Background
The Salisbury International Arts Festival was named “one of the top multi-arts festivals in the country’’ along with Edinburgh and Brighton in The Information Supplement 2005 and described in 2005 by the Independent on Sunday as “The best festival to attend this summer” along with the Edinburgh Fringe. “The Best Festival” Big Issue 2006
Each year the Festival invites artists from around the world to perform over seventeen days & nights in Salisbury and the surrounding area.
In 2007 we had:
- Over 100 shows with artists from 19 countries
- Over 25,000 attendees
- Plus 10,000 people attended free events
- 2 World Premiers
- 9 UK exclusives
- 19 sold out shows
- 3000 Festival Fiesta attendees
- Over 400 members of the community took part in Salisbury Salsa - through this project the Festival engaged with local and rural primary schools, disability groups, local businesses and local villages.
The Festival enjoys impressive international and national media coverage:
In 2007:
- Over £1 million worth of print coverage
- More than 50 million opportunities to see or hear about the Festival
Including: BBC television news, ITV television news, Classic FM, Radio 3 - In Tune, XFM, Radio Two, The Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Metro, Country Life.
International coverage includes coverage on Mexican TV channels TV Axteca and Televisia, BBC World Service, Radio France International Elfinanciero (Mexican Broadsheet), El Universal (Mexican Broadsheet), El Pais (Spanish Broadsheet) and Agence France Presse (AFP).
Here’s what the media say:
"A fortnight of loft ambition and unashamed fun"
BBC Music Magazine
"...a sampler of delights both new and unimagined"
Guardian Guide
"...Rolls and Royce of the Arts World"
Richard Morrison for The Times
“Thumbing your way through the Salisbury International Arts Festival guide is a bit like rustling through a directory of the ‘who’s who’ encyclopedia of artists. The turn of every page signals yet another venerable musician or towering literary giant and by the end the only question that circles excitedly inside your mind is ‘will I be able to see all 19 days”
Southern Daily Echo
“This was festival director Jo Metcalf’s inaugural festival and her aim was for the event to resonate long after the final performance. Anyone attending the Marianne Faithfull Symphony Under the Spire would agree that this would be so.”
Salisbury Journal
‘...every music festival worth the name likes to commission new music. But few reach out as far as Salisbury's International Arts Festival and the writer Vikram Seth...’
The Times
“With more eclecticism than you may have thought possible in one place, this festival has a mix of literature, film, music, dance, theatre, jazz and comedy.”
The Independent
“Marianne Faithfull marked the climax of the most exciting Salisbury Festival programme in memory”
Western Daily Press
“There’s nothing predictable about events in Salisbury this summer…. the festival promises that audiences and artists will be buzzing. We can’t wait for the unique performance by Marianne Faithfull”
Classic FM Magazine
“a far-reaching line up stretching from the National Beijing Opera of China to Marianne Faithfull.”
BBC Music Magazine
‘...offers an eclectic blend of choral Baroque, Romantic orchestral and world gospel music...’
The Gramophone
‘Best Festival’
The Big Issue SouthWest
‘...one of the UK's most up and coming arts festivals’
Venue Magazine
"The concert was even better than I'd expected, in fact almost 2 weeks on and I'm still on a high."
Sun Bentley on Sun, Moon and All Things - Ex Cathedra
"What a priviege it is to live in Salisbury during the International Arts Festival"
Andrew & Jessica Barrett
"Rarely have I seen such creativity, daring and flamboyance in one evening. Thank you Salisbury Festival for yet another wonderful surprise."
Jean Ladbury on Paul Morocco's Ole
“….that’s why I always look forward to the Festival - there’s so much variety, opportunities to try something different and be inspired… Congratulations on providing such diverse and enlightening opportunities….”
Gill Swatridge
“I would like to say how much we have appreciated all the wonderful events you have arranged for this year’s Festival…..The events were also more affordable which meant we were able to attend more than ever…”
Lyndy Cooper
“Many congratulations on your terrific achievement in bringing Australian Indigenous Culture to England. I am not sure I can remember an event like it, it was an exceptionally good idea.”
Catherine Spencer Chairman Salisbury District Council
“What you are doing touches the lives of thousands of people of all ages – and we are very grateful.”
Robert Key M.P.
What a fantastic evening we had with David Page…..his show was so varied - poignant and entertaining….a show not to be missed! The CBSO was beautiful on Saturday too - this is going to be a great Festival ......!
Anne Stutchbury
“The Festival was fabulous. We were quickly caught up in a world of Latin American dance, film, art and music. The Cathedral resonated to a symphonic waterfall of Beethoven and Dvorak. At Stonehengewe sat within the inner circle of stones to witness a Mayan ritual to the setting sun. We walked the Harnham Water Meadows and learnt how managed grazing had made Salisburythe eighth richest City in mediaeval England.
Congratulations and thank you, Salisbury!”
John and Val Potter
“I am already back home, but there is still the taste and sound of Salisbury
in my mind, and the incredibly warm and emotive reception and attention
you gave to me….Thanks again for the happiness you have provided me, and which will last much longer”
Antonio Briceño
Antonio Briceño: Gods of
Americas
Website: www.salisburyfestival.co.uk
This year our redesigned website attracted:
-
Visitors from Australia, Ukraine, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, America and the UK
-
22,120 unique web visitors
-
2,500 web visitors added the Festival website to their list of favourites
- Over £39,000 was taken from online sales
The Salisbury International Arts Festival was named “one of the top multi-arts festivals in the country’’ along with Edinburgh and Brighton in The Information Supplement 2005 and described in 2005 by the Independent on Sunday as “The best festival to attend this summer” along with the Edinburgh Fringe. “The Best Festival”Big Issue2006
The growth of Salisbury International Arts Festival over the past decade has been impressive by any standard and has put it into the top league of festivals in the UK. To put this into context here are some facts and figures:
- Only 13% of arts festivals in the UKspend over £500,000 per annum(1). Salisbury spends over £700,000.
- The average number of events that takes place in UK arts festivals is 51 (2). In 2005 SIAF put on 88 events; in 2006, 96 events; and in 2007, 101 events. In addition in 2007 there were 50 free acts as part of Salisbury Live and 18 free events. .
- The Festival sold approximately 22,000 tickets in 2007 at an average price of £13.75, which generated nearly £¼ million for the local economy in ticket sales alone each year. If you add additional expenditure per ticket buyer of £7.50 then at fairly conservative estimates, Salisbury International Arts Festival is generating nearly £½ million from its customers for the local economy in 17 days(3).
- If you add to this the considerable numbers of people attending free events, plus the expenditure by artists and suppliers, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to estimate that the Festival generates between £¾ million and £1 million worth of economic activity within the local economy each year, in just 17 days.
Within the South of England Salisbury International Arts Festival is one of the most significant cultural organisations and one of the most important arts festivals.
The Festival brings events to Salisbury that would not otherwise come to the region and the artists who visit the Festival carry the name of Salisbury around the world.
In 2005 the Festival commissioned a concert performance from Marianne Faithfull, which was subsequently performed at the Belfast Festival, carrying with it the Salisbury International Arts Festival name.
In 2006 the Festival commissioned a 4 year project with the author Vikram Seth and composer Alec Roth. The world premiere performance took place at Wilton Church,Salisbury and had subsequent performances at the Chelsea and Lichfield Festivals. This project has major interest from many UK and international presenters.
In 2007 the Festival presented the three commissioned work:
· A New Song: The second stage of the Confluences project was met by extremely positive feedback and a 4 star rating in the Times.
· The River is Revolting: an outdoor theatre piece by Hoodwink Theatre Company inspired by, and performed in, the river. Co-commissioned with theLiving RiverProject.
· The Dragonfly: a large sculpture sited on the A303 and created through a unique partnership with Qinetiq apprentices and artist, Charlotte Moreton.
The Festival also plays an important role within the local community. There are free events for families and young people during the Festival including street performances and processions. Partnerships with English Nature, community groups, schools, local arts organisations and local media are developing some exciting community and environmental projects and ensuring that the Salisbury Festival remains embedded with its local community.
Festival dates:
2007: May 25 – June 10
2008: May 23 – June 8
1. British Arts Festivals Association economic impact study Festivals Mean Business (2000)
2. British Arts Festivals Association economic impact study Festivals Mean Business (2000)
3. Arts Council England economic impact study of UK theatre, April 2004 showed that the average visitor spend to regional theatres in addition to the cost of their ticket is £7.77.