Alongside the Petworth Proms, Summer and Literary Festivals, partnerships with local schools and community groups remain central to our work. In 2024, this commitment took shape as The Big Sing, in which all 150+ pupils at Petworth Primary School wrote original songs with composer Richard Taylor. These were later performed at St Mary’s Church, Petworth to open the 2024 Literary Festival.

In 2025, we launched SING OUT! — an ambitious and inspiring educational project that brought together 180 children (Years 4–6) from local West Sussex schools with limited access to creative arts education, alongside sixth-form music technology students. A full case study on SING OUT! 2025 will be available in February 2026.

In the meantime, testimonials from the project are included below:

What teachers and pupils said:

Teacher Quotes. Petworth Festival – SING OUT! 2025
“I don’t think the children will forget this experience or the story of Macbeth and his relationship with the Witches. We would love to be involved in similar projects, as they bring joy into education — something the current system is rapidly destroying.”

“The project was impactful in many ways: experiencing an extraordinary painting at Petworth House with expert insight, and collaborating on lyrics and composition that gave the children real ownership of their interpretation.”

Pupil Quote. Petworth Festival – SING OUT! 2025
“Performing our songs at Midhurst Rother College made me feel nervous, happy, excited, joyful, proud, curious, and brave. The best parts were looking at the painting, the performance, composing the tune, the toaster song, our visit to Petworth House, making the music, rehearsing, and listening to the other school’s songs.”

In 2026, we will build on the success of 2025 by significantly expanding the programme to reach many more local schools and young people across West Sussex and Surrey, with a particular focus on primary pupils and those from disadvantaged communities.

Teacher development will also be central to achieving long-lasting impact, equipping educators with practical tools for integrating creative arts into the curriculum.

The 2026 programme will further broaden pupils’ awareness through visits to inspiring local heritage and cultural sites, linking creativity to place and strengthening connections with the local community.