Bringing music & art into a space which belongs to everyone: Olivia Warburton's The Big House Arts Festival at Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral

The Big House Arts Festival is a three day multi-arts festival showcasing chamber music and art in Lincoln Cathedral from 10 to 12 April 2026. The festival's founder is soprano Olivia Warburton, who grew up as a chorister in Lincoln. Her Mum used to refer to the Cathedral ‘The Big House’— it was her way of making something grand and historic feel familiar and part of everyday life. That affectionate nickname stayed with her, and it captures exactly what the festival aims to be about: bringing music and art into a space which belongs to everyone.

To open the festival, Olivia Warburton is joined by actor Eliza Butterworth, guitarist Samrat Majumder and pianist Johan Barnoin, for The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls, an evening of song, poetry and solo music inspired by Shakespeare’s vision of the seven ages of human life. Other concerts include jazz vocalist and clarinetist, Giulia Marro performing songs from her debut album, A Portrait of Giulia, with duo partner, Tom Ward; and the Solem Quartet bring things to a close with quartets by Dvorak, Debussy and Chausson.

There will also be a masterclass from Richard Stokes, Professor of Song at the Royal Academy of Music, working with five young singers.

Full details from the festival website.