Call to action from The Elgar Festival

Photo caption: Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of The Elgar Festival

One of the county’s most critically acclaimed Festivals is calling for support, amidst a climate of nationwide arts funding cuts.

The Elgar Festival says that funding cuts from Arts Council England are having a profound effect on the delivery of arts projects.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of The Elgar Festival said: “It’s important to start by saying that Arts Council England has been a tremendous force for good in British cultural life for generations.  That said, the climate is very difficult and this year’s Festival will be getting 40 per cent less from ACE than last year.

“ACE is operating under really difficult funding restraints which have built up over more than a decade of standstill revenues.

“But they have also made a number of strategic decisions to shift investment away from traditional artforms into community work, non-traditional artforms, urban renewal and social justice.

“All of these are worthwhile endeavours but The Arts Council is the only dedicated state funder of the arts serving English communities and supporting English artists and arts organisations.

“Edward Elgar is Britain’s greatest and most famous composer.  What would it say about our country if the Festival that bears his name were to disappear?”

Organisers of the Festival are calling for people and organisations to make a donation to secure the success of the Festival this year as well as its future.  To make a donation visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/elgar-festival-2024.

Themed ‘The Origins of Inspiration’, this year’s Festival – which runs from Monday 27 May until Sunday 2 June – will combine orchestral, chamber, vocal and choral concerts with exhibits and lectures to celebrate the life and music of Sir Edward Elgar at various venues across Worcestershire.  It will bring together an array of internationally renowned guest artists, placing the music of Worcester’s most famous son alongside that of his contemporaries and some of today’s leading composers and arrangers.

Launched in 2018, the Elgar Festival was established by decree of Worcester City Council and is traditionally held on the weekend closest to Elgar’s birthday, 2 June 1857.

Since it began – lauded as ‘Critic’s Pick’ in both The Guardian and The Times – the Festival has doubled in size and scale and championed Sir Edward to as wide an audience as possible.

For a full list of events, costs and booking information, please visit www.elgarfestival.org.  

GoFundMe Campaign

Like many arts-based charities, the Elgar Festival is raising money to help deliver its 2024 iteration. Donations help towards costs for Relaxed concerts, artist’s fees and instrument and venue hire, and help to keep the free events free for all. Further details can be found at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/elgar-festival-2024