The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #100881 Message #2032764
Posted By: Herga Kitty
22-Apr-07 - 03:09 PM
Thread Name: What's Happening with EFDSS?
Subject: RE: What's Happening with EFDSS?
Running festivals is now much more difficult and expensive because of the licensing requirements, and the need to provide facilities and security - and folkies who don't want to pay for these on top of the amounts needed to pay the artists. I'm very grateful to the people who are still running festivals, but EFDSS got out of running festivals because it couldn't afford to.
I joined EFDSS when I was 17, partly because EFDSS was running Sidmouth festival, and the amount of the season ticket discount for EFDSS members was the same as the annual EFDSS sub (5/- in old money, I think). For many years there were Sidmouth competitions for singing and storytelling (Sidmouth singers of the year include Moira Craig, Gilly Hewitt and Sam Viner).
EFDSS was also at that time running a London folk festival in Cecil Sharp House in October, and there was a competition in that people who impressed the judges in the Saturday audition sessions were invited to perform in the main Saturday evening concert.
There was a competition at the National Festival too. Mudcat's Noreen was one of the last winners before Sutton Bonington ceased to be available as a venue. The only reason the National hasn't been resurrected is because no venue has so far been identified that provides such a great combination of performance halls and rooms, lecture facilities, informal sessions (singing and playing), reasonably good food and drink, and affordable accommodation.
Even if EFDSS was willing in principle to resurrect the National, there would still be a problem finding an affordable venue.
Kitty