THE 2019 Charles Causley Festival is officially underway, following its launch on Sunday.

The Eagle House Hotel was the venue for the launch of The Charles Causley Festival: Launceston’s Festival of Arts & Literature on Sunday, June 2. Guests were invited along to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the festival by kind invitation of the owner of the hotel, Rebecca Perry, who is one of the local businesses supporting this community event. Pimms and canapes were the order of the day and guests were then invited to head down to St Thomas Church to the inaugural event of the festival, a candlelit concert by folk musician, Jim Causley who is a distant relative of Charles.

As part of the festival, there will be a range of events taking place this week — from art exhibitions and creative writing workshops, to musical entertainment and talks at Charles Causley’s home, Cyprus Well.

Charles Causley was a teacher and poet from Launceston, renowned for his moving forms of poetry for both adults and children alike. Charles was sure to stay true to his Cornish roots, and while being among peers such as Ted Hughes and Siegfried Sassoon, always stayed in his home town of Launceston.

In 2010, the Charles Causley Festival launched for the first time, celebrating the life, work and legacy of Charles, who died in 2003.

This year, a variety of events are taking place over the next week, until Sunday, June 9.

Events include art exhibitions — with an exhibition with a twist taking place across Launceston, seeing a series of local art being displayed in shops and business windows across the town.

Additionally, talks and workshops will take place throughout the week in Launceston, as well as the headline musical act on Saturday night — Seth Lakeman at the town hall, from 8pm.

“Jim played to a full house and went down a storm” said director of The Causley Trust, Kate Campbell. “It was a great way to kick off this year’s events and we are really looking forward to the rest of the festival, including Seth Lakeman on Saturday at the town hall. We also have a whole town art installation taking place across shop windows for the first time this year which is proving very popular and tickets for all of the events are available online at www.crbo.co.uk or at the Tourist Information Centre in White Hart Arcade.”

More information on this year’s festival events and acts can be found by visiting charlescausleyfestival.co.uk/digital-brochure-for-the-2019-charles-causley-festival/