Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Lizzie in SASSY SIDMOUTH!
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 05:38 AM

Just a quickie...then again, maybe not!!.... in answer to a few things above.

Countess: I realise that Steve Heap didn't start Sidmouth, but he has been in charge of all the wonderful festivals that I've lived through!

*Laura*: I'm NOT organising Sidmouth 2005 or 2006 and beyond, just needed to clear that one up. However 2005 is already being sorted out by a lot of hard working people who've had to endure a whole lot of ...rubbish being said about them, on this board and others and I think that is very, very wrong and highly dishonourable! So rest assured that Sidmouth 2005 is well under way!

Blowzabella: I SO hope that your festival doesn't go down too! You didn't mention its' name, but I'm interested to know what 'excuse' your local council have given you for withdrawing your funding too!
You sound like a Passionate Fighter! Well done you, pat yourself on the back! How I wish there were more people like you around!!!! :0)
Good Luck!

El Greko: Thanks for your kind words, much appreciated!! The guys down in Sidmouth's Acoustic Cafe are trying to get something together to raise some money for the Folk Festival, so hopefully, with a bit of local media coverage it might just start the ball rolling!! Whoooo! And thanks for the words about my children too, don't worry though, they're now both so strong and happy now! Best thing I ever did was take them out of school, kids just 'take off' when they learn because they 'want' to and not because they 'have' to! If only the Government knew that too!! Thanks again though! xxx

Chris Amos: Thank you SO much for your offer, what a Sweetipops you are! (You and El Greko! :0)...) If only there WERE another 999 people like you both out there! Wow!!! :0)

And finally:

Fiddler Andy: I know I've already replied to you above but I just think that you still deserve an extra Grrrrrrrrrrr........!!!!! :0)

Thanks to everyone else too!

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: GUEST,Anon
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 06:34 AM

Back to the original subject of raising money to save Sidmouth, after all the hot air it seems not a penny has been pledged.

And it seems most people don't want Sidmouth to be saved when the Council and local traders won't support it.

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Crystal
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 06:58 AM

What about applying for Lottery funding to help the festival, has no-one tried that? After all this is exactly the type of thing the lottery is supposed to help!

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: fiddler
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 06:29 PM

Well guys (grr to U 2 Lizzie)

Simon Care suggested that all bands played free this year (or next as it was then) who took him up on his offer!

I had my ear bent by a councillor in Devon at length, eventually if you flog a horse hard enough it becomes dead, this one is very jaded and demoralised, I watch with interest.

Glad to see that they have't yet succeeded with the big S but they are still floggin by the looks of it.

I am involved but not in teh front line at present and may not be...

Andy

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 07:16 PM

According to Derek Schofield (historian of Sidmouth Festival) the first complaints about it getting too big were in 1957. Certainly there were complaints in the EFDSS magazine (and I will go and look up the reference) in the early 1970's when the festival was probably smaller than it is projected to be in 2005.

I personally wish Sidmouth (200+ whatever) every good wish. I have been an attender for many years since the sixties so I do go back a long way.

I would be interested to know what contingency plans there are for bad weather. The same problem that every other organiser (Mrs. Casey Music for the last 18 years only) has faced. If it pours with rain and no-one pays to go into the Arena to see Show of Hands, Battlefield Band etc. how will the artists get paid?

Best regards,

Dave Eyre

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 07:29 PM

Do you know something Lizzie, when you talk a little sense (which you do sometimes) I could almost get to like you. Maybe. Just maybe.

The latest press release still shows dances being held in miserable halls not in marquees in town. Would not £27,000 cover marquee costs for a week? Would not more people be attracted to the festival if there was dancing in the town? Where is the £27,000 going then?

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 07:36 PM

""If it pours with rain and no-one pays to go into the Arena to see Show of Hands, Battlefield Band etc. how will the artists get paid""

Sufficient advance tickets may be sold to pay costs. I'm told the set up costs are £40,000. Some artistes may play for free? The problem for Steve Heap, as I understand it, was that he needed so much surplus from the arena to pay for all the in-town events that did not make enough money to cover their own costs. An analysis was published on a website based in Sidmouth. Lizzie will remember the name. I'm too tired.

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: steve_harris
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 07:56 PM

"The latest press release still shows dances being held in miserable halls not in marquees in town. Would not £27,000 cover marquee costs for a week? Would not more people be attracted to the festival if there was dancing in the town? Where is the £27,000 going then? "

Ray probably knows what he's doing and he's under no obligation to answer your rhetorical questions. Personally, I hope he will use it in a way that makes him happy.

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: GUEST,Another Festival Organiser
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 08:45 PM

The £67,000 (£40,000+£27,000) quoted by Steve in Sidmouth sounds about right for marquees and set-up costs at the Arena. I certainly don't think you'd get all the necessary infrastructure for less than that. However, do remember that organisers also need to allow for a professional Safety Officer, security (now SIA-registered), paramedics and other site staff plus the £15m Public Liability insurance required by EDDC which will probably cost at least £5,000 on its own, maybe a lot more.

Then there's advertising and publicity costs, accommodation for artists, transport costs etc.

Then you have the costs of your artists.

Assuming you just booked The Wurzels, Show of Hands and The Battlefield Band for three nights in the arena, a rough estimate for the total cost of all the above (inc. artists) is around £120,000. Plus VAT and PRS fees (3% of income at present). Total gross cost in excess of £140,000.

Now let's look at income.

The best you can probably hope for at dance events is that ticket income covers artist costs and basic staffing / infrastructure. Most of your income will have to come from arena events.

If arena tickets were £15 per night, you would need to sell around 9,000 just to cover your costs (assuming you got a bit of income from the bar, food stalls and other concessions). That's 3,000 a night. Assuming no discounts for OAPs, children or anyone else.

If you think you can sell at least 3,000 tickets for The Wurzels, another 3,000 for Show of Hands, and another 3,000 for The Battlefield Band, then you have a chance of covering your costs.

But what if it rains one night?

Then you're back to the same situation that made Steve Heap decide he could no longer take the risk (and remember he had £60,000 from EDDC and other funding which will not be available to the organisers in 2005).

It's when you look at the figures in black and white that you have to question whether they add up.

I wish the people trying to keep something afloat in 2005 every success with whatever they decide to do.

In their own interests though, I hope they've done their sums.

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Alio
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 07:49 AM

And what about all the small festivals who are finding it difficult to keep going?

We (Saddleworth) have to fundraise all year round to be able to afford the weekend costs; this is the bit I hate about the festival -the weekend is a cinch compared to that!

We've found we can't expect businesses to support us financially apart from an ad in the programme - the only one who does is the landlord at the Waggon Inn, whio give us a generous donation every year by way of thanking us for the extra custom.

It's hard work - but well worth it I have to say!

Ali

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 05:59 PM

Let me reiterate to ensure there is no doubt - every success to those attempting to keep things going.


I suspect that the figures of Another Festival Organiser are pretty close to the truth. Maybe a bit high. But only a bit.

And it is better to be on the high side anyway. So I repeat my question - if the weather is like 1997 - how will the artists get paid?

Dave

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 06:04 PM

You could have a sponsored no-uniform day at school kiddies.

Subject: RE: Raising Money to Save Sidmouth Festival
From: Lizzie in SASSY SIDMOUTH!
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 12:13 PM

From Guest above:

Nope, that's no good, we've given up on school!! BIG TIME!! Sorry! :0):0) Free Range Kids only in my house!!

Back to the drawing board! :0) ;0)

Lizzie