Celebrating Martin Bax MBE | 1943 – 2026

Martin Bax at Frome Festival 2025 with Professor Abigail Rokison-Woodall and Andrew Smith – Stratford’s Forgotten Theatre, Sunday 6th July 2025 / David Chedgy

Martin Bax MBE – founder, inaugural director and president of Frome Festival – peacefully passed away on Monday 1st June at the age of 83.

In 2001, Martin Bax delivered the first Frome Festival as a community regeneration project for Frome. His vision was to celebrate Frome’s arts scene and make Frome come alive with creative activities for all in as many different spaces as possible. Martin’s passion for the arts, with particularly interests in music, theatre and photography, combined with his relentless hard work saw him deliver a remarkable legacy of special moments that are cherished by many to this day. Martin was particularly proud of the large-scale community performances and arts education projects he delivered whilst directing Frome Festival, including two major choral performances bringing together professional artists, local amateur performers and school children from across Frome – Benjamin Britten’s ‘Noye’s Fludde’ in 2001 and Rachel Stott’s ‘The Cuckoo Tree’ in 2004.

In his role as President of Frome Festival following passing on the role of Director to Martin Dimery, he continued to provide invaluable guidance for the organisation, championing the values that underpinned the festivals he directed from 2001 – 2007.

Martin’s creative work in Frome extended well beyond Frome Festival. Throughout his life, Martin focussed his tireless energy to creating new platforms for the arts to flourish across the town, from his creative leadership of Rook Lane Arts Trust to his keen support of PhotoFrome. Alongside these projects, Martin also served as a Town and District Councillor before becoming Mayor of Frome in 2003 – 2004, further underlining his local pride and community spirited nature. In 2006, the Queen presented Martin Bax with an MBE for services to the Frome Festival and to the community in Frome.

At the heart of all Martin achieved was both his love of Frome and the fundamental belief in the power of the arts in bringing communities together. This belief continues to shape Frome Festival’s work to this day – from the Food Feast to this year’s Silver Anniversary Chorus project, celebrations of Frome’s thriving amateur arts scene and free activities for all ages, we hope that Martin’s spirit can clearly be felt in this year’s 25th anniversary programme and all before it.

Everyone at Frome Festival sends their deepest love and sympathy to Martin’s family and everyone connected to his remarkable life, and will continue to celebrate his legacy by delivering Frome’s community arts festival with his vision at our core.

Frome Festival 2026 events celebrating Martin’s legacy

Martin Bax & Rosie Eliot, 2026