This month Villages in Action presents two vibrant evenings of early-stage performance as part of its acclaimed artist development programme, From Devon With Love.

The first of two Summer Scratch events takes place on Thursday July 10 at the Moor Imagination Collective in Buckfastleigh. Centred around dance, spoken word and poetry, this evening showcases a powerful mix of physicality and lyricism.

The programme features Curiouser by Ruth Bell, a striking solo work in which paper objects and costume come to life.

Dressed in a costume sculpted from 19th-century newsprint, Bell invites us to consider our relationship to the natural world. Also on the bill is Millie Parker’s Girlhood and Screaming, a solo dance piece charting the evolution of womanhood. Structured like a jukebox of personal memories and reflections, the work captures the layered emotional realities of growing up as a girl.

Audiences will also be treated to Belly Flop, a deeply relatable and myth-busting performance by Sam Gilroy, which uses storytelling, poetry and movement to explore matrescence – the transition to motherhood. Rounding out the evening is Into The Light by Fearless Collective, a high-energy piece blending contemporary dance with hip hop to explore the emotional landscape of fear and courage.

The series continues on Friday July 11at the Barrel House in Totnes, as part of the first ever Totnes Fringe Festival.

This second Summer Scratch event shifts focus to theatre and comedy, bringing together some of Devon’s most exciting emerging voices for a night of bold storytelling and genre-blending performance.

In Song of the Deer Woman, Kathleen McKee draws on folklore, song, costume, and personal experience to explore the deep cultural ties between women and the land.

Al Head’s Identity, Complexity! (working title) delves into the timely and often polarising discourse around identity.

Fusing narrative, spoken word, physical theatre and original live music, this solo piece reflects on the ways identity can both empower and isolate.

In Nothing Happened, Mila Oshin takes us on a compelling autobiographical journey that begins with a box of forgotten letters and unearths a childhood long buried.

A one woman comedy exploring the fragile border between memory and denial.

Closing the night is George Williams’ hilarious and sharply satirical In Real Life, a character-driven performance that playfully dissects influencer culture, toxic productivity, and personal branding.

Part life coach, part digital guru, Williams’ alter ego delivers a masterclass in turning bitterness into betterness, in a performance that is as bizarre as it is bitingly on point.

Designed to support live performance makers at all stages of their creative journey, From Devon With Love offers a vital platform for experimentation, connection, and risk-taking. The Summer Scratch series invites audiences to step into the heart of the creative process - where ideas are tested, forms are played with, and feedback can help shape the future of each piece.

Villages in Action is a rural arts organisation committed to reimagining how communities across Devon engage with creativity on their doorsteps.

Through residencies, performance hosting, participatory projects and a network of local co-curators, VIA supports artists and rural communities to grow meaningful and accessible cultural opportunities together.

For more details or to book tickets visit: villagesinaction.co.uk