The 2010 Salisbury International Arts Festival has been an outstanding success with over 57,000 attendances> People came from all over the region, the country and the world, travelling to Salisbury to sample this year’s programme of gigs, concerts, talks, theatre and outdoor spectacles.
The Festival, which won a silver award in the Enjoy England Tourism Event of the Year category, welcomed visitors from abroad from as far as The Cayman Islands, Australia, Abu Dhabi and South Carolina in the USA to see Festival events.
Highlights include:
· Festival opening with the graceful Heliosphere floating over the Market Place and the brilliant fun of Zic Zazou’srunaway bandstand. 3,000 people enjoyed the evening’s free entertainment and many then went and partied hard at Salisbury Live, which offered free music in the city’s pubs and bars.
· The thought-provoking and witty Stan’s Café with All the People in all the World. Grains of rice representing all of humanity in the stunning surrounds of Salisbury Cathedral.
· 21 sell out shows including The Russian Patriarchate Choir in Salisbury Cathedral, the irrepressible Globe Theatre at Old Wardour Castle and a stream of family events.
· Standing ovations for, amongst others, the Monteverdi Vespers with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Pinchas Zukerman and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra both in Salisbury Cathedral.
· The Russian Patriarchate Choir performing at Stonehenge by lamplight.
· The world première of Alec Roth’s 2nd String Quartet was given by the Allegri String Quartet to rapturous critical response.
· The Festival Finale was a fabulous event with three great bands performing to an audience of thousands. The weather was stunning and a wonderful evening was had by all – including a fittingly spectacular Fireworks display set to whirling Balkan gypsy music.
Maria Bota, Festival Director comments: “Thank you to each and every person who helped to make the Festival fly this year. To our artists, for their inspired performances. To our funders Arts Council South West and Wiltshire Council. To our many event sponsors, including Salisbury City Council and Hampshire County Council. To our partner hotels and restaurants who looked after our visitors so well. To media partners and our young critics, who gave us great previews and came to review. To our partner venues, indoors and outdoors. To Friends Provident, for this, their 25th consecutive year of sponsorship. And to our many Friends and our wonderful volunteers. And of course to our supportive audience: 57,000 attendances make for one happy Festival. The Festival works because so many people want it to be a success. Thank you.”
ENDS