Chelsea Arts Festival: Meet The Curator

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We sat down with Tessa Clarfelt to learn more about the making of a festival

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Transforming London’s most stylish neighbourhood into a wonderland of culture, creativity and joy from 18 to 21 September is the inaugural Chelsea Arts Festival. And with a line-up boasting celebrated names like Elizabeth Day, David Shrigley, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Rupert Everett, Samira Ahmed, Ian McEwan and plenty more, it’s set to be a highlight on London’s 2025 calendar. But what goes into creating an arts festival? And what can we expect when we rock up at Sloane Square Station on 18 September?

Introducing Tessa Clarfelt, Chelsea Arts Festival’s curator. With nearly 20 years’ experience creating resonant, impactful events, Tessa counts a wealth of members’ clubs, festivals and arts organizations among her past projects, but notes her work with Wilderness Festival as ‘having really shaped the way I work’. Wilderness Festival was pioneering in its decentralisation of the main stage, elevating talks, artists and chefs to the same level as all of the musical headliners – and Tessa was a vital part of its evolution over the 11 years she spent there. Next came At Home Farm, which took lockdown and spun it into a magical season of intimate musical performances, with the likes of James Bay, Freya Ridings and Jessie Buckley performing.

With Lovebox, Citadel and plenty more under her belt, Tessa’s next project is Chelsea Arts Festival. With an array of headline and fringe events still to be announced, we sat down with Tessa to delve behind the scenes.

Interview: Tessa Clarfelt On Curating Chelsea Arts Festival

Tell us what we can expect from the inaugural Chelsea Arts Festival.

A vibrant, inspiring and eclectic weekend of live performances, thought-provoking conversations, and colourful celebration. Chelsea Arts Festival will be a future-facing celebration of the arts hosted at iconic venues around Sloane Square and up the King’s Road. It will capture the radical creative heritage of the neighbourhood, bringing together a vibrant gathering of creative talents from music, theatre and dance to fashion, film and literature.

With everything from headline talks and emerging talent to family-friendly workshops, intimate gigs, and performances spilling out into the streets, the festival offers something for everyone – with affordably priced tickets to promote inclusivity. The Saatchi Green will host both its much loved food market on the Saturday, and then on the Sunday a new art market will be in residency, too.

You have a rich background curating some incredible events. How is Chelsea Arts Festival different?

Because it draws on the area’s rich cultural history while creating something truly contemporary. With its strong local creative community and iconic venues all within walking distance, Chelsea is uniquely placed to host a festival that feels truly woven through the fabric of the neighbourhood.

With so many great happenings in and around Sloane Square and the ease of the tube station, it’ll be very easy for festival goers to attend from all over London and beyond. By pairing landmark stages with fringe-style happenings across the neighbourhood, Chelsea will be bursting with creativity and colour over the weekend – an exciting place to be!

What kind of events can we expect on the agenda?

Expect a joyful, genre-crossing programme: headline conversations with leading voices in arts and culture, comedy, music, performances, family-friendly workshops and community-led happenings on our outdoor bandstand. From book signings to bands, it’s a weekend designed to surprise and delight.

Duke of York Square

The festival will take over the whole area. So what might a day out at Chelsea Arts Festival feel like?

Well, it might begin with a delicious breakfast catch-up with friends at one of the area’s many brilliant cafés, followed by a thought-provoking talk on The Value of Culture at Saatchi Gallery. After that, you could wander through the sense-titillating food market to pick up some fresh produce, before heading back to the Saatchi Gallery to hear Dame Zandra Rhodes and living sculpture Daniel Lismore in conversation about fashion as self-expression.

From there, it’s a quick stroll to Sloane Square, where you might stumble upon a big band jazz explosion at the bandstand – and possibly a giant puppet coming over to say hello. Then it’s off to Cadogan Hall to hear celebrated artist David Shrigley in conversation with curator and broadcaster Kate Bryan.

If you need a moment to pause and refuel, take a well-earned break and enjoy one of the offers from our amazing restaurant partners, then head to the Royal Court Theatre for Blue Plaques Talk Back, where modern icons tell the stories of Chelsea legends past.

Round off your day with a dose of comedy… Or, if you’ve still got the stamina, roll on to your next late-night haunt. It is a festival, after all!

Tell us about the venues.

We’re fortunate to be collaborating with some of Chelsea’s most iconic cultural institutions – The Royal Court Theatre, Saatchi Gallery and Cadogan Hall – while also reimagining outdoor spaces like Saatchi Green and Sloane Square. These extraordinary venues are run by passionate, creative teams whose enthusiasm for the festival has been incredibly energising, as has the support from the wider local community and, of course, our principal partner, Cadogan. Alongside this, we’re championing a vibrant fringe programme in local shops, schools and studios to ensure Chelsea Arts Festival uplifts and entertains the entire neighbourhood.

Why Chelsea?

Chelsea has a rich and exciting creative and cultural heritage: from the Swinging Sixties and the experimental artistic hub of Royal Court Theatre, to the studios of Turner and Whistler and home of George Eliot and Oscar Wilde. Chelsea was the place Bob Marley made his home for a period while in London recording, where Vivienne Westwood’s iconic punk shop SEX led an entire cultural movement, where Mick Jagger used to live and tales of wild parties are abound…

But it’s not just history – it’s a beautiful and atmospheric area to spend time in. It’s also home to brilliant creatives, local arts organisations, and audiences who care. Easily accessible with its central location and transport links, this is also an opportunity to engage with audiences from all over the city and invite everyone into Chelsea for the weekend.

What are you most excited about at Chelsea Arts Festival?

Too hard to choose! Alongside the many exceptional talks and performances and the privilege of working with these incredible arts venues, and calling this iconic part of London our home, I’m excited about the atmosphere in the area and the way the outdoor theatre and music programme will bring the streets to life.

What’s something unexpected visitors will get to see?

You might stumble across a New Orleans-style second line parade… Or a puppet show breaking out beside the Saatchi Gallery. There will be surprises around every corner! The main festival programme itself contains dynamic and unexpected combinations of speakers to make for unique and stimulating discussions.

Chelsea Arts Festival in three words?

Can I have four? Vibrant. Contemporary. Joyful. Inclusive.