SNAPSHOT
2019
NORFOLK & NORWICH FESTIVAL... ...is an arts charity delivering a fantastic annual celebration in Norwich and across Norfolk each May, and a number of other ambitious initiatives across the county and region each year. We believe in the importance of creativity to everyone, every day – no matter their background. This review provides a snapshot of 2019’s Festival. We celebrate our 250th anniversary over three successive Festivals from 2020 to 2022 - during this time we will explore our role as a festival and to our audiences through art, young people, social responsibility, diversity and placemaking.
Photo: JMA Photography
Our vision: Norfolk & Norwich Festival shares exceptional arts experiences across East England. We lead and support celebration, creativity and curiosity in our community to make our part of the world a great place to live, work and play.
2019 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS The team at Norfolk & Norwich Festival is delighted with the overwhelmingly generous and positive response from audiences, supporters, partners and artists for our 2019 Festival. The Festival really did offer something for everyone but we can’t help but highlight a few of our favourite things in 2019. We invested in, and supported, artists to create a fantastic line-up of contemporary British performance: From The Journey, our dramatic Festivalproduced high-wire launch; through Curious’ Wild Longings at the Plantation Garden; to Andy Field and Beckie Darlington’s children-led News News News. We invited artists from around the world to share their work with us here in Norfolk. From Mariam Batsashvili and Afriquoi to Chilly Gonzales, we were treated to world-class music and performance. Our Garden Party weekend was again a huge success, providing free and accessible family-oriented arts for all – important as we increasingly look to spread our work to wider audiences. We also continued our strong tradition of pioneering bold and unexpected outdoor works. These experiences, including Ray Lee’s Congregation (world premiere) and Johannes Bellinkx’s Reverse (UK premiere), utilised technology to challenge expectations. Local artist Will Teather’s Globes (Festival commission) tempted visitors and locals alike to view the city from an altered perspective. As well as exciting new collaborations, it was a treat to welcome back artists and companies with whom we have developed deep and long-lasting relationships. Britten Sinfonia’s triumphant Beethoven concert series led by Thomas Adès concluded with Symphony No. 9; Stopgap Dance completed their three-year programme working with an integrated company of disabled and non-disabled local performers; and we presented a trio of Hoipolloi performances across the city - celebrating 25 years of the company’s compelling storytelling. A huge thank you to all the businesses, funders, partners and individuals who made this year’s Festival such a success. We look forward to you joining us between 8 and 24 May 2020 for our next Festival.
Daniel Brine Artistic Director and Chief Executive
AT A GLANCE THE FESTIVAL IN NUMBERS
17
85,000+
111
44,198
days in May
production companies putting on...
316
performances across...
37
venues including a courtroom, a castle, a shop, a restaurant, a model village & Norfolk’s big, open skies
audience members
tickets sold including...
7,026
tickets for the Adnams Spiegeltent (at least)
341 backflips
A SIMPLE SPACE Gravity & Other Myths Adnams Spiegeltent
167
230
miles walked backwards in Johannes Bellinkx’s Reverse
metres of highwire
1,671
world & UK premieres
Under 26 & student tickets sold
15
133
working with
volunteers dedicating...
1,667
3,200
children & young people including...
hours
32
schools in Norfolk Photo: JMA Photography
WHO AND WHERE? OUR FESTIVAL AUDIENCE Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2019 attracted a record-breaking audience to a programme of performance, music, literature, visual and outdoor arts.
85,000+ 44,198 41,101
Total Audience
People attending free events
Paid Ticketed Audience
10%
16-29 years*
24% Age
30 - 44 years
43%
45 - 64 years
23%
65 + years
51,850
61% from Norwich
28,050
33% from the rest of Norfolk
2,550
3% from the rest of East Anglia
2,550
3% from the rest of UK *under-16s not surveyed
Location
CHILLI KIDS DANCE CLASS Meet Me at the Spiegeltent
97%
of audiences rated performances as good
of audiences responded that they were likely to attend a future Festival event
Photo: Mary Doggett
93%
79%
GARDEN PARTY
Photo: JMA Photography
of audiences agree that Norfolk & Norwich Festival encourages participation in community life and events
ALL TOGETHER NOW ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES Alongside our artistic programme on the streets and in the venues of the city and county, we deliver an ambitious Creative Learning Programme taking arts activities into schools and isolated communities; coordinating a massive volunteer programme; offering unique Festival participation opportunities and a lively community programme – Meet Me at the Spiegeltent.
working with
engaging
children and young people over...
community members across...
1,667 116
1,566 16
free sessions in our Spiegeltent
sessions and workshops in...
32
schools across Norfolk including...
10 schools from areas of deprivation or with special educational needs
facilitating
324
Arts Award Discover working with
133 volunteers
A FESTIVAL FOR ALL INCLUSIVITY We seek, in all our work, to reflect the diversity and difference of England today and are committed to being inclusive regardless of age, background, beliefs or orientation. We seek to reflect this diversity and difference in our artists, audiences and workforce. We are striving to make Norfolk & Norwich Festival for everyone.
19%
of the programme led by BAME* artists and/or artists with disabilities
13.5%
of Festival volunteers identify as part of the LGBTQ+** community
9%
of volunteers identify as having a disability
96
free events
175 access tickets
164
free companion tickets
1,671
Under 26 & student tickets
Supported & Inclusive Volunteering We expanded our Buddy scheme with new supported volunteer roles to involve 13 people with learning difficulties. *Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic ** Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Other
JOURNEY VISUAL ART WORKSHOP With Kate Munro
agree that Norfolk & Norwich Festival is welcoming for the whole community
Photo: Paul Harrison
86%
‘I came together with other people from the other Year 5 class and made new friends. I learnt that I want to be involved in acting.’
News News News Andy Field, Beckie Darlington & Norwich Primary Academy
Photo: Beckie Darlington
Norwich Primary Academy student and future actor
CASE STUDY NEWS NEWS NEWS A live news broadcast created by children, for adults, News News News flipped the script on this traditional television format by handing power to young people in an ambitious Festival co-commission. Led by artists Andy Field and Beckie Darlington, the project saw pupils from Norwich Primary Academy trained in journalism and film production, as they ventured beyond the school gates to interview local politicians, food bank workers and neighbours on the issues that mattered to them. News News News culminated in ten pupils presenting a live Festival show at a packed Norwich Playhouse, which was simultaneously broadcast online and given rapturous four-star reviews in The Times and The Stage. At a time when there is more news than there has ever been and yet our trust in journalists is at an all-time low, News News News challenged our grown-up perspective whilst offering the students a chance to grow, think, make friends, explore and question.
Heather Denny, Vice Principal, Norwich Primary Academy ‘All of the students’ confidence has grown and that was evident throughout the workshops and in the final performance. Now that they are back at school they continue to show that the experience has helped them in the classroom or focused them into possible professions in the media industry in the future.’
FROM MALI TO THE MARKET AMAZING ART EXPERIENCES FROM ACROSS NORFOLK AND AROUND THE WORLD As a Festival we celebrate artistic excellence, presenting and commissioning exciting new work, supporting local talent and bringing the finest artists from across the globe. We present them all in wonderful venues and interesting places and spaces around Norfolk and across Norwich – helping in our ambition to create a fantastic Festival City.
50+ 12
world premieres
local artists
9
31 Festival commissions
countries represented
3
UK premieres
THE TURBANS Adnams Spiegeltent
Photo: JMA Photography
‘It was a wonderful festival; we loved being part of it, and learnt a massive amount. Thank you for looking after us so well.’ Festival Artist
‘It made me realise why I moved to Norfolk’
Photo: JMA Photography
Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2019 Audience Member
FROCK & FRIPPERY Stopgap Dance Millenium Plain, Norwich
MAKING NORFOLK & NORWICH A BETTER PLACE IN THE SPOTLIGHT
96%
of audiences agree that Norfolk & Norwich Festival is good for the image of the region
53
100+
53
National & Regional Press Reviews
pieces in local press
pieces of coverage by the BBC
KEEPING IT GREEN To reduce our carbon footprint we make sure to only use food vendors and stallholders from Norfolk and to provide locally sourced food and drink for artists and crew. This year we introduced our Green Team volunteer initiative to help us promote a green approach to Festival audiences.
We sold
245 reusable water bottles
We used only reusable or compostable cups at our bar
We served
100%
compostable food containers and cutlery We provided free water refill stations
CRUNCHING NUMBERS FESTIVAL FINANCES £814,500
Arts Council England Funding
£284,400 Ticket Sales
Total Income
£151,400
£1,545,000
Other Earned Income
£166,600
Sponsorships, Gifts and Trusts & Foundations
£128,100
Local Authority Support (£118,000 from Norwich City Council) This year’s Festival... ...generated
...spent
£3.2m £640k
...provided
28
worth of economic activity in Norfolk, equating to...
on artist fees, expenses & programming costs
permanent jobs
£188k
£905k
130
for each of the 17 days of the Festival
*figures correct as of September 2019
on production & organisation costs, including contracts with local suppliers
casual staff positions over the Festival period
FESTIVAL PROJECTS While the Festival explodes across Norwich and Norfolk for 17 days each May, our work goes on year-round with communities across the county. We manage several projects outside the Festival itself that help deliver our objectives.
FESTIVAL BRIDGE Festival Bridge creates and facilitates partnerships and networks that improve the cultural offer for children and young people across Cambridge, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.This year Festival Bridge...
...worked with
...delivered
...facilitated
schools
Arts Awards
Artsmark programmes
1,259
3,993
265
Common Ground is one of our recent pilot projects that enables young people from backgrounds of low cultural engagement to lead and develop new and exciting ways to engage in their local heritage.
NORFOLK & NORWICH OPEN STUDIOS Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios celebrates the creative talents of the visual arts and crafts community in Norfolk. Over 16 days in June artists open their studios to visitors who can learn about, enjoy and buy new art.
269 studios across six 430 artists taking part 31,881 people visiting
47
91
areas of Norfolk:
52
32 19
* 28
SEE YOU IN 2020 Fri 8 - Sun 24 May
Principal Funders
Front cover photo: Julian Claxton
Norfolk & Norwich Festival Trust is a registered charity (number 1164424)