Frequently asked questions
ARTISTS
Is the lineup a hoax?
No, the lineup that has been announced is genuine and all the artists have signed agreements to play at the festival.
What day/time is each artist playing?
The breakdown of the programme by day will be announced much closer to the festival start date.
Will there be any secret/surprise artists?
We aren’t currently planning to have any surprise performances, but you will definitely find artists popping up in different places such as talks and panels, or maybe introducing a film and it might be that some of those artists may not be already announced.
I’m an artist/DJ and would love to play at Shadowlands. Who do I contact?
We have already identified the artists and DJs for ‘27 festival but we very much welcome proposals for future festivals from artists who would be sympathetic to what we are trying to achieve with Shadowlands. We are in the midst of sorting out a contact mechanism so please bear with us and we will update this FAQ in due course.
TICKETS
Will there be day tickets available?
Owing to the high demand and limited capacity we are only selling full four day festival tickets this year.
Do you offer concession prices?
An Early Bird discounted ticket was offered the allocation of which is now sold out. We have introduced a payment plan at the Gulbenkian for the first time to spread the ticket cost over three months.
Does having a ticket guarantee I will see every artist?
As with any multistage festival there may be times where you will need to make a choice between two concurrent or overlapping performances or events. Not all the spaces are of equal size so you may need to arrive early for some performances in order to secure your place. For performances on the main stage (Colyer-Fergusson Hall) there will be adequate space for all ticket holders.
ACCOMMODATION
Can I stay onsite for the festival?
Yes. On-campus accommodation is available at £73 single and (a limited number of) £93 double, B&B. These rooms are in Keynes College at the University, a short walk from Gulbenkian Arts Centre.
Currently they are avaialble for Fri, Sat and Sunday nights. We hope to extensd this to Thursday as well, and will update ASAP.
For more information and to make a booking click here. Add the Promotion Code SHADOWLANDS into the box before selecting rooms to access the rates above.
Why is the accommodation not available to book as an inclusive package with my ticket?
The University of Kent accommodation is managed and supported by a different organisation and cannot be integrated with the ticket sales.
If I want to stay off site and travel each day/night will I be able to?
Of course. If you want to stay in Canterbury itself or somewhere in the surrounding area you will still be to attend the festival as long as you have bought your festival ticket in advance.
TRAVEL
Is it easy to get to Canterbury?
Canterbury is easily accessible by road and has two train stations both served by regular trains from London which take approximately 55-90 minutes
The nearest stations to Shadowlands are Canterbury West (served by trains from London St Pancras International and Stratford International – a 55 min journey from the former, and slightly less from the latter), and Canterbury East (served by trains from London Victoria – roughly a 90 minute journey).
Is it easy to get to Shadowlands once I’ve got to Canterbury?
Shadowlands is held at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre on the University of Kent campus which is on the northern edge of the city. It is around a 30 minute walk from Canterbury West station or 45 minute walk from Canterbury East.
It is a short drive from either station and taxis are available from the stations and Über operates in the city.
The campus is also served by bus services. From Canterbury West you can catch the Stagecoach Uni2 bus (short walk to the Sainsbury’s Northgate stop), and from Canterbury East the Stagecoach Uni1 bus.
Note they run a reduced timetable in summer, and all details can be found on the Stagecoach website.
Click here for map of the Uni1 and Uni2 routes
Click here for the Stagecoach website.
More exact details will be provided in the festival attendee pack which will be available in advance of the festival.
I’m considering attending but live outside the UK. How can I get to Shadowlands?
There are 5 airports within reasonable distance which are options to look at should you wish to fly:
- Gatwick is a circa 70 mile drive away or 2 hrs travel by train.
- Heathrow is 85 miles away by car or 2 hrs 20 mins by train.
- Stansted is also 85 miles away or 2.5 hrs by train
- Luton is 100 miles or 1hr 50mins by train
- London City is the closest at 55 miles away or 1.5 hours by train, but least well served flights-wise
Obviously if combining flights and the train you will need to allow extra time to get from Canterbury East or West stations to the site of the festival itself.
Eurostar terminates at St Pancras International in central London from where there is a direct train service to Canterbury West.
If you wanted to drive to Shadowlands from abroad there are options of ferries or the Eurostar Le Shuttle service which would arrive at Folkstone which is approximately a 17 mile drive away. Alternatively Dover ferry port is 20 miles away.
PARKING
I’d like to drive to Shadowlands. Will I be able to park onsite?
Parking is free on campus after 5pm Mon-Fri and on weekends. Limited paid for spaces are available at pay and display car parks/ Note that if you book B&B on campus, parking is included in your booking.
FOOD AND DRINK
Will there be food and drink available at the festival?
Yes. The Gulbenkian offers food and is licensed to serve alcohol but given the number of people who will be onsite throughout the 4 days would result in the standard catering set-up being swamped Shadowlands will also be ensuring additional bars and food are available on the grounds outside the venue.
Can I bring my own drink to the festival?
No. Bringing your own alcohol is not permitted to be brought into the Gulbenkian as it breaches the terms of the Arts Centre’s licence.
Can I bring my own food into the festival?
Yes, within reason you can bring your own food to the festival (no cans or bottles).
n.b. There is a Co-op supermarket on the university campus within walking distance of the Gulbenkian Arts Centre where you can also buy provisions for your stay.
MERCHANDISE
Will there be artist merchandise available to buy?
Yes. We very much hope that all bands will bring at least some merch with them and a stall is being set-up from which you will be able to buy any items. However given the number of artists performing there will a restricted amount of items available.
Will there be Shadowlands merchandise available?
Yes. We are looking to make some items available to order online soon, but we feel that it wouldn’t be right to sell that merchandise at the festival itself as it will take focus and sales away from the artists. We will announce the merchandise when it’s ready to order.
OTHER
I run a record shop / label etc and would like to have a stall at the event.
We aren’t offering that at least for the first festival as we want the artists to benefit as much as possible from direct sales at the event.
I am a journalist and want to cover the event.
We will have a very limited number of spaces available for members of the press and these will be allocated based on the guidance of the Shadowlands PR team. Contact boxoffice@kent.ac.uk if you would like to enquire about this.