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About
Founded by Anya Small, as part of SingWell CIC and first held in 2025, the festival was created to offer choirs across Solihull and the surrounding areas a dedicated space to share their passion for singing, reach new audiences, and build community through music. The inaugural event brought together an incredible variety of groups, from school choirs to professional vocal ensembles, and proved that there was a real appetite for a festival like this in our borough.
With a growing reputation for inclusivity and joy, the festival now aims to become a permanent fixture in Solihull’s cultural calendar, taking place annually on the last weekend of June.
​Our mission is simple:
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To celebrate the diversity of choral music across all genres and skill levels
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To promote the benefits of singing for mental and physical wellbeing
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To foster collaboration among local choir leaders and musical educators
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To make music more accessible to the wider community​
Whether you're a performer, a music lover, or simply someone who believes in the positive impact of the arts, there’s a role for you in this festival.
For more details on how to participate, attend, or support the festival, explore our website or get in touch with our team.
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We are now planning our second festival, and with your support, we can make it even more impactful. As a grassroots initiative, we rely on sponsorships, donations, and partnerships to help us cover costs, expand programming, and keep the event accessible to all.
If you're a local business, arts supporter, or organisation interested in making a difference, we'd love to hear from you.
WHERE TO FIND US
Theatre Square, Touchwood
Homer Road
Solihull
B91 3RG
About Singwell CIC
Singwell CIC is the organisation behind Solihull Choir Festival.
We believe that singing is far more than just a musical activity- it’s a powerful tool for improving mental health, building confidence, and fostering meaningful, lasting social connections. Whether someone is struggling with loneliness, low mood, or simply looking for a place to belong, singing together creates a sense of unity and joy that can be truly transformative..
Meet the Team
Behind the music and community spirit of the Solihull Choir Festival is a passionate team of organisers, creatives, and volunteers who make it all possible.
Founder & Festival Director
Anya Small
Anya has been professionally singing for over 30 years, gaining vast experience with function and tribute bands, including the Boogaloo Babes. Her passion is a live performance in a range of genres including pop, rock, jazz and musical theatre. Anya holds a Diploma in Musical Theatre from the London College of Music. She is an experienced choral arranger and prides herself in enabling everyone to sing in her choirs regardless of experience or abilities. She has led choirs at Disneyland Paris, Carnegie Hall, and the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
She has been fortunate to herself perform at some of the top Midlands venues such as; The Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham Repertory, Alexandra and Hippodrome Theatres and her biggest claim to fame is supporting Sister Sledge and Gloria Gaynor at the Burj Al Arab, Dubai!
Anya is the proud Creator and Director of Pop Voices and Singwell CIC, a not for profit organisation focused on providing singing activities to support health and well-being. Anya’s ultimate goal is to unite and collaborate with other choirs and leaders who bring so much joy with singing to our communities.
Festival Producer
Katie is a freelance Creative Producer based right here in Solihull, with a passion for creating projects that empower communities and inspire young people.
From schools programmes, to outdoor theatre and large-scale festivals, Katie’s work is all about making a meaningful impact, especially in her hometown.
Katie works with organisations across a range of art forms, including the likes of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Solihull Council, Lichfield Festival and The National Trust.
She is also the Development Coordinator for Solihull Cultural Education Partnership (CEP) and prides herself on giving access to artistic opportunities to the schools in the network.
Technical Team
Theatre SSL
Theatre SSL are a family run company that specialise in Sound and Lighting for Theatre shows and events small and big.
It is a pleasure to have Paul - Technical Director / Managing Director and Hannah - Creative Director (pictured) working closely with us to give Solihull Choir Festival the sound it deserves!
Festival Host
Luke Crawford
Luke is a proud Brummie thorugh and through. He is a radio presenter on BRMB Birmingham, a YouTuber, educator, panto performer, and experienced event host.
Luke hosted the very first Solihull Choir Festival in 2025 and is a beloved part of the team!
Performance Signers
Smile & Sign
We are incredibly grateful to have a group of talented signers led by Stacey Stockwell, making our event inclusive and accessible for deaf and hard of hearing audiences.
Stacey has been signing for over 30 years and specialises in music and musical theatre. She was the resident Signer at the Reading Hexagon Theatre for 8 years where she signed for some hit musicals including Grease, Hairspray, Sister Act, FAME and Spamalot. She was also a member of the UK Festival Interpreting Team and has signed for some major bands including Fall Out Boy, EMINEM and Bastille. Stacey is passionate about providing accessibility for many different types of shows and performances in order that members of the Deaf and Deafblind community can enjoy them, and she loves the challenge of interpreting different types of arts and music.
Volunteers
Festival Volunteers
Solihull Choir Festival would not be possible without our amazing team of volunteers!
We have a group of over 15 volunteers, mainly who have come from Pop Voices Choir in support of the festival.
Not only have our volunteers been instrumental to our fundraising efforts, but are vital on the day of the festival itself!