There are few art forms that require less financial support than unaccompanied singing.

Still, Liverpool has provided some level of funding for an annual shanty festival each year until now, and the money went to something ~ providing a venue, certainly, maybe admininstration and/or crowd control (ticket-takers, ushers, cops), an advertising budget, payment (or at least travel & expense money) for featured out-of-town performers, etc.

Cutting off this funding on the anniversary year is simply an uncalled-for slap in the face.

One would certainly hope that an ad-hoc gathering of shanty singers would not be prevented from singing! On the contrary, with or without substantial financial support, the powers-that-be should certainly designate suitable times and places for appropriate maritime-music events.

Let's continue to encourage our friends all over the UK and the world to keep those cards and letters coming; maybe the organizers will eventually see the light, repent, and provide some truly substantial funding to atone for their past sins.

Who knows? Maybe they'll finance an all-expenses-paid appearance by New Orleans' own N.O. Quarter Shanty Krewe! If our fearless leader KC King ("ship*scat") finally has his house rebuilt by then, he and I and our associates can come show y'all how it's done when your motto is "enthusiasm trumps talent every time!"