Editing Lewes (section)

==Culture==

===Classical music===
Located {{convert|4|mi|km|spell=in}} outside of Lewes is [[Glyndebourne]] opera house. Founded in 1934, the venue draws large audiences for its Summer Festival and has attracted a host of international talent throughout its history. Lewes Operatic Society (founded 1911)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lewesoperatic.co.uk/ |title=Lewes Operatic Society |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204124131/http://www.lewesoperatic.co.uk/ |archive-date=4 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and New Sussex Opera<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsussexopera.org/index.html |title=New Sussex Opera |access-date=2 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204120947/http://www.newsussexopera.org/index.html |archive-date=4 February 2015}}</ref> are also based in the town of Lewes.

A number of other local classical music series operate in the town, including the [[Nicholas Yonge]] Society;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nyslewes.org.uk/ |title=Nicolas Yonge Society |publisher=Nyslewes.org.uk |access-date=1 August 2011 |archive-date=17 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717084543/http://nyslewes.org.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and the baroque and early classical Workshop Series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theworkshopseries.co.uk/ |title=Workshop Series |publisher=Workshop Series |access-date=1 August 2011 |archive-date=20 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220033020/http://www.theworkshopseries.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The Musicians of All Saints is a Lewes-based chamber orchestra founded in 1987 who perform both new works and standard repertoire.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mas-lewes.co.uk/aboutus.html/ |title=Musicians of All Saints |access-date=13 February 2015 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016114145/http://www.mas-lewes.co.uk/aboutus.html/ |archive-date=16 October 2015}}</ref> A new annual music series, the Lewes Chamber Music Festival,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://leweschambermusicfestival.com/ |title=Lewes Chamber Music Festival |access-date=3 February 2015 |archive-date=4 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204141045/http://leweschambermusicfestival.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref> was created in summer 2012. The Lewes Festival of Song was created in 2015<ref>{{cite web |title=About Lewes Festival of Song |url=https://www.lewesfestivalofsong.co.uk/about |website=Lewes Festival of Song |access-date=6 July 2021 |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182936/https://www.lewesfestivalofsong.co.uk/about |url-status=live }}</ref> and the Lewes BaroqueFest in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introducing Lewes Baroquefest |url=https://www.lewesbaroquefest.org/about-us |website=Lewes Baroquefest |access-date=6 July 2021 |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185308/https://www.lewesbaroquefest.org/about-us |url-status=live }}</ref>  Other local music groups include the Lewes Concert Orchestra<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lewesconcertorchestra.org/ |title=Lewes Concert Orchestra |access-date=1 August 2011 |archive-date=14 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614172331/http://www.lewesconcertorchestra.org/ |url-status=live}}</ref> founded in 1993; and the [[Lewes, Glynde & Beddingham Brass Band]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lgbbrass.co.uk/ |title=Lewes, Glynde and Beddingham Brass Band |access-date=3 February 2015 |archive-date=4 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204123942/http://www.lgbbrass.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> founded in 1922.

The East Sussex Bach choir<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bachchoir.org.uk/ |title=East Sussex Bach Choir |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203095053/http://bachchoir.org.uk/ |archive-date=3 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> is based in Lewes, as well as a number of other active amateur choirs, including Pro Musica Chamber Choir,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.promusica.org.uk/ |title=Pro Musica Chamber Choir |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-date=3 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203100022/http://www.promusica.org.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> the Everyman Ensemble,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thephoenixcantata.com/the-everyman-ensemble.html |title=Everyman Ensemble |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203093251/http://www.thephoenixcantata.com/the-everyman-ensemble.html |archive-date=3 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> the Paddock Singers,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thepaddocksingers.co.uk/ |title=The Paddock Singers |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-date=23 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223123313/http://www.thepaddocksingers.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Lewes Vox<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brightonvox.wordpress.com/brightonchoirslewes-vox/ |title=Lewes Vox Community Choir |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203100852/https://brightonvox.wordpress.com/brightonchoirslewes-vox/ |archive-date=3 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and East Sussex Community Choir.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eastsussexcommunitychoir.org/ |title=East Sussex Community Choir |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-date=3 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203083626/http://www.eastsussexcommunitychoir.org/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Orlando Gough]]'s opera ''[[The Finnish Prisoner]]'' is set in Lewes, telling the story of the Finnish [[prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] held in Lewes after the Crimean War.

===Museums and galleries===

The principal town museum is Barbican House Museum at [[Lewes Castle]], which hosts the Lewes Town Model<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lewestownmodel.co.uk/ |title=Lewes Town Model |publisher=Lewes Town Model |access-date=1 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007065520/http://www.lewestownmodel.co.uk/ |archive-date=7 October 2011}}</ref> as well as four galleries of Sussex archaeology. [[Anne of Cleves House]] has various collections relating to the history of Lewes. There are several independent art galleries in the town including the Star Brewery Gallery<ref>{{cite web |title=Star Brewery Gallery » Art gallery » Exhibition space » Lewes, East Sussex |url=https://www.starbrewerygallery.com/ |access-date=7 April 2021 |work=starbrewerygallery.com |archive-date=15 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415105738/https://www.starbrewerygallery.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> in a former brewery in Market Street; the artist-run Chalk Gallery<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 April 2021 |title=Chalk Gallery website |url=https://www.chalkgallerylewes.co.uk/#! |access-date=7 April 2021 |website=chalkgallerylewes.co.uk |archive-date=9 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309192151/https://www.chalkgallerylewes.co.uk/#! |url-status=live }}</ref> in North Street and occasional art exhibitions at the Town Hall. Other galleries are listed in Gallery Guide Lewes and Art Map Lewes.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.staylewes.org/places-to-visit-lewes/lewes-town/ |title=Lewes Gallery Guide |website=www.staylewes.org |access-date=30 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427025138/http://www.staylewes.org/places-to-visit-lewes/lewes-town/ |archive-date=27 April 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=19iY2UsLNV38mCTsU6fj_0xoof9Y&ll=50.87700815398111%2C0.010904900000014095&z=15 |title=Art Map Lewes |access-date=10 February 2019 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123085257/https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=19iY2UsLNV38mCTsU6fj_0xoof9Y&ll=50.87700815398111,0.010904900000014095&z=15 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Theatre and cinema===

Lewes Little Theatre was created in 1939 and is based in dedicated premises on Lancaster Street. It puts on half a dozen or more productions each year. Supporters of the creation of the Theatre include [[John Maynard Keynes]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/link-between-john-maynard-keynes-and-lewes-little-theatre-1-6295777 |title=Link between John Maynard Keynes and Lewes Little Theatre |date=12 September 2014 |access-date=23 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423141803/https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/link-between-john-maynard-keynes-and-lewes-little-theatre-1-6295777 |archive-date=23 April 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

An independent three-screen cinema, the Lewes Depot, opened in May 2017 in a multimillion-pound redevelopment of a former Harvey's brewery depot close to Lewes station.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/sherlock-star-martin-freeman-opens-lewes-depot-cinema-1-798020 |title=Sherlock Star Martin Freeman Opens Lewes Depot Cinema |date=26 May 2017 |access-date=10 July 2017}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The architects were [[Burrell Foley Fischer]] and the work was given a Friends of Lewes award, and highly commended in the South Downs National Park design awards.<ref name="bffawards">{{cite web |url=https://bff-architects.com/awards |access-date=25 June 2020 |title=Awards — Burrell Foley Fischer LLP |archive-date=16 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616225902/https://bff-architects.com/awards |url-status=live}}</ref> The Lewes Film Club, which also produces short movies (including the recent adaptation of [[George Orwell]]'s ''[[Animal Farm]]''), and Film at All Saints' (the Film Club in collaboration with Lewes Town Council), show films based in the All Saints' Centre, a former church.

Several scenes in the 1962 film [[Jigsaw (1962 film)|Jigsaw]], which was loosely based on the [[Hillary Waugh]] novel 'Sleep Long, My Love' and the real-life [[Brighton trunk murders]], were set and filmed in Lewes.

===Popular music and clubs===

Local dance schools and clubs include Lewes Dance Club,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lewesdanceclub.co.uk/ |title=Lewes Dance Club – dancing classes in Sussex |access-date=31 March 2010 |archive-date=13 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413015346/http://lewesdanceclub.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> East Sussex Dance and ballet groups. Starfish Youth Music<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.starfishlewes.co.uk/ |title=Starfish – HOME |work=starfishlewes.co.uk |access-date=29 April 2011 |archive-date=21 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221034159/http://starfishlewes.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> is based at Priory School and the young bands who take part regularly perform in local venues such as the Paddock and the All Saints' Centre.

Popular music gigs take place at a number of venues and pubs across the town including the Lewes Con Club, the Snowdrop Inn, the Volunteer pub, the Lewes Arms, the John Harvey Tavern, the Pelham Arms, and the Lansdown. The Elephant and Castle hosts the Saturday Folk Club. Union Music Store based in Lewes has become a centre for modern folk, country and Americana, both promoting and hosting live gigs, and recording and producing local musicians. A monthly comedy club based at the Con Club was created in 2010. A new organisation to support local music and musicians, Lewes Ripple, was created in 2018 and as well as online platforms is looking to create live concerts in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lewesripple.uk/ |title=Lewes Ripple |access-date=11 May 2021 |archive-date=11 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511133734/https://www.lewesripple.uk/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

A regular local music festival, Lewes Live (previously Rock in the Bog), takes place in the summer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leweslive.com/ |title=Lewes Live – Two-day music Festival in East Sussex |work=leweslive.com |access-date=13 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713175725/http://www.leweslive.com/ |archive-date=13 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The town of Lewes was also the UK location for the Mumford and Sons' Gentlemen of the Road tour stopover in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/mumford--sons-announce-2013-summer-gentlemen-of-the-road-stopover-8483795.html |title=Mumford & Sons announce 2013 summer 'Gentlemen of the Road Stopover' |author=Daisy Wyatt |date=6 February 2013 |work=The Independent |access-date=3 September 2017 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924215537/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/mumford--sons-announce-2013-summer-gentlemen-of-the-road-stopover-8483795.html |url-status=live}}</ref> A large jazz festival, [[Love Supreme Festival]] was founded in 2013 at nearby [[Glynde Place]]. Other local festivals include the Brainchild Festival, based just north of Lewes in the grounds of [[Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brainchildfestival.co.uk/ |title=Brainchild Festival |access-date=11 May 2021}}</ref>

===Art, photography, and festivals===

Annual arts events include ArtWave<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artwavefestival.org/ |title=Home |website=Artwave Festival |access-date=29 April 2011 |archive-date=15 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415173957/http://www.artwavefestival.org/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and the children's Patina Moving on Parade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.patinalewes.com/ |title=Patina – Moving on |work=patinalewes.com |access-date=29 April 2011 |archive-date=6 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506141609/http://www.patinalewes.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref> An annual Lewes Guitar Festival which started in 1999 has not operated since the late 2000s. The annual Charleston Festival is hosted at nearby [[Charleston Farmhouse]] near the village of [[Firle]] some 6 miles east of Lewes.

An annual festival of light – Lewes Light – was created in 2015 during the UNESCO Year of Light and has run since then as an annual art installation and environmental awareness project.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.leweslight.uk/ |title=Lewes Light Festival |access-date=13 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213135527/https://www.leweslight.uk/ |archive-date=13 February 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Reeves Studio, which is thought to be the oldest continuously operated photographic studio in the world, has been running from the same premises in Lewes since 1855.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/11128160/Worlds-oldest-photography-studio-opens-its-archives.html |title=World's oldest photography studio opens its archives |work=telegraph |date=29 September 2014 |access-date=1 February 2015 |archive-date=1 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201172841/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/11128160/Worlds-oldest-photography-studio-opens-its-archives.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Debate===

Lewes has been influenced by its close proximity to the [[University of Sussex]] and Brighton University in terms of significant numbers of academics and students living in the town.

The [[Headstrong Club]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.headstrongclub.org.uk/ |title=Headstrong Club}}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> whose notable members include [[Thomas Paine]] was relaunched in 1987<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hqinfo.blogspot.com/2005/06/paine-in-net.html |title=The Generalist |work=hqinfo.blogspot.com |date=21 June 2005 |access-date=29 April 2011 |archive-date=8 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708042358/http://hqinfo.blogspot.com/2005/06/paine-in-net.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and continues to operate. A branch of the popular [[Skeptics in the Pub]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lewes.skepticsinthepub.org/ |title=Skeptics in the Pub – Lewes |work=skepticsinthepub.org |access-date=29 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716220302/http://lewes.skepticsinthepub.org/ |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> movement was created in 2011 in Lewes, based at the Elephant and Castle.

===Literature and history===

The Lewes Literary Society (until 2015 the Monday Literary Society)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mondayliterarysociety.co.uk/ |title=Monday Literary Society |access-date=3 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204121015/http://www.mondayliterarysociety.co.uk/ |archive-date=4 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> was founded in Lewes in 1948 by authors [[Barbara Willard]] and Frances Howell, chaired by [[Leonard Woolf]] from 1954 to 1969, and currently by the poets [[John Agard]] and [[Grace Nichols]], who live in the town. The Needlewriters is a co-operative of poets and writers which hosts a quarterly evening of poetry and prose at the Needlemakers Cafe, showcasing writers from across Sussex and Kent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://needlewriters.co.uk/ |title=Needlewriters |access-date=24 May 2019 |archive-date=31 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331133703/https://needlewriters.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The poetry imprint Frogmore Press, founded in Folkestone in 1983, moved to Lewes in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.frogmorepress.co.uk/ |title=Frogmore Press |access-date=24 May 2019 |archive-date=8 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608224941/http://www.frogmorepress.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Lewes Live Literature (LLL) was founded 1995 as a promoter of art and literature events, with an autumn festival which ran 2001–2007 bringing together spoken word with performance, music, film and visual art. Since 2007, LLL has concentrated on live literature production work.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leweslivelit.co.uk/?location_id=31 |title=Lewes Live Literature |access-date=25 July 2019 |archive-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725134114/http://www.leweslivelit.co.uk/?location_id=31 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Lewes History Group was founded in 2009 and supports an active programme of talks, information and research into the history of the town and surrounding areas.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://leweshistory.org.uk/ |title=Lewes History Group |access-date=30 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227011746/https://leweshistory.org.uk/ |archive-date=27 December 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Lewes Speakers Festival was created in the mid-2010s and brings a range of national speakers to the town each year, on a range of political, literary and historical topics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.speakersfestivals.com/lewes-speakers-festival |title=Lewes Speakers Festival |access-date=9 May 2019 |archive-date=9 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509183730/https://www.speakersfestivals.com/lewes-speakers-festival |url-status=live}}</ref>
===Local pub culture===

Lewes is home to a number of small craft breweries, alongside the renowned [[Harvey & Son]]'s brewery in the heart of Lewes. Lewes also has a strong tradition of distinctive local pub games, including [[Toad in the hole (game)|toad in the hole]] (a local pub league<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lewestoadsleague.blogspot.co.uk/ |title=Lewes and District Toads League |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202164040/http://lewestoadsleague.blogspot.co.uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and international competition<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/lewesuk/page-6.php/ |title=International Toad Championship |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202155109/http://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/lewesuk/page-6.php/ |archive-date=2 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> are held in the town), Dwyle Flunking<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gannetandparrot.com/2013/08/04/dwyle-flunking-at-the-lewes-arms/ |title=Dwyle Flunking at the Lewes Arms |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202160538/http://www.gannetandparrot.com/2013/08/04/dwyle-flunking-at-the-lewes-arms/ |archive-date=2 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> (the local spelling of [[Dwile flonking]]), and the World Pea Throwing Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-strangest-things-you-can-do-this-autumn-1793222.html?action=gallery&ino=10 |title=The Strangest Things You Can Do This Autumn – World Pea Throwing Championships |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=2 February 2015 |archive-date=2 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202160118/http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-strangest-things-you-can-do-this-autumn-1793222.html?action=gallery&ino=10 |url-status=live}}</ref>