IT is interesting how fate gives you things which at first do not seem to link together but suddenly click into place.

I had gone to Ilminster Arts Centre to speak to the volunteers all about the dedicated work they do. While talking to them they said one of the acts they had booked for next year was a Frank Sinatra tribute act.

Then while getting details about why they volunteer, one of the trustees, Tony Hayward said they all got ‘a kick out’ of creating the different programmes.

And there it was a link between Ilminster Arts Centre volunteers and Frank Sinatra via this comment and the lyrics: “I get no kick from champagne. Mere alcohol, it doesn’t move me at all. So tell me why should it be true. That I get a kick out of you.” From the song “I get a kick out of you”.

The ‘kick’ or ‘vibe’ I got while at the arts centre was it was buzzing with ideas and vibrancy.

Their achievement has been to turn Ilminster Arts Centre into a must go venue for jazz fans and a popular stop off for holidaymakers and visitors who are travelling along the A303.

Chris Ackerman who has been a trustee for ten years, moved to Ilminster from central London in 2002.

She said: “I came up here one day and there was an art exhibition and I asked if I could help and from that moment I was sucked in.

“There is a lot of strong engagement and enthusiasm here in the town but what has been achieved is not down to one person. Everyone has been involved in making these changes.

“When I first arrived people did not know about this place but now it is highly thought of and known in the town.”

One of the ‘new additions’ which everyone at the centre would like to see is ‘new volunteers’.

They do not want to see all the hard work achieved in the last ten years, vanish, they want new people, new blood to come on board and continue making Ilminster Arts Centre a success.

Chris who is a painter and sculptor added: “We are looking for new blood all the time. Most people have got something they can offer.

“We really do need new volunteers and new trustees, this is just progressive planning.

“Ilminster is getting new homes and we hope some of those people will get involved. This really is a vibrant town and the arts centre is very much part of it.”

Tony Hayward, has been a trustee for 10 years and has been responsible for booking and bringing some of the biggest names in jazz to the town.

Speaking about what he has helped achieve, Tony said: “Our profile has risen amongst jazz fans.

“They are travelling from London, Southampton, Bristol and Plymouth to see jazz here.

“Jazz fans enjoy coming here and the jazz performers like coming here as it is a good place to play music and the people who come to the shows listen. “They are a listening audience and they know all about jazz. I work 18 months ahead and to get the acts booked. A number of acts are ringing us to appear here. We not only book jazz, but classical music and next year we will be getting an opera. We always want to find something which is different and unusual.”

One of the areas which has grown in popularity has been the art exhibitions at the centre.

They used to attract a number of amateurs but now the number of professionals keen to exhibit has grown.

The volunteer behind this growth is Ann Palmer.

She said: “We have been sending out paintings today around the world. We have sent four to Australia and others to Canada. People from locations such as London, Birmingham, who are going further west stop off here and visit. Ilminster has become a very popular stop off on the A303. They buy art which is on display.

"The standard of art has risen this year’s winner was a former student at the Royal Academy of Art in London’ to ‘and this year’s winner, Nancy Farmer, was a former student at Glasgow School of Art, and the Victoria & Albert in London.”

There is much more happening in the arts centre than you would think. There are workshops, a shop selling work made by local artists, exhibitions, music, a cafe, amateur sculpture group, art classes, pilates, watercolour classes and a reading group.

When you look around Ilminster Arts Centre you can see and sense a cultural oasis in a town which can be proud of what has been created in the name of art and the arts.

When you speak to those involved, those at the cutting edge of bringing art to Ilminster, you understand why they get such a kick out of it. Just like Frank Sinatra said in his song.