2025 AFOTA BROCHURE - Flipbook - Page 19
A Celebration
of the Arts
A Celebration of the Arts
WOW! | ARUNDEL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS 2025
Mike Carey
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Since moving here some 12 years ago, Mike Carey
has increasingly weaved his creative energy into
the intricate fabric of music making and the
Arts in Arundel and beyond. Establishing the
monthly jazz club at the Jailhouse with fellow
jazz enthusiast John Nurse in 2016, Mike has
expanded his involvement with the town9s
music scene, both in terms of performing at and
organising musical events that cut across a myriad
of genres and formats.
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at the Victoria Institute, the Cinema and Arts Centre on
Tarrant Street, hosting nationally respected musicians
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a platform for local musicians to perform.
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albums under their belt, all originals written by Mike, with
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Afro and Latin they are a successful and popular feature in
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Miller show last year, also scheduled in November for The
Minerva. This year9s show, a musical play telling the life
story of Burt Bacharach features an 11-piece band that
includes a classical string quartet.
Mike9s involvement in the Arts locally is not limited to
his music making. As well as his support of the Music
and Arts Festivals and his involvement as Trustee at The
Vic, together with Camilla Lambert he inaugurated the
Arundel Literary Festival, already looking forward to its
fourth successful year in March 2026, and he is often to
be seen tinkling the ivories at Farmers Markets or blowing
raspberries on the trombone at community events.
Whether he9s performing, composing, conducting or
organising, he brings to it a generosity and passion that
has made him a central figure in Arundel9s thriving cultural
scene.
For the last three years Mike has been the Musical Director
of the Arundel based Phoenix Big Band, and has invested
his energy into raising the profile of the band both locally
and further afield, as well as encouraging the band into
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Basie and Glenn Miller shows that have featured in previous
festivals. This year at the festival the band are performing a
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A Celebration of the Arts
With his ever-expanding network of musicians Mike is
able to pull together a variety of ensembles, each to suit the
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Morton show that played recently at The Minerva Theatre.
A 30-strong troupe that wowed audiences with the Glenn
