Does the Belfast Festival at Queens have a future?
Kerry O'Donoghue
This year’s Festival held between October 19th and November 4th has been the 44th held here at Queens. However it has been announced that unless funding bodies match the University’s commitment to the Festival, next year's will not be funded by the University. The financial support provided by the Government funding for the Festival has been cut in recent years despite claims that it contributes at least £6.5 million to the Northern Irish economy.
The Belfast Festival at Queens is the largest Arts Festival seen throughout Ireland. From its humble beginnings it has flourished, and in its time has played host to performers as big as Jimi Hendrix and Dexy’s Midnight Runners (remember ‘Come on Eileen’!) This year the Festival showcased a variety of events including The Gypsy Kings, the Magners Comedy nights and the Spiegeltent, and despite the funding problems has made the most money in its history; bringing in over £500,000. Ticket sales saw an increase of 40% from last year alone, and over 100, 000 people showed their support attending the range of events.
Michael Palin obviously thought there was something special here when he ‘vowed never to take his one-man show anywhere else on earth’ after his first performance in 1981.
Surely the past and continued success of the Festival warrants its salvation? Is it not reasonable to expect the government to 'pay up' on an event which contributes so much to the Northern Ireland Arts scene?
This year’s Festival held between October 19th and November 4th has been the 44th held here at Queens. However it has been announced that unless funding bodies match the University’s commitment to the Festival, next year's will not be funded by the University. The financial support provided by the Government funding for the Festival has been cut in recent years despite claims that it contributes at least £6.5 million to the Northern Irish economy.
The Belfast Festival at Queens is the largest Arts Festival seen throughout Ireland. From its humble beginnings it has flourished, and in its time has played host to performers as big as Jimi Hendrix and Dexy’s Midnight Runners (remember ‘Come on Eileen’!) This year the Festival showcased a variety of events including The Gypsy Kings, the Magners Comedy nights and the Spiegeltent, and despite the funding problems has made the most money in its history; bringing in over £500,000. Ticket sales saw an increase of 40% from last year alone, and over 100, 000 people showed their support attending the range of events.
Michael Palin obviously thought there was something special here when he ‘vowed never to take his one-man show anywhere else on earth’ after his first performance in 1981.
Surely the past and continued success of the Festival warrants its salvation? Is it not reasonable to expect the government to 'pay up' on an event which contributes so much to the Northern Ireland Arts scene?
posted by Gown Team at
10:18 pm
11 Comments:
No
i would rather reproduce with a duck quite frankly.
obviously you two losers have emotional problems, i agree and think it should be saved. when belfast breaks down and no cultural events of any importance are being held here, lets hear you moan again, freaks.
I agrae wif gawwee n quack quak dat dis festivil is nathin but an waste a monee n shud b lyk binned or somefin.
just get it gonne like plz ffs.
john u inatsriculate wasta get a life n stop showwin how imiture u r. getn educasion!!!
as the saying goes what grows does grow and what flows does flow.
We need to learn this lesson about the festival.
I commend frankenstein on his mastery of the english language! not...
Also
John i no some of the comments on this blog have been silly but cath a hold of yourself u looper.
piece
out
Is there any point in this discussion???
There are far more pressing issues that could be discussed on this website. For example why is oxfam allowed to have a shop in the students' union?? They make us all look like scroungers. ffs
angel,
is there any point in your life??
yeo yeo yeooooooooooooooo
yeoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
up the QUB
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wa da fak?
Angel of death...
You think that the existance of Oxfam in our students Union is a more pressing issue than the future of the Belfast festival? Honestly? Do you have to work to become that ignornant and flipant, or does it just develop naturally?
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