IPSWICH: Whether you’re into plays, films, music, visual arts or literature, Ip-art 2010 promises to fascinate, delight and stimulate festival-goers of all ages this summer.

James Young, events manager at Ipswich Borough Council, said: “It promises to be bigger and having won the Tourism Event of the Year at the East of England Regional Awards for Excellence we’ve a lot to live up to this year.

“We’ve got a very varied programme, 70 different events across a multitude of venues linking every part of Ipswich. We’re really excited and looking forward to people from Ipswich, Suffolk and beyond attending the events.”

Now in its eighth year, the festival - which runs from June 25-July 11 - embraces every avenue of the arts. This year students can take advantage of a new standby rate for specific performances.

Christchurch Park will host some outstanding open-air events, including Proms in the Park with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), Ipswich Mela, the always popular Music Day and theatre on the mansion lawn. They’ll even be a touch of New York when Sex in the City is one of the movies shown on a huge screen there.

Other venues will include the Corn Exchange, Cornhill, UCS, St Mary-le-Tower, pubs, Jerwood DanceHouse and even the Holiday Inn to name a few.

Highlights this year include the Nearly Naked Chef, as Celebrity Master Chef finalist and broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli cooks up a hilarious mix of comedy and cuisine; one of the foremost dance companies in the world presents A Day with Akram Khan and celebrated poet, short-story writer and novelist Jackie Kay will discuss her eagerly awaited autobiography Red Dust Road.

n For more details visit www.Ip-art.com

What are you looking forward to seeing at this year’s Ip-art? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.