Mavis Staples to headline Greenbelt

Gospel-soul legend Mavis Staples, the voice of the classic soul band The Staple Singers, will bring her band to headline the Monday of this year's Greenbelt which happens at Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham over bank holiday weekend from Friday 26th to Monday 29th August 2011.

Other new additions to the Main Stage line-up are The Unthanks, Grace Petrie, Gentleman's Dub Club, Extra Curricular, Listener, ahab, and LZ7.

Appearing elsewhere around the site, the are two outings for Martyn Joseph's songwriting circle The Rising, indie rock from Hope & Social, and another chance to catch Arun Ghosh, whose Asian-influenced jazz rocked the Big Top in 2010.

They join the first acts confirmed who are headliners Billy Bragg, and Idlewild, plus Kate Rusby, Soweto Kinch, Gordon Gano and The Ryan Brothers. There's more to come, with the full line-ups in Underground and Performance Cafe to be announced.

Comedy from Mark Thomas, Jo Enright, Jenny Lockyer, Folk On return at Last Orders and around the site, plus Get Up Stand Up and Last Orders.

As well as music and performing arts, the festival hosts a wide range of talks with the likes of theologian Paula Gooder, HIV campaigner Margaret Sentamu, human rights campaigner and physician Sheila Cassidy, pastor and leadership advisor Kate Coleman, and Not For Sale's Dave Batstone speaking with Erik Lammerding, Senior Manager of Worldwide Developer Relations at Apple.

Plus talks from: Greenbelt evergreen John Bell, minister and activist Shane Claiborne, former helicopter pilot in the Israeli Air Force Yonatan Shapira, theologian and Methodist minister Inderjit Bhogal, Professor Emeritus of Cell and Molecular Biology Dr John Bryant, Episcopal priest Karen Ward, clinical psychologist Oliver James, Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, geneticist Dr Ruth Bancewicz, Christian Aid's Paul Brannen, Frontier Youth Trust's Bob Holman, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Politics Dr Luke Bretherton, Palestinian Lutheran Suad Younan, Senior Lecturer in Youth Ministry and Theological Education Pete Ward, Editor of the Latin American Bible Commentary Rosalee Velloso Ewell, peacebuilder Lia Dong Shimada, author Margaret Silf, and writer and minister Barbara Glasson.

There's an array of novelists speaking about their work including Stella Duffy, Adrian Plass, Padraig O Tuama, Richard Beard, Mia Gallagher, Amy Sackville, Jari Moate, Nancy Matson, and RS Downie. There are also sessions from poets Kenneth C Steven, Andrew Philip, and European Poetry Slam champion Harry Baker. Plus Deborah Fielding, Andrew Tate, Francis Khoo, Richard North Patterson, and Nicky Getgood.

Further contributors will be announced over the next few months.

Greenbelt is an all-age Arts Festival with its roots in the Christian faith and a welcome that's wide and inclusive. It's a place to learn, to experience, to be. It's like nothing else in the world, and that's what keeps thousands of people keep coming back year after year.

Greenbelt features a great range of music on 5 stages and showcases brand new artists and bands. In addition, the Festival hosts a selection of varied talks, workshop and debates; exploring contemporary issues, faith, social justice, politics ­and more.

Greenbelt also has a visual and performing arts programme, exploring a variety of alternative worship styles, and runs a daily Children's Festival.

Early bird tickets are on sale. Ticket prices are as follows Adult - £99; Concessions £68; Under 18s Ticket (5-17) £55; family ticket (2 kids/2 adults) £259; and Single Parent Family Ticket (1 Adult, 2 Under 18s) £165. Infants aged 0-4 years can attend for free but still need a ticket.

To buy tickets, click here.

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