Courtney Pine, Thea Gilmore, Blair Dunlop, and more for 40th Greenbelt

Courtney Pine, Thea Gilmore, and Blair Dunlop are among the latest line-up additions added to this year's 40th anniversary edition of Greenbelt which happens at Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham over bank holiday weekend from Friday 23rd to Monday 26th August 2013.

Also confirmed today for the 'Life Begins At' themed event are Eska, Grace Petrie, and The Austin Francis Connection, plus comedy from Milton Jones, Mrs Barbara Nice, Paul Kerensa, Helen Arney, and festival regulars Folk On.

They join headliners Amadou & Mariam, and Lemar, alongside Sam Lee, The London Community Gospel Choir, The FatBand, Mama Rosin, the reformed Fat and Frantic, Eliza Carthy, Jim Moray, Moulettes, and The Boxettes. Plus Carrie Rodriguez, Fitz, Goan Dogs, Goat Roper Rodeo Band, Jasmine Kennedy, Jess Morgan, Louise Petit, Matt Creer, The Magnus Puto Band, Sea + Air, Garth Hewitt, and Martyn Joseph.

As well as music and performing arts, the festival hosts a wide range of talks with speakers and spoken word acts including Jim Wallis, Vicky Beeching, Rev Richard Coles, Maurice Glasman, Stella Duffy, James Cary and Symon Hill, Paulo Ueti, Inua Ellams, Rafeef Ziadah, Harry Baker, Mark Oakley, Paul Vallely, Jon McGregor, Sue Pickering, Sami Awad, Jeremy Moodey, Eric Kaufmann, Mark Braverman, Lucy Winkett, Dave Andrews, Fr Christopher Jamison, Rose Hudson Wilkin, John Bell, Margaret Hebblethwaite, American priest and theologian Barbara Brown Taylor, "Unapologetic" author Francis Spufford, writer and broadcaster Bidisha, irrepressible artist Bill Drummond, and award-winning author Jon McGregor.

The programme also features performance from Blunderbus Theatre Company, Lunabug Theatre, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance, Talking Bird's The Whale, The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company and their Artistic Director Akala.

Tipping Point Film Fund, Insight Film Festival, Nicola Green, Sokari Douglas Camp, Photo Flash Swap, The Art School and Life Drawing workshops are part of the visual arts programme.

For young people and students, there's the Big Top show for young people Shedloads, Cake and Debate, an introduction to activism led by The Christian Aid Collective, worship from Serum, sessions from the Student Christian Movement, and a special programme of late night youth films. Plus, an event to mark a UK response to the Kairos call from the Holy Land, and of course Greenbelt's birthday party celebrations.

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.

Ticket prices until 30th April, are currently as follows Adult - £109; Concessions £75; Under 18s Ticket (5-17) £59; family ticket (2 kids/2 adults) £279; single parent tickets (2 kids/1 adult) £164. Infants aged 0-4 years can attend for free but still need a ticket.

To buy tickets, click here.

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