A STAR-STUDDED line-up has been announced for a major festival of the arts taking place in Taunton later this year.

The Quartz Festival is run annually at Queen’s College and takes place from Wednesday, October 5, until Saturday, October 15.

The vibrant programme of art, music and theatre caters for all tastes and ages with top names including Treorchy Male Choir, comedian Milton Jones, author and playwright Michael Morpurgo, pianist and composer James Pearson and even the Chicago Blues Brothers.

Running alongside the catalogue of performances will be an art exhibition, which continues to grow under the direction of our curator, Paul Newman, with work from more than 40 artists.

“Queen’s College is delighted to once again be opening its doors to everyone in the region and beyond for another programme of great performances and inspiring art,” said festival director, Jan de Caux.

The full programme (starting at 7.30pm unless stated) is:

• October 5 (2pm): The Emperor’s New Clothes – Stuff and Nonsense return to Quartz with a new show for all the family with puppets, music and song.

• October 6: James Pearson – one of the UK's most respected musicians will focus on the songbook of jazz giant Oscar Peterson.

• October 7: Milton Jones – renowned for his extensive repertoire of one-liners, Milton is a TV regular on shows such as Mock the Week

• October 8: Treorchy Male Choir – recognised as one of the greatest choral ensembles of all time, they have toured the world from Canada to Australia.

• October 10: The Mozart Question – a story of friendship and family, truth and secrets set against the background of the Holocaust and narrated by Michael Morpurgo

• October 13: Dinosaur Park – a hilarious spin on Spielberg's classic Jurassic Park. An award-winning theatrical celebration of cinematic nostalgia.

• October 14: Lavolta – this stunning chamber ensemble, featuring vocalists Sarah Owen and Kate Westbrook together with an 11-piece band, presents a concert of extraordinary 20th century music.

• October 15: The Chicago Blues Brothers – closing the festival this year is the world's leading tribute to the legendary Blues Brothers.

The Quartz Festival box office is now open – to book tickets, go to www.quartzfestival.co.uk