I’ll never forget local photographer Gail Foster some years ago, pulling down her camera from a shot, turning to me with an expression of joy, telling me this was “my favourite day in Devizes.” And last year, I was so overwhelmed as I got on stage to introduce the bands, to see smiling faces crammed the entire Market Place and bottlenecked through the Little Brittox, I understood how much the festival meant to us all and how it brings us all together for one weekend….
It rings home for us all, DOCA’s International Street Festival was that one time when the people of this town could gather freely, and it has been loved by us all, and now I’m nearly driven to tears to have to put that in the past tense. Sadly, it looks like that date will pass us by this year, as due to loss of financial support from the Arts Council of England, this year, the festival has been cancelled.
DOCA have said, “it is with sadness that we announce the cancellation of the International Street Festival 2024 due to loss of funding from the Arts Council. For over twenty years the DOCA team have worked hard to secure funding from the Arts Council England in order to run our extensive programme of community events and keep them free for everyone to enjoy. As a result of the change in the funding landscape nationwide, we will be looking for more local support to enable our other events to go ahead.”
“The loss of the International Street Festival as part of Devizes’ free cultural event calendar is very upsetting, but here at DOCA we hope that by removing the largest and most expensive event to deliver, we can concentrate time and resources on making Picnic in the Park, Carnival, Confetti Battle and Colour Rush go ahead, whilst also looking ahead to secure funding for the Winter Festival.”
“Alongside the ACE funding, we have always been very grateful for the community support we receive from our Festival Makers, local businesses, and beyond. We will soon launch new ways for you to support these events – keep an eye on our social media and website over the next few weeks to see how you can help either financially or with your time.”
My personal gut reaction is one of great annoyance and sadness, knowing how hard everyone worked to stage this colossal event for Devizes. The Arts Council has obviously been cut by the government, and I genuinely fear life in general in this country is being ground down to the commercial level of a third world state where nothing is given with heart.
Entertainment is going the same way as sport has for the past decade, only those who can afford to have fun will have fun. Staging free community-driven events like this will be confined to history books; they don’t want you to enjoy life unless you pay, even for a day; work, eat, sleep, repeat.
Yet we seem to have the cash to construct a completely unnecessary and destructive tunnel under Stonehenge, we still find the money for Royal celebrations and a subsidised restaurant in Westminster, to hoist an old oil rig into Weston and put a waterfall on it for a temporary art installation, and we still find the cash to bail out politicians like Michelle Donelan for her slanderous personal Tweets. But we haven’t got the money to feed children during a pandemic, we haven’t got money for state education, healthcare, so we certainly haven’t got the money for a party in a small town; use your head, and show them at the polling booths, it is the only way now, please.
Sigh, I know, I know, I’m tetchy and a huff. At least the rest of DOCA’s Summer Programme will proceed as planned, but for now, this is blow to the town. You could always express your concerns directly to the supposed Arts Council HERE.
devizine.com 
Thanks for the heads-up re cancellation of DOCA’s ISF. Deeply shocked and very disappointed for our community. Have commented on the AC website as follows:
“Whilst I realise your funding has been shamefully cut by the Govt, I remained shocked and deeply disappointed that, after years of support, you have refused to continue to help fund Devizes Arts Festival’s free International Street Festival, resulting in the cancellation of one of the major public events in the town. It seems that in our poor country under the current regime, despite high taxes, the public can only have fun if they pay for it directly. This is a shameful state of affairs, adding further to the divide between the uber-rich of Govt leaders and those who pay for them to lead our country instead of just using it as a means to enrich themselves further. Shame on you, and even greater shame on the Govt!”
Doubt it will have much, if any effect, but if enough of us protest, perhaps in future, they may take heed. Roll on the GE!
Kind regards
Cllr Judy Rose
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Thank you Judy, it is a sad day.
Lend me the corn exchange for a day, and a budget for performers;
any profit made is the Council’s or donate it to a chosen charity.
My vision is an alternative art gallery through the foyer and on the level. Stalls by day in the ceres hall, with bands on the stage, bigger bands on the stage in the evening. A guest chef in the kitchen.
Downstairs in the exchange we host our youth bands for the teenagers, a dance party into the evening as usual. Upstairs we can have a younger kids comic making workshop, so adults know their little ones are occupied.
Thats my dream, but like all great ideas, I’ve no money to fund it.
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I’ll chat to Guardians’ colleagues about your idea at our Monday meeting. Don’t hold out much hope, as it’s a big financial commitment, and the TC already support DOCA, so such funding is tight already. However, nothing ventured etc etc
Alternative is to consider plugging the financial gap left by the AC, but I suspect it may be too late this year, given that the TC already gives DOCA financial support.
Anyway, we’ll see what, if anything, can be done in the future at least.
Kind regards
Judy
Cllr Judy Rose Devizes Town Council Devizes Guardians
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