An 11-day festival celebrating Kent’s arts, culture and historic buildings is returning for its 11th year.

JAM on the Marsh, named after its location in Romney Marsh, boasts another packed line-up including outdoor theatre and cinema, choir groups, guided tours, exhibitions and orchestras.

The events are hosted across various venues, including many of the area’s medieval churches, and aim to shine a spotlight on both local and international artists.

The festival runs from Thursday, July 4 to Sunday, July 14 and tickets can be booked online here.

Here are some highlights coming up at this year’s festival…

CHANGELING THEATRE

Kent’s touring theatre company, Changeling Theatre, will be stopping by the festival to perform Noël Coward’s Present Laughter and Shakespeare’s Henry V. The tour is currently making its way around the South East, with our reporter being lucky enough to be there on opening night. These two performances will take place in the picturesque New Romney Old School Garden beneath the copper beech tree.

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

A group of community players and London Mozart Players will come together for a classical concert. The music includes the Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams and Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin and will be at St Nicholas Church.

DEREK JARMAN

There’s a whole day dedicated to the late filmmaker, gay rights activist, artist and Kent resident Derek Jarman with four great events: Jarman, a one-man show about the creative’s legacy; a screening of his film War Requiem; a rare visit to his Dungeness home, Prospect Cottage; and four short operas based on the life of the artist.

MARK PADMORE

Mark Padmore, a world-renowned tenor who regularly performs at Carnegie Hall and the Royal Opera House, will be making his debut at JAM on the Marsh this year. He will be joined on stage by French horn player Ben Goldscheider and the London Mozart Players.

JOHN BALLARD EXHIBITION

Local artist John Ballard will be exhibiting photographs, paintings and pen and ink drawings of historic churches from Romney Marsh. The artwork will be displayed at all of this year’s concert venues.

CHAMBER MUSIC

Chamber music is a popular fixture of this year’s festival, with concerts celebrating 1934, a year when composers such as Holst, Delius, Elgar and Birtwistle were born and died, and Viennese music including Haydn and Strauss. Aki Blendis, a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year awards, will also be performing.

NICHOLAS CLEOBURY

Festival curator Nicholas Cleobury will be celebrating his final weekend at the helm with a series of spectacular music including the Canterbury Cathedral Choir and London Mozart Players performing Fauré’s Requiem and the JAM Sinfonia performing Mahler’s 4th Symphony for the first time.