AN RNLI BENEFIT CONCERT

The town of Budleigh Salterton was deeply affected by the tragic events of Christmas Day 2025 when two men perished at sea. The Festival itself lost a dear friend in Matthew Upham, a patron of the arts, generous host, passionate music lover and ardent Festival supporter.

In order to honour Matthew’s memory and acknowledge the loss of both men, we have partnered with the RNLI to add a fundraising event to open this year’s festival. A mixture of celebratory and reflective music, the concert features some remarkable musicians, from classical saxophone to opera.

We encourage you to come along for an inspiring evening of music to lift your hearts, and help us to raise money for Lifeboats and support the courageous work they undertake for seaside communities such as ours.

This concert will finish at c. 9.30pm and includes a 20 minute interval.

This concert has been made possible by many private donors in memory of Matthew Upham.