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. 

And in 2024, Innes 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 2024. 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.

We’re also now supporting  Georgina Sweet, a talented young actor, dancer  & singer who is heading for a great future. She is currently studying hard for her GCSEs. She is also working towards her grade 8 Music Theatre.   She will be spending the next few years completing intensive Triple Threat Training (a West End Theatre school), and her dream is to work in London’s West End!  Georgina has performed in many theatre productions, since the age of 6.She is a student at the Royal Academy of Music, London, where she trains in Music Theatre every Saturday. She is also part of Michael Xavier’s MXMasterclass, and has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and London Palladium.  Georgina also has a Black belt in Kick-boxing!’

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.