Protegées

As a not for profit organisation Wedmore Festival  is committed to using the surplus we generate from our events to help support young local artists and performers, and to encourage a love of the arts. The Festival is dedicated especially to supporting young talent and to encouraging a love of the arts amongst the younger generation. 

In the last year, we have continued our financial support to Wedmore First School which will be used on art projects. We also continue to help our two brilliant young protegées, Poppy McGhee and Innes Oliver, violinist and ballet dancer respectively. 

We’re delighted to announce that Wedmore Arts Festival protégé Innes Oliver, has successfully auditioned for the 2024 National Youth Ballet senior company. 

Innes will join the company in Birmingham in August for intensive rehearsals, and she will perform in Birmingham on 21 and 22 August. The company will then move to London, where they will put on a gala performance at Sadlers Wells. This gala will be attended by acclaimed dance professionals, including Matthew Bourne, Dame Monica Mason and Reece Clark, Principal of the Royal Ballet.

Before joining the company for the summer, Innes will complete her second year of training at Northern Ballet School, including working with musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music and performances in Manchester in July.

Our festival team is very proud to be able to support young artists as they train for professional careers.

Our former protégée, Georgina Sweet, is now studying Musical Theatre with Mountview at the moment. She’s getting on well, and has played Heather Chandler in Heather’s the Musical as part of her course, which she loved. She was also Glinda in the Wizard of Oz Panto at Strode over Christmas. She recently did a presenting job for a national company’s online campaign, which was great experience. She starts rehearsals for Nell at Charlton House soon, which is at the end of June 2026. She’s still songwriting, with her younger brother now, which is wonderful to see.

Here is a link to Georgina’s instagram if you want to see all she’s been up to recently : https://www.instagram.com/_georgina_sweet_?igsh=MXhhcDdqa2wwa2U5dA==

All three girls are flourishing in their chosen fields and would like to pass on their thanks to our audiences who, by supporting the Festival, allow the Festival to support them!

Our festival team is very proud to be able to support young artists as they train for professional careers.