Arts Council England (ACE) has shown its support for the four-day European Brass Band Festival by awarding a £116,000 grant to the event’s organiser, Brass Bands England (BBE). In addition to the events taking place across Birmingham Town Hall and Symphony Hall from Thursday 28 April - Sunday 1 May, the award now means that an outdoor stage will showcase youth bands and community ensembles along with some of the international competing bands.
Brass Bands England is delighted to announce that an Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant to support The European Brass Band Festival has been awarded in recognition from Arts Council England that the total project is ‘nationally significant’. This invaluable support has meant that, alongside the 20-plus bands taking part in competitive events inside Birmingham Symphony Hall, many more are able to perform as part of the festival on an outdoor Community Stage erected on Centenary Square.
BBE’s Education and Development Manager, Sarah Baumann, commented: “This incredible grant from Arts Council England means that the Festival can now truly show everything that brass banding has to offer! This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to promote banding to the wider public and showcase what we love so much to new audiences in the centre of Birmingham.”
A wide range of ensembles are due to perform on the Outdoor Stage including the European Youth Brass Band, City of Birmingham Brass Band and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Brass Band, alongside school ensembles and youth bands.
There are limited performance opportunities still available for community ensembles, youth bands and school groups to perform on the Community Stage, with travel bursaries available to support those travelling from outside of the area to perform. Any bands interested in this opportunity should contact Sarah Baumann directly on sarah@bbe.org.uk.
Performances taking place on the Community Stage will be free to access for all, and weekend Combi Tickets or bookings for individual events can be purchased via the B:music website where you’ll find the full Festival programme, including further concerts featuring the Band of HM Royal Marines, National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
Organisation of the event is being managed by Brass Bands England, in partnership with the European Brass Band Association. For more information about the European Brass Band Festival please visit the Brass Bands England website.
Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants is Arts Council England’s open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects. The fund supports thousands of individual artists, community and cultural organisations. Any bands looking for support in their fundraising, including guidance in applying to Arts Council England, should familiarise themselves with Brass Bands England’s Fundraising Service, which offers experience fundraising expertise to BBE members at a discount price.
View the Outdoor Stage line-up
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Image credit: Lorne Campbell. Featuring students from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire who will be involved in the Festival either performing or volunteering: Archie McVicar - tuba, Anabel Voigt - tenor horn, Phoebe Snook -flugelhorn, Rossano Law - euphonium, Nadia James -cornet, Mikey Foley-Hall - cornet, Greg Male -trombone