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ROX Music and Arts is a community charity based in the sunny seaside resort of Bognor Regis, West Sussex, UK. As well as events and activities throughout the year, it holds a free annual weekend music festival each July on Bognor Regis seafront – the biggest free music festival of its kind in the UK.

The charity's objectives are for the public benefit and are restricted to the following:

The advancement of education through the promotion of the arts in general and specifically:

(i) By supporting individuals and/or groups of artistes with their artistic development
(ii) By providing opportunities for artistes to perform or exhibit
(iii) By increasing awareness, understanding and awareness of the arts in the community
(iv) By providing education in, and experience of the arts in the community

The charity is supported by the University of Chichester. Any others?

In 1990 it dawned upon two enterprising Bognor Regis rock drummers - Steve Goodheart and Terry Slade - that the only places accommodating live music venues “in this here town” had all but disappeared. There was nothing substantial left standing for creative, artistic types to strut their stuff or develop their talents – except the local pub floor. Behold – an impromptu music stage sprung to life one summers afternoon upon the Seafront Promenade – several mustard keen local beat groups were invited to condition their hair, press their jeans, spank electric planks and batter the ozone out of drum kits – 150 people boogied on down to the sea shore. The annual ROX Free Festival was born. Our intrepid duo determined to repeat the experiment with bigger and better plans. To this day, ROX Rocks On!

As the festivals grew in stature, scope and popularity (attendance peaked at 65,000 one year) the reputation of the committed teams of ROX volunteers for promoting and presenting quality live music and related cultural projects on a not-for-profit shoestring, whatever the obstacles, grew also. Battling on, switching location, dealing with constant funding worries and complex regulations, ROX Music & Arts attained charitable status, and the respect they really do deserve. The entire community, businesses and local authorities now rally round to facilitate, sponsor and provide assistance to maintain this unique celebration of the creative human spirit in their town. Simultaneously the charity’s Trustees have continued to develop and expand their benign influence upon the lives and creative instincts of ordinary, and extraordinary, members of the community by consistently funding and stimulating more and more cultural activities in the area.

ROX Music and Arts has now forged successful partnerships with many visionary captains of local industry and educational facilities. The University of Chichester (who have their own expanding campus in Bognor Regis), the highly successful Butlins leisure business and the proactive Bognor Regis Town Council provide crucial support to the charity year after year. The ROX team of volunteers continually produce high quality live music shows; workshop experiences; pop up community events, drama, dance, comedy, classical, poetry or artistic happenings which they facilitate throughout the year. The annual festival is simply the jewel in their crown – combining stupendous creative energy and management experience whilst gathering together hundreds of performers and talented artistes, young and old, to work and play together in a safe and happy environment.

Come rain or shine the ROX Music and Arts charity soldiers on to produce a little music, a smidgen of art, a dash of colour and a load of fun and togetherness.

Amazingly, despite a recession prone economic climate, the ROX Music and Arts Free Summer Festival has emerged as probably the largest and most important free admission Music and Arts Festival surviving in the UK today, and the small but idealistic charity behind it all, quietly evolves. Changing lives through music and arts.

Over the weekend of 26th - 27th July 2014, approximately 35,000 people came to Bognor Regis for the 24th ROX Music and Arts Annual Free Summer Festival.

ROX Music and Arts is managed by a core team of five trustees, together with regular volunteers who participate throughout the year, and with additional volunteers without whom the annual Festival could not take place. There are no salaried employees and all operational work is undertaken by unpaid volunteers with the notable exception of the chap who cleans the toilets at the ROX Music and Arts Annual Free Summer Festival.

ROX Music and Arts were winners of the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Award in 2014

Winners of The Sussex Awards 2014 in the Arts category

Winners of the Observer Awards 2011

Our partners include:

Rox Music and Arts, University of Chichester, Upper Bognor Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1HR
Registered Charity No. 1149033
A Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 8139419
Head Patrons: His Grace the Duke of Richmond & Gordon and Her Grace the Duchess of Norfolk

July 2013.

23rd Annual ROX Music and Arts Free Summer Festival on the seafront

October 2013.

Hallowe'en Pop Up Event in Hotham Park. The team put on a stage featuring spooky Zumba, Dance Troupe, Slim Jim & the Wild Cards and Dance with Attitude, plus a human fruit machine, pottery making, the spooky maze with zombies, face painting, children's fancy dress, best dressed motor bike, pumpkin carving, apply bobbing and a pumpkin shy for a crowd of around 3,000 people.

November 2013.

Christmas Lights switch-on – London Road and High Street. The team were joined by Robin Hood, Maid Marian and Friar Tuck from the 'Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood' Pantomime at the Regis Centre for the annual switch-on of the Bognor Regis Christmas Lights. On stage were Lou Zumba dancers and The Feel.

May 2014.

Green Fayre 2014 in Hotham Park. The third year of this Free Community & Family Fun Event was held in the beautiful Hotham Park. Visitors learnt about climate change and how to transform their lives to live sustainability.
There were workshops for children, entertainment and many stalls showing a range of Green products that the local community have to offer, including Driftworks which featured furniture and household items made entirely from driftwood retrieved from local beaches.
This event was organised and run by the University of Chichester BA (Hons) Event Management students in association with Rox Music and Arts. The event was attended by x,000 people.

June 2014.

Southern Railway 150th Celebration at Bognor Regis Railway Station. The team ran a stage in The Station pub for the afternoon.
Aldingboom at the Aldingbourne Country Centre. The team ran two stages: one in the main open area, and a second in the woodland outside the Bothey.

July 2014.

Chichester Music Academy at the Festival of Chichester
24th Annual ROX Music and Arts Free Summer Festival on the seafront.

August 2014.

Hotham Park Country Fair (Food & crafts) in Hotham Park
The Arundel Festival

September 2014.

ROX second annual Skate Park Pop-up Event on The Esplanade

October 2014.

ROX second annual Hallowe'en Pop Up Event in Hotham Park

November 2014.

Christmas Lights switch-on – London Road and High Street, Bognor Regis

July 2015.

25 and 26 - the 25th Annual ROX Music and Arts Free Summer Festival on the seafront

The ROX Music and Arts Annual Free Summer Festival is the charity's major event of the year, and in 2014 featured more than 100 acts over seven stages stretching along half a mile of the Bognor Regis seafront. For the second year running, the main Arena Stage was internet streamed live and free throughout the world and was viewed in 50 countries. The weekend itself attracted over 35,000 visitors to the town.

The main arena Stage is located on the lawn in front of the Royal Norfolk Hotel. The arena can hold up to 5,000 people and included bars, burger vans, face painting, ice cream vendor Mrs. Whippy, clothing stalls and a noodle bar.

The 'ROX Concept' Stage is located in the seafront skate park opposite the Royal Norfolk Hotel. It hosts a variety of bands and can accommodate up to 150 people.
Nearby was the highly successful Workshop Stage that included Dream Dance, LouZumba, Point Break, Gary Simons' bass guitar workshop, Greg Lee's percussion workshop, Mike Fry's polyphonic workshop, the Djembe Drum workshop and the GB Music ukelele workshop.

The 'Secret Garden' Stage is located in the gardens in front of the Rock Gardens apartments. The gardens accommodate charity stalls and face painting as well as a real ale bar adjacent to the stage itself, which features mainly folk and acoustic artistes.

Jack Rabbit Slims is a disco venue in the Royal Hotel a little way east along the seafront from the main arena, and hosts a variety of artistes.

The 'ROX DJ Weekender' venue was the Bognor Regis Pier Conservatory Bar & Terrace, which hosted Reggae, Jazz Funk, Soulful House and Disco; and the Vision Ballroom, which hosted Northern Soul, R&B and Motown music

The Cheers Bar in the Belle Vue Hotel on Waterloo Square hosted the 'Punk ROX' artistes.

The 'ROX Classical' Stage in the Royal Norfolk Hotel hosted by Roger Clayden provided an afternoon of classical music from Roger on Cello and Christopher Taylor (Piano); Recorder Vibes; The Regis School of Music; and Sylvia Rota, Soprano accompanied by Christopher Taylor.

What about the QE2 Bar?

The 25th ROX Music and Arts Annual Free Summer Festival will take place on 25th - 26th July 2015

Chilli. A talented young singer from the Chichester Music Academy.
Basis. 14-15 year old students debut from the Chichester Music Academy perform alternative rock.
Alter Egos. This Bognor-based four-piece rock band debut with modern pop, influenced by Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters, Muse and the Artics.
New Tropics. Bognor-based ex-Little Shocks rise phoenix-like with cutting edge Indie power.
The Underagers. Power trip of 14-15 year old proteges from Bognor rock out with Hendrix, Floyd, Bonamassa and classy original material.
The Sandwich. Four-piece jazz fusion talent from Chichester.
Raving Rascals. Dream Dance students present their showcase dance number on the main arena stage.
Tom and Ash. Chichester-based instrumental acoustic guitar duo, specialising in Spanish, Latin, classical and jazz.
Dutch Criminal Record. Thrilling south coast Indie rock from popular young songwriting band.
Beatroot. Multi-talented 8-piece Chichester brass funk band, loud and razzing in your face.
Mask of Judas. One of the most progressive and impressive tech metal bands from the south making their long-awaited ROX debut.
Toro. Brighton's now rebranded Move Onsbring their popular and skilful tune age to ROX today on their way back to Germany.
Mauve People. Vibrant Latin jazz, funk and soul stars from Brighton and beyond lay down their colourful groove in a ROX debut set.
Levi. Selsey and Chichester Ska lads skunk the place up with their debut ROX set of dance hall noise.
Mainly Madness. Rock steady West Sussex tribute to Ska and 2 Tone close the show in true Nuttastic style.

Bellacapella Voices and the Fab Boys. Emily Barden of West Sussex Music Services leads the choir and Fabs for a Sunday service of popular music.
New Devices. The Regis School male band have been awarded a competition slot at ROX this year.
Halo Rain. Our second Regis School group to come through with flying colours to debut at this year's Festival.
Quiet Earth. Although rooted in jazz funk and rock, today's set of more acoustic versions come from their new album "Nothing out of Reach".
Sweet Jonny. Burgess Hill's own gutter garage rockers meld The Pixies with The Cramps and their own flesh and blood.
The Feel. Bognor Regis' own party time royalty debut their newest line-up at this year's ROX with another special clutch of rocking' covers.
Lady and the Vamp. Susie T's new band of brassy popsters and organ groove merchants lay down function ready Soul, Pop and Motown faves.
Open Plan Panic Room. Another debut Chichester discovery featuring guitar-led rock originals and infectious Indie Pop.
The Sirens of Titan. The masked men of mayhem bring psychedelic rhythmic ramblings to soothe your soul.
Screamin' Lez and the Mindbenders. High voltage Rock 'n' Roll 5-piece from Arundel explore both Elvis P and AC/DC just for fun!
The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute. A ROX debut for the Ultimate ones all the way from Yorkshire, London and Sussex! You know the songs.
The Skedaddles. Cracking, unusual, deconstructed covers set from top Chichester-based music maestros.
The Fliks. Ice cool 60s mod girl fronted tribute group from Portsmouth grace ROX with a closing set of dance energy including Motown, Brill Building, Northern Soul, and other party classics.

2013 - Texacano (ZZ Top Tribute) / Sticky Rhythms / Offbeat Offensive and The Fabulous Fug Band headlined the 23rd ROX Free Festival Arena Stage which was for the first time internet streamed live and free throughout the world and was viewed in 22 countries. The weekend itself attracted over 30,000 visitors to the town.

2012 - The Selecter

2011 - The Blockheads

2010 - From The Jam (the 20th Anniversary)

2009 - Neville Staple (from The Specials) and his Band

2008 - Hugh Cornwell (of The Stranglers) and his Band

2007 - Nirvana Teen Spirit (Europe’s premier Nirvana Tribute)

2006 - John Otway (Sunday) & The Fun Lovin’ Criminals (Bank Holiday Monday)

2005 - The Fun Lovin’ Criminals

2004 - Hazel O'Connor

ROX Music and Arts official website