The city collective of artists and musicians is taking over, indeed...

Not content with their acclaimed nights in Brighton and a triumphant performance at Islington’s Union Chapel under their communal belt, the Willkommen crew are heading to historic Stanmer for a full evening of antics that will see seven bands perform.

For the uninitiated, the Willkommen Collective – which scored an Argus Angel award in the Brighton Festival 2009 for a series of showcase gigs – is, in the words of Willkommen member Marcus Hamblett, “A group of about two dozen friends who are also musicians, artists and photographers, and we all pool our resources”.

Formed around three or four years ago with the founding of “eight-piece mother band” Shoreline, the group includes The Leisure Society (which itself includes Ivor Novello-nominated songwriter Nick Hemmings), Sons Of Noel And Adrian, The Miserable Rich and Kopek.

Adopting a fluid approach to membership – most of the musicians play in three or four Willkommen bands – this is the first time they have attempted a mini-festival of this kind that also brings in acts from outside the collective.

Alessi’s Ark, the cosmic, dreamy project of Alessi Laurent-Marke, along with folk-punk duo and Brighton favourites Peggy Sue, Bat For Lashes collaborator Caroline Weeks, singer/songwriter Pete Roe and intriguing multi-instrumentalist Robert Stillman will all join the Willkommen acts.

“We had the event in Islington, and we have another event scheduled at the De La Warr Pavilion, and so we wanted to do something in between that was a little bit different, something staged at a non-traditional music venue.”

The event at Bexhill’s De La Warr Pavilion – Willkommen versus Fence – will see the Brighton artists share the festival with their Fife-based counterparts (a self-described community of “artists, craftsfolk, chancers and slackers”), and will include Fence artists James Yorkston and Pictish Trail.

Before then, however, Willkommen will be taking over the ground floor of Stanmer House and some of its grounds for tomorrow’s mini festival.

Originally scheduled to take place at Charleston, the event was moved to Stanmer after the former venue expressed some concerns, says Marcus, adding that the major benefit of the move has been the addition of another stage, giving Willkommen the chance to boost the line-up.