Future for local festival secured

(Date of issue: Monday, 22 September 2008(

The future of Brampton Live is secure following the announcement that Carlisle City Council funding will continue for the event for the next two years.

Carlisle City Council has confirmed that they will continue grant support for the events staged in 2009 and 2010.

The management of the event is being transferred to Brampton Live Festival Ltd, a newly established group, led by Ken and Sue Bradburn from Emerging Music, along with others who have longstanding experience in festival and event management. The new company is actively fundraising and will be speaking to a range of potential sponsors.

The City Council will continue supporting the new group and will ensure the event’s management is transferred successfully.

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said:

"Brampton Live is a well established event and it is important that we do everything to make it bigger and better. By working with the new management company we can ensure that it develops and grows. We will continue to support it by what ever means we can, but we feel that its now time for the organisation of the event to be transferred across. There’s real potential for it to move forward, including the opportunity to access funding streams that are no longer available to the City Council.

"This signals a new stage for the festival and we look forward to working with, and supporting, Brampton Live Festival Ltd and all its members."

Ken and Sue Bradburn speaking on behalf of the new company, said:

"We are absolutely delighted to have the support of Carlisle City Council. We are confident that the festival will continue to grow and benefit the community for many years to come."

The first Brampton Live festival took place in 1995. Since then it has grown each year, and is now the biggest folk/roots music festival in the north of England. The festival aims to promote artists of the highest quality, drawing on a broad spectrum of contemporary roots music from across the world. It is staged in William Howard School, Brampton. This year’s event was held between 18 – 20 July.

The dates for next year's event will be confirmed shortly.