The annual
Waterford Council Festival Budget distribution, took place at the first Plenary
Council meeting of the year. Much of what was brought into the public gallery
was of course discussed, agreed and preordained, behind closed doors, in “secret”
Committee Meetings. With circa €1,400,000 to be allocated across the whole City
and County, this is one of the key functions of our 32 sitting Councillors.
With all
things budgetary, there are of course metaphorical swings and roundabouts. Some
festivals/events in 2016 were one-offs and obviously some applications did not
make the grade. The process involves the Council Executive assessing the
organiser’s application for funding and this is then brought to our Councillors
for ratification. Accompanied by an
associated increase or reduction in grant funding. The process is lengthy,
involved and forensic. But it has to be, as these are after all public funds
and transparency is paramount to the whole procedure.
The four big
ticket items for 2017 are Winterval, with €430,000 being allocated and a
potential income of around €250,000 from sponsorship, stall income etc. The
Winterval committee will, I am sure, be re-jigged this year and I have no doubt
that such is the size of the grant allocation, this will have to go out to national
tender. Our two excellent food festivals, Harvest (September) and WWFF (April),
receive around €150,000, which like Winterval, will be counterbalanced by some
additional income. The Sean Kelly Tour (August) is supported by €180,000, which
is, I assume, front loaded to offset later income sources and is therefore, in
reality, cost neutral for the Council.
Finally,
Spraoi (August), is supported by a grant of €67,000, which of all the festival
allocations is probably not enough. Considering this was the event that started
our love affair with festivals and events. Spraoi will shortly be celebrating their
25th Birthday and perhaps we could ask our Councillors to be mindful
of this and save up a few Euro, in the build-up to what will be a worthy
celebration, in the coming year/s ahead?
The breadth
and variety of festivals and events right across Waterford, is something to
behold. From Lismore to Tramore, Dunmore to Ardmore, Comeraghs to Dungarvan.....there
are so many to choose from, that in reality we do not need to venture outside
of our county boundary to find something that tickles our fancy.
There are,
within these processes, losers. Some events have had to have a funding cut, due
to the very tight financial constraints which our Council must work with,
because of continued reductions in Central Government funding. This in turn
puts pressure on Councils to increase Commercial Rates, Local Property Tax and
that wonderful “Cash cow”, that is car parking charges. In future years, to
keep our festivals and events going, we will without doubt, need to spread less
money further. This will be a challenge and in time may be easier to get blood
out of a stone, than more Government support, allowing us to experience the
wide variety of festivals we host.
The biggest
cut was to the Summerval Festival. You will recall that back in August, I asked
the question in this very column, “Are we getting Summerval(u)?”. For 2017 this
will revert back to a “Summer in the City” type festival. This has excellent
foundations, to build a first rate brand and with the support of ArtBeat, we
should see a Summer long programme of events. Starting the June bank holiday
and ending early September.
Circa 70 festivals/events
were granted some form of Council assistance. Ranging from a few hundred Euro,
to hundreds of thousands of Euro. I suppose that the tricky part will be
encouraging all these festivals and events cross promote. Working together for
the betterment of the whole County and across the wider South East region. If
we are to put our stamp on the festivals and events map then we need to shout
collectively!
Just look
at what Galway espouses! According to their blurb, they are Ireland’s only
festival City – a hum!
Happy Burns
Night as well!
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