ATTICOMATIC + Rufus Rees-Coshan + Wesley Bennett + Donkee. ‘SOLSTICE SOUNDS’ at SHA!
SOLSTICE SOUNDS 2026
Join us for SOLSTICE SOUNDS, celebrating light, renewal and the start of summer at Sandy Hill Arts!
When: Sat 20 June 2026, 2:30-9:30PM
Where: Sandy Hill Arts, Sandy Hill Lane, Corfe Castle, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5JF
Tickets: £15 (standard) / £13 (concession)
Live music | DJ | food | bar
Expect an intimate small-scale festival vibe with live music to groove to, tasty food in a great location. Follow the sounds over the railway to find us, explore the magical site and – of course – watch the sunset over the castle ruins.
Solstice Sounds 2026 is in collaboration with Indie Revival Bournemouth and supported by Arts Council England and Dorset Council.
This year we will have two stages to explore: The Centaur Stage and Marquee. Make sure to arrive in time to catch an incredible curated lineup courtesy of Dylan Rees-Coshan on The Centaur Stage, a converted rice trailer turned mobile stage.
Headlining the Marquee…
AtticOmatic
Brighton’s AtticOmatic resists easy definition and quite literally dances on the edge of simplicity and discord. Each one of their five members weaves together threads of jazz,post-punk, hip-hop, folk, and electronica. The energy of their live shows resonate with shared understanding of the pain and beauty of this world. We are delighted to be welcoming them to Sandy Hill Arts for the first time!
The Centaur Stage presents…
Rufus Rees-Coshan
Rufus Rees-Coshan is an up-and-coming solo artist based in Brighton UK. Having grown up in Dorset, he explores themes such as nature, relationships and coming of age. Rufus’ mix of indie folk with prog-rock twang gives him a creative edge when it comes to songwriting. His exceptional vocal range and control is reminiscent of artists such as Jeff Buckley and Robert Plant, and his guitar playing is comparable to King Krule. At only 18, Rufus has developed his musical talent over a number of years, picking up guitar, bass and piano at 12 and never looking back. Moving to Brighton for university in September, Rufus is now looking for gigs and new opportunities around town, and with a debut EP in the pipeline for 2026, he is ready to win over audiences in the city.
Wesley Bennett
With an Oceanic twinge and an acoustic guitar, Bournemouth-based Wesley Bennett is two words: Simply, Incredible. Wesley has made indie-folk his own, and whether it’s
reminiscing on his lived experiences, or exploring themes of love, family relationships and heartache, his lyrics have a certain poignance that resonates with any listener. His
debut album ‘Forgiveness’ recently released, a beautiful culmination of songs he has sung around BCP bars for years.
Donkee
A 3 piece post-punk band.
Travel & Access:
Train: South Western Railway Station; Wareham (Dorset)
Bus : Purbeck Breezer 40; Poole Bus Station & Wareham Station (Stop A);
Village Centre; 5 minute walk to Sandy Hill Arts
Please make sure to check when the last trains and buses are back and ensure you’ve left enough time to get to the station or stop.
Driving: Please note, there is NO general parking and limited accessible parking spaces on site.
We recommend the following local car parks:
– Corfe Castle (National Trust)
– West Street Car Park
– Challow Walkers Car Park
– Norden Park & Ride
– Purbeck Park & Ride
BAR AND FOOD ON SITE ALL DAY. Why not make a day of it?
Please note, there is NO camping on site.
We recommend the following local camp sites:
– Norden Farm Campsite
– Woodyhyde Campsite
– Corfe Castle Dorset Camping
There will be wheelchair accessible portaloos and seating available on site. Please feel free to reach out and let us know how best we can accommodate your access needs ahead of the day by emailing info@sandyhillarts.co.uk
About:
Solstice Sounds first hit Sandy Hill Arts last year as ‘Sounds by the Castle’, a seed-funded CREATE! 2025 project created by Nyah Boston-Shears and supported by b-side, Arts by the Sea Festival, Activate Performing Arts, and Bridport Arts Centre in partnership with We Broke Free.
This year we are collaborating with Indie Revival Bournemouth and continuing to advocate for rural music venues and support grassroots music across Dorset, BCP and the South Coast.
We would also like to thank Dorset Council and Arts Council England (ACE) who have supported us bringing exciting, diverse, and experimental musicians such as AtticOmatic to perform here at Sandy Hill Arts.
