SOME of Oxford's most iconic venues are hosting what promises to be the 'biggest and best' Oxford Festival of the Arts, which launched on Saturday.

The two-week festival, now in its ninth year and organised by Magdalen College School, hosts famous actors, dancers, musicians, comedians and sporting heroes across the city for a wide range of cultural events.

This year's theme is of 'diversity and inclusion' and features a line-up of speakers including Darcey Bussell, the most successful ballerina of her generation and star of hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing.

She joins this year’s line-up which also includes Baroness Shirley Williams, author and playwright Michel Frayn and world-renowned actor Jeremy Irons.

Festival Director Anne Cotton said of the festival: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with cultural organisations throughout the city to offer an exciting and varied programme of events to appeal to festival-goers of all ages.”

Helen Pike, Master of Magdalen College School, added: “Oxford Festival of the Arts offers something for everyone. I am proud that MCS is associated with this cracking community event.”

Among the wealth of speakers there will also be ex-England cricketer Mark Ramprakash who will give a talk on his sporting career and the future of cricket in England.

Aardman, Britain’s best-loved stop-motion filmmakers and creators of the Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Morph characters, will also be offering fun workshops for children.

Besides the guest talks and workshops there will be a wide range of events from all across the arts spectrum, from poetry to music and film.

Novelist Simon Armitage hosts Poetry Live, a comedy night which includes Marcus Brigstocke. There will also be a free open air opera screening of Handel’s Semele from Garsington Opera.

The open air event will be held at Magdalen College School’s picturesque school field, with big screen showings of modern classics including Back to the Future and three Wallace and Gromit films: A Close Shave, The Wrong Trousers and A Grand Day Out.

For music afficionados there will be a range of offerings including leading vocal ensemble Tenebrae, young Strictly Come Dancing stars AJ Pritchard and Chloe Hewitt and a performance of Children of the Night, a modern re-imagining of Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist at Oxford Playhouse.

The Oxford Festival of the Arts runs until July 8.

Visit artsfestivaloxford.org for further details of what's on and for booking information.