FAMILY is at the centre of the programming for the new season at Salisbury Arts Centre, with works that celebrate and explore familial bonds as well as those that can be enjoyed by all the family.

While, in contrast, another theme running through the programming for the summer season will be ‘artificial things’.

Exhibitions will include Homegrown: Artificial Things, which will bring together work done by resident artists and in workshops.

As well as the exhibition, there will also be a free Homegrown launch night on July 2, at which people can see tasters of new writing, dance and film emerging from the arts centre.

Sara said: “It is showcasing the talent that exists within our building and the talent that passes through it.”

The exhibition, opening in July, will feature mediums from ceramics to film and animation.

Another exhibition to grow out of work done last year will be Palaces and Cabins, opening next month.

It will explore the intersection of public and private spaces in Salisbury, aiming to reveal curiosities and wonders hidden within plain sight.

Highlights for children will include CBeebies favourite Sid Sloane, who will be bringing his blend of songs, games and magic for children aged three to seven, while A Real Fairy Story will entertain the same age group with a show full of comedy, puppetry and close encounters of the fairy kind.

For the more mature theatregoer there will be laughs with Barnstormers Comedy and the Edinburgh Comedy Preview while Love Hurts Actually invites you to join ‘Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon and Liam Neeson’ at a dinner party brought to life in a one man farce performed by comedian Any McQuade and ‘NOT’ written by Richard Curtis.

Continuing the theme of family will be Ria Hartley’s Matilda and Me, a story of migration and cultural identity exploring the ramifications in future generations of Hartley’s grandmother’s decision to emigrate from Jamaica to England in the 1960s.

Sara said: “This was shown as a work-in-progress last year and everyone raved about it, so we asked her to come back with the finished piece.”

Team of the Decades will be an interactive outdoor performance on May 14 exploring the father-son relationship, while that evening will bring Our Fathers by Babakas – an award-winning portrait of fatherhood suitable for those aged 16 and up.

As usual, there will be a wide range of musical performances on offer, from the raucous finger-pickin’ country, blues and rockabilly tunes of popular US trios The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band to the Celtic sounds of Shooglenifty to Heart Full of Songs, a special acoustic show from 10cc’s Graham Gouldman and band.

Live Lunch will continue, with performances from popular singers and groups including Mary Spender and Solarference, and back by popular demand will be the Live Lunch Special tea dance, which proved to be a big hit last year.

And there will be workshops, special events for young people, film screenings and the chance to see the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD.

For more information and a full events list go to salisburyartscentre.co.uk. Box office; 01722 321744.