Frome - Culture

Culture

Frome has a thriving arts scene. The high-point is the annual ten-day Frome Festival in July, which in recent years has included more than 160 events held at various venues in and around the town. The town is host to a number of artists, many of whom open their studios to the public during the Festival. An Artisan Market is held on Catherine Hill monthly between April and October.

There are two theatres in Frome: The Memorial Theatre was built in 1924 in memory of the fallen of the World War I, whilst the 240-seat Merlin Theatre is part of the Community College campus. The Cheese and Grain, a former farm produce warehouse which was converted into a market and concert hall in 1997, has a capacity of up to 800 and hosts regular pop concerts. Locally based musicians include American saxophonist Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis and Irish folk singer Cara Dillon. Frome's only cinema, the Westway, is in Cork Street in the town centre. There is also an arts centre, The Black Swan, and the town is part of the West Country Carnival circuit.

The Frome & District Agricultural Society holds an annual Agricultural & Cheese Show in September. This was formerly held on the Showground at Fromefield, but in recent years has moved to West Woodland, 2 miles (3.2 km) to the south of the town.

The Frome Society for Local Study was founded in 1958, and helped to establish and run Frome Museum.

Frome is served by two newspapers, the Frome & Somerset Standard and the Frome Times.

In 2008, a 'not for profit' company called Frome Community Productions was formed by members of the community in order to develop and deliver FromeFM, an internet based community radio station. The station broadcasts 24 hours per day and is completely staffed by volunteers who produce features, interviews and music shows. In 2009, FromeFM commenced a service to stream the broadcasts to mobile phones. In late 2011 FromeFM was granted a broadcast licence and on 16 July 2012 began broadcast on 96.6FM in the Frome area.

FromeTV, another 'non-profit' organisation, runs an online TV channel presenting Frome's own Question Time format program, interviews and short films relating to local current affairs.

Frome's Cheap Street is a location in episode six of the first series of BBC TV comedy The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. Frome has also provided the backdrop to historical dramas, such as Drover's Gold, filmed by BBC Wales in 1996.

Frome restaurants include the Archangel on King Street, which received a 9/10 rating in The Sunday Telegraph. The Archangel, was formerly The Angel Inn, and is believed to date back to before the Protestant Reformation, and is a Grade II listed building.