Devizes Arts Organisation Launches Fundraiser to Save Future Community Events

Featured Image by Simon Folkard

Following the announcement earlier this year about the cancellation of the Devizes International Street Festival due the loss of Arts Council funding, DOCA has been working hard to enable the remaining core community events to go ahead without charging an attendance fee.

The Arts Council funding covered all events and not just the Street Festival, but by cutting out the more costly and time consuming event, they’ve been able to push ahead with Picnic in the Park, Carnival and Confetti Battle with the Colour Rush using a combination of reserves and local fundraising.

Having just completed a very successful and well received Picnic in the Park on Sunday, at which the attendees were happy to donate a suggested ticket price of £5 if they could, DOCA are looking ahead to the much loved Devizes Carnival on 31st August. A crowd-funder has been set up to raise the funds necessary for the operational costs such as barrier hire and first aid, as well as the workshops to support participation. This crowd-funder is nearing the end of its run and they desperately need individuals and business to help them hit the target and take it over the finish line in the next few days.

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DOCA have committed to running this year’s Carnival, so if they don’t receive the funding from this public crowdfunder, they will need to cover it all from their reserves. As a charity, this would leave them at risk, as they would not be able to continue fundraising and planning for future events such as the Winter Festival, should the main source of income fall through again.

Production Director Annabel Lake said, “We are doing everything we can to ensure Devizes Carnival doesn’t follow in the sad footsteps of so many other carnivals around the country that have had to cancel in recent years. Having experienced how much Carnival means to the people of Devizes, and the efforts put in by schools and groups across town who have come together to help build it back up again post Covid, it would be a real shame to lose this wonderful traditional event in our town, which dates back well over 100 years. Just think, if each of the 3,000 spectators could afford a £3 donation then we’d be able to cover all the costs ”

The other big challenge being faced is finding enough volunteers to help on the day so if anyone is able to help marshall the event, or can’t afford to contribute money but would still like to support it, please get in touch with DOCA (info@docadevizes.org.uk)… unless of course you want to take part in the parade – it’s easier than ever now whether you are a individual, family, group or even a local business. The theme this year is Home is Where the Heart Is, so it would be great to see local businesses represented in that vision of “Home” as they are such a key part of our town.

The Carnival Crowd-Funder will close on Monday 22nd July. The Carnival parade will take place on Saturday 31st August.