New group backing Ludlow Festival (From Ludlow Advertiser)
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New group backing Ludlow Festival
8:00am Friday 8th February 2013 in News By Adrian Kibbler
A NEW Friends of Ludlow Festival group is now up and running and appealing for members.
As reported last week, plans were in place to launch the new voluntary organisation.
It is now operating as a membership fund-raising organisation, completely separate to the other components that will make up a Ludlow Arts Festival.
The group has secured agreement from the new organisers running the events in the castle that members will get the chance to book early, get discounted tickets on some shows, a chance to attend ‘meet the cast’ receptions and get access to VIP areas.
But organisers of the programme in the castle will not receive funding from this new group.
The aim of the Friends is to raise funds to support the community to get involved in creating a new type of arts festival.
That includes supporting fringe events to help local community groups and schools join in.
Diane Lyle the chairman of the Friends of Ludlow Festival said that the new friends have been described as a kind of mini ‘Arts Council’ for Ludlow.
“We are also conscious of the need for financial stability in the medium and longer term, though, so part of the funds will be earmarked to underpin more substantial events in the next few years and to provide financial contingency,”
she said.
“As the new form of the festival emerges in the next few years, it is important that there is a reservoir of funding to help it finds its feet.”
The 2013 Festival dates are Friday, June 21 to Sunday, June 30.
There will be a wide range of music and drama inside the castle, much of it under cover and with racked seating, although there will be some events held outside in the open air.
There will not be a professional Shakespeare production as part of the prog ramme this year, though Ludlow College is staging two student productions in St Laurence’s Church during the Festival period.
Membership subscription is £20 for each household.
People will be able to join by visiting a new website that is being designed and will be launched shortly.
