents and event spaces; audiences eager to soak up their ideas on such culturally diverse subject matter.

After the success of day one, Greenbelt's organisers needed to pull out all the stops to continue to provoke, entertain and captivate audiences from dawn until dusk. Fully living up to this promise, the mainstage bill was warmed up with aspiring newcomer Josh Osho whose soulful sounds warmed up the thousands of festival folk ready for Charlie Simpson ahead of his attempt to break a world record for the coldest gig ever to be performed. Saturday's music highlight had to be awarded to the high-energy set provided by Asian Dub Foundation whose powerful lyrics and complex soundscape had people jumping in the air undaunted by the earlier downpours that day. A spectacular performance and a contender for a highlight of the entire festival. Elsewhere, the programme of talks continued to rally, entertain and provoke with Frank Skinner 'In Coversation', Peter Tatchell on equal marriage, Giles Fraser's rousing thoughts on contemporary philosophical thought, ethics and art plus Ruth Gledhill, the marvelous Thomas Lynch and Mary Gray.

The sun broke through on Sunday and with it an exceptional music offering. Headliner Nitin Sawhney did not disappoint with his band of international maestros that wowed audiences with eclectic, thought-provoking and dynamic sounds. Perfectly complimenting Sawhney's superb set, Mercury Prize winner Speech Debelle showcased powerful tracks from her latest album 'Freedom Of Speech', plus Shlomo's captivating and experimental set was nothing short of phenomenal. Performing Art across the day included Peterson Toscano's much anticipated 'Transfigurations' plus Tayo Aluko in 'Call Mr Robeson', Lila Dance while there were talks from Tom Wright, Vicky Beeching and Cole Moreton, amongst others. Comedy hero Robin Ince returned to Greenbelt bringing his empirically-tested comedy 'Happiness Through Science' and a full day of activities suitable for the younger Greenbelters within 'The Village'. Monday began with a talk from convicted murderer and now Guardian columnist, Erwin James who provided a spellbinding account of his time in prison and subsequent rehabilitation which provoked tears, laughter and inspiration amongst the audience. Other speakers considering different viewpoints included Rev. Richard Coles, Stella Creasy, Douglas Alexander MP and Dr. Rebecca Parker who populated a vast array of panels, discussions and debates that triggered audiences to think about the world they live in and the communities they are part of. Folk fans were presented with the delights of Seth Lakeman's celebrated song-writing skills; a powerful set from one of the UK's most exciting folk bands, The Imagined Village inspired by Britain's diverse cultural heritage; and the final act to take to Greenbelt's Mainstage was none other than the wild and rousing, Bellowhead. Renowned for their spectacular live performances, Bellowhead were the perfect act to close Greenbelt's Mainstage. Festival-goers clung on for the last remaining hours partaking in a huge Electro Swing party in Centaur, some late night karaoke in the Shed and a chance to relax watching films in Greenbelt's bespoke cinema room. 

Paul Northup, Greenbelt Director comments: "I couldn't be more pleased with how my first festival as Director has gone.  We've worked incredibly hard all year to curate an outstanding programme and this has been proven by the amazing reactions and engagement of Greenbelters right across the weekend in all the venues.  Yes, we've had some challenging weather conditions to deal with. But our careful planning and site management systems meant we – and our audience – coped.  Special mention needs to be made of our dedicated team of volunteers – 1,600 of them  – who have gone above and beyond the call of duty over the weekend, working extra shifts and joining other teams,  to ensure that festival-goers had a memorable experience. We're proud to have been able to ensure that all of the programme happened as planned and that Greenbelters safety was never compromised. Greenbelt prides itself on providing an environment that is more than just a weekend of entertainment.  We want to provoke thought, inspire debate and challenge preconceptions. We believe that there is always a better way and that engaging with and participating in great art and great ideas is what inspires us to see the way forward. Next year at Greenbelt, life begins."

All talks taken place at Greenbelt have been recorded and are available to purchase and listen to at the Greenbelt festival website.a href="http://s923.photobucket.com/albums/ad74/festivalsforall/?action=view&current=greenbelt.png" target="_blank">