Wanted!
Local support for Didsbury Arts Festival 2011
24 September to 1 October
Didsbury artists, local people and organisations are invited to take part in Didsbury Arts Festival 2011.
The annual showcase of local talent, now in its third year, will take place from Saturday 24 September to Saturday 1 October.
Planning is already under way to ensure an exciting programme that will represent a huge range of arts from music, theatre, dance and comedy to visual arts, crafts and writing – all taking place at Didsbury venues.
Organised by a group of enthusiastic, local residents, the aim of the festival is to celebrate the wealth of talent, diversity and the vibrant community that make Didsbury so special.
Last year’s Festival was hugely successful with more than 10,000 people (doubling audience figures for the previous year) flocking to the area’s eight-day celebration of the arts. Among the many highlights was an open-air concert held at the beautiful Parsonage Gardens during the opening weekend. Dancing Tibetan monks, Punch and Judy and a giant hippo added to the happy, carnival atmosphere!
DAF organisers are now keen to hear from anyone willing to support the Festival this year and make it as big a triumph as DAF 2010. Volunteers are needed to help out during Festival week. Local businesses are invited to support the event by providing venues or through sponsorship and donations of goods and services.
Meanwhile the DAF team would welcome help in a variety of areas such as fundraising, administration, website management and event coordination.
Artist, volunteer and venue forms can be downloaded from the DAF website from 1 March at: www.didsburyartsfestival.org
Anyone wishing to discuss ways of getting involved should contact the Festival Director, Maria Stripling, at: info@didsburyartsfestival.org
Maria said: ‘DAF 2010 really built on the success of the previous year’s inaugural event and was absolutely fantastic. Without the support of local people and organisations that would not have been possible.
‘We aim to continue going from strength to strength, attracting new work and new artists to DAF 2011 while welcoming back many favourites from previous festivals. We’re asking people to start thinking now of ways in which they would like to be involved.’
Images by Phil Portus.
