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https://www.positive.news/society/five-ways-community-is-at-the-heart-of-brighton-festival/>
"In difficult times, arts and culture become more important than ever. In the
face of the cost-of-living crisis and challenges across the sector, England’s
largest multi-arts festival is finding ways to open up cultural experiences to
as many people as possible in Brighton and Hove and beyond. Here’s how the
organisers are doing it
“Community was inherent in the birth of the festival,” says Andrew Comben,
chief executive of Brighton Festival. “If you want to celebrate the place, then
you need to be working alongside the communities that inhabit it. The whole
essence of making art is building relationships with people.”
This year’s guest director is the acclaimed children’s author, screenwriter and
writer of the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony, Frank Cottrell-Boyce. His
aim to infuse this year’s event with hope, wonder, magic and fun is also rooted
in the festival’s community-focused ethos. “Frank is optimism on a stick,”
laughs Comben. “He’s just the most fantastic, generous mind and wonderful
communicator. We felt it was so needed to have that hopeful frame around the
festival this year.”
While many festivals parachute in big names who come and go, the Brighton
Festival team has made it a core mission to integrate and embed the community,
and its local talent, into the programme itself. “We celebrate the opportunity
to bring international artists to the city and to learn from that
cross-cultural exchange,” says Comben. “But in the same way, we also champion
work that is made locally, often by community participants.”
Here are five ways in which the community really does lie at the very heart of
this year’s Brighton Festival."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
