Open meeting to launch Festival of Chichester 2024

Next year’s festival will run from Saturday, June 15-Sunday, July 21 with the promise of a lively, eclectic programme of arts events across the community. And to set the ball rolling, the festival committee will be holding an open meeting both on Zoom and in person in the Council Chamber at the Council House, Chichester City Council, North Street, Chichester on Wednesday, November 15, beginning at 6pm.

The committee will be delighted to hear feedback, suggestions and advice as it thinks ahead to 2024; equally the committee will tell you what it has in mind.

Owing to space constraints in the Chamber, the committee needs to know in advance if you are coming in person. RSVP to festival chairman Phil Hewitt at [email protected]. If you're attending by Zoom, here is the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86394655159.

Phil said: “We enjoyed an excellent festival this summer, up there with our very best in terms of attendance we are thrilled to say. It was one of the toughest years ever financially, inevitably given how much the cost of living crisis has impacted on so many of us. But with generous support from Chichester City Council – always a fabulous ally – and from our advertisers and from our dear friend and festival president Kate Mosse, we have ended up in a strong and encouraging position as we start to plan for 2024.

“We have always said that this is a festival of Chichester. Of course, people come in from outside, but Chichester remains at the heart of the festival, and every year our aim is to show just what a fabulous place Chichester is to live and work. And that’s exactly what we will be doing again next year. But to do that, we know we need to work closely with our event organisers and with the people who attend our events. That’s what the public meeting is all about.”

Kate Mosse stressed just how important the festival has become to the city: “'The Festival of Chichester has succeeded in becoming a highlight of the summer in Chichester and surrounding areas.

"A wonderful mixture of local, national and international talent, a celebration of words, music, sculpture, painting, needlework, folk arts, dance, history and theatre, it's almost unique in that it is a festival bedded completely in, and for the benefit of, the local community, as well as attracting visitors from all over the area. In these challenging times, we all need the arts to raise our spirits and entertain, and the Festival of Chichester provides, year in and year out, something for everyone, of any age.”

Phil added: “Kate sums it all up perfectly. She has been one of the cherished constants of our festival. In fact it was Kate who chaired the public meeting 11 years ago which launched the whole thing. So please do consider being part of the fun next year. Do join us by Zoom or in person at our public meeting. It will be relaxed and informal – a great chance to share ideas.”