What Attendees Have Achieved

Robin Hogarth, the Festival's Executive Director, who lives and works in South Africa, has experienced great expansion composing song and music for films. His work in the community involves finding talent and creating music and CDs with African performers which he helps to market, generating income for the locals. His work sells all over the world and he is now achieving remarkable success with commissions from the United States. The album, Blessed, produced by Robin and sung by the Soweto Gospel Choir won a Grammy in 2007 in the 'Best Traditional World Music' category. Read more.....

This was followed by another Grammy Award in 2008 with The Soweto Gospel Choir album, ‘African Spirit’, winning ‘Best Traditional World Music Album’. Read more.....

Laury Dizengremel, long-term Festival staff member and attendee, was one of the artists invited in 2004 to Honduras to participate in a huge Festival of Art. Laury, who created busts of John Travolta and Chick Corea, has become one of the most successful world-renowned working artists and is a huge celebrity in China and Vietnam where she is regularly invited to participate in the creation of massive works of art intended for the public to enjoy. Laury makes a point of setting L. Ron Hubbard quotes into her art works, both in English and translation.

Laury was recently commissed to portray, larger than lifesize, 8 top tennis players in the world as Tennis Terracotta Warriors (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Davydenko, Roddick, etc.). Read her story here....

Nikolai Bird, who in 2005 gave a workshop on how it was done, has successfully shifted himself from part-time artist to full-blown professional painter, selling so much of his work via the internet that he now is able to provide for his family through his art. He receives commissions as well as selling ready-made work, and produces his particular style of painting at the rate of two a day!

Marion Shuster, singer and singing tutor, has long been involved with the Arts Festival. She has been responsible for creating the wonderful evenings of classical music which open the event on the Sunday. Bringing professionals from all over the world to the Saint Hill stage, Marion has brought stunning voices to a wider audience, and discovered instrumentalists of extraordinary talent.

Marion also works with artists in the local community, creating a choir who perform in many events and producing a biennial show to support the Christmas lights.

Liz Bailey, who was Artistic Director of the Festival for five years, is a published author with eighteen historical romances published in English and translation in around fifteen countries. Liz has recently changed direction with her new novel Fly the Wild Echoes, a mystery dealing with the phenomena of past lives, which was published simultaneously in the US and UK and was among the 109 entries into the prestigious Mann Booker prize in 2005.

Georgina Roberts, actress and celebrated comedienne, has long been a favourite with Arts Festival attendees. She is renowned for helping artists to create extraordinary performances at high speed during the Festival week, culminating in 2005 in a massive Carnival event which involved nearly all the people there! Georgina was the commentator for a Channel 4 TV PR documentary made by Golden Era Productions, and she regularly performs in theatres nationally in the UK.

Gabriel Arnold, virtuoso pianist, first came to the Festival at the age of seventeen, wowing audiences with his incredible talent. He has since returned again and again, and in 2005 gave a Piano master class for all musicians. His career as a soloist in his native Switzerland has gone from strength to strength.

Jo Stephens, singer, actress and producer, has been involved with the Festival from its inception. She now takes care of productions by others in the Great Hall as well as creating her own, and is known for giving opportunities to artists to perform in musical extravaganzas. In 2005 she created a James Bond show which, as well as show-stopping numbers, featured a film created especially by the film crew. In the local community, Jo is the Chairman of the East Grinstead Operatic Society, overseeing two major productions each year.

These are only a few of the many individuals whose careers have expanded as a result of their involvement with the Festival and learning exactly which piece of L. Ron Hubbard technology was needed to give them that essential boost.

Success Stories

The following are selection of success stories written by people attending the Arts Festival:

Gabriel Arnold Piano Master Class
Within a very short period of time I found out so much about playing the piano. Immediately Gabriel picked up on my posture at the piano - I was sitting too close to it - this was rectified and then the shoulders were tense and I had a tendency to stiffen the arms as well - this was rectified - the difference was very startling to me. The tone of the piano was quite different and I felt so much more in communication with the piano and the music. If only I'd known about this earlier in my life, but I do now and I will definitely be able to progress from now on. This whole session has given me so much more confidence in my ability to play the piano. Thank you Gabriel for your help - you were so encouraging - and using L. Ron Hubbard technology to achieve these fabulous wins for me.

J.R. - 8.08.05

Dancing
I don't normally do dancing but today I did a jazz class with Barbara and really enjoyed it. I also learnt lots of new things and had fun. Thank you Barbara.

C.W. - 8.08.05

Writer Inside You
Today I came to Liz's "The Writer Inside You" seminar. I haven't written stories since having to at school, which was over 30 years ago.

I thought it would be hard and felt a bit inadequate coming. So I came and It went really well and was actually very easy. I really enjoy it. Liz was great.

Thanks Liz and L. Ron Hubbard for the simple technology.

S.H. - 9.08.05

Marketing Yourself as an Artist
Today's Marketing Yourself as an Artist has completely hit the nail on the head for me!! That is, there is the "how" all written up, easy to follow and track. There is no reason why any artist should not make it. I see now how important art is in society and thank you so much for rehabilitating my ability to be an artist; the artist I've always recognised in myself yet hidden, sometimes even lost. I've now certainty that I can make it as an artist for real!

C.H.S. - 9.08.05

How to Promote Your Art
The 'How to Promote your Art' seminar was incredible. I never thought I was much of an artist but after that I feel like I could sell any of the little amount of art that I do. I've had too many considerations about being too young to start my own business and be successful. It now seems like selling art would be such fun. Thank you very much.

K.I. - 9.08.05

Fashion Photography Workshop
I came to the Fashion Photography Workshop this afternoon and had a fantastic time. I love taking pictures and having some very willing models made it a real pleasure.

I have taken a lot away from this, mainly the importance of communication, and that I am providing the medium of communication from the model to the viewer. Getting the model to communicate something and then capturing that communication and passing it on, is the essence of it. Great fun and very worthwhile.

S.P. - 10.8.05

Sculpture Workshop
The sculpture Workshop was quite liberating. Without great amounts of training previously I was able to expand my awareness to see the inner structure of physiology. I was able to make a "human" looking bust which is difficult and greater than my expectations.

Thanks to Laury for the opportunity to sample in a safe environment.

L.P. - 11.08.05

Art Seminar
My first day was to me a complete success when I was given a pencil and a sheet of paper and then shown what I might possibly paint after making a sketch. Six hours later I had been completely absorbed and found I had not made a sketch, but a picture, a complete picture. Wow, what a surprise to me, as a first attempt. I even was proud enough to sign it.

H.C.F. - 11.08.05

Selling Art on the Internet
The Workshop on Selling Art on the Internet was very informative and most enjoyable. Got my mind ticking and seeing how it can work for me too. It was great. Thank you.

A.B. - 11.08.05

Drama Night
I loved taking part in the Drama Night on Wednesday. It was fantastic! I was part of the Restoration group with Pete Gadiot and I really learned a lot. He gave us a lot of history on this era which was fascinating, how people behaved, why that was, etc. That always really interested me.

Then working for about 5 hours and quickly putting together costumes. And I loved our costumes! They were brilliant. Totally crazy - but also with a bit of authenticity. Exactly what I imagined.

Anyhow this whole day really inspired me to find out more about acting. Thanks.

B.L. - 11.08.05

Film Night
Tonight's film night was just so great. I am amazed at what's been produced at the festival and the talent that is here and developing right here. These guys will really go on to do brilliant things. It was such fun too to see myself on screen acting and how it fitted into the film. I really get the idea now that films are like jigsaws and are pieced together. The great win on this was Anna Bird's film made around stills and I realised films are made around stills. Scenes in films are really 'photographs' with movement in them! With this realisation anyone could great a film. A Brilliant evening!

R.N. - 11.08.05

Producing & Directing
Judy Norton's seminar was really interesting as I learnt more about how directors and producers work. Also I learnt more about aspects in film and how it works. I could see how you can make shots look better and how they get the best sound for the film.

I realised a lot more work actually goes into making movies and television than I had first thought.

I can't wait to be able to be involved in making feature films, television programmes and on stage as well. Thank you Judy.

S.B. - 12.08.05

Vincent Magni's Seminar
Excellent and very inspiring! It was very reassuring to see a painter in such a high condition and now I have much greater certainty that I can reach a powerful condition as a painter.

All the tips, recommendations and successful actions were brilliant and I can really see how fundamental they are to succeeding as an artist. So I am going to go away and apply them!

K.W.- 13.08.05