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18/5/2009 - Cumbria festivals and events shortlisted for county council support

A raft of festivals and cultural events planned in Cumbria have been lined up for a slice of county council cash to help them get through the recession and boost tourism and the local economy.

Following an invitation from the county council for festivals and events to apply for a share of the extra funding made available in the 2009/10 county council Budget agreed in February, 17 projects worth over £2.25 million are now in line to receive the financial support after some stiff competition.

The 17 events range from major music festivals through to quintessential traditional Cumbrian events. Funding will be confirmed for the events if they meet the requirements of the scheme once they submit their final applications by 5 June.

All of the shortlisted events have already shown that they merit support and have the potential to make a positive contribution to the economy of Cumbria through attracting regional and national audiences and raising the cultural profile of the county.

The council will allocate the cash from The Major Cultural Events Strategic Support Fund intended to stimulate cultural events and festivals in Cumbria and help offset the impact of the loss of sponsorship and business support that some events are experiencing during the current economic downturn.

Bruce Bennison, Head of Cultural Policy at Cumbria County Council, said:

"We had a strong showing of 49 bids for this first selection stage. We have had to narrow this down to the 17 strongest bids and now have some extremely promising events which could provide a major boost for Cumbria. If all these events go ahead, the county will have a real cultural buzz about it."

The support is part of a £273,000 package agreed in the 2009/10 Budget, which includes funds allocated to the Cultural Olympiad programme leading up to the London 2012 Olympics and extra investment in event promotion and marketing, in partnership with Cumbria Tourism.

ENDS

Media enquiries to Gareth Cosslett, News Manager on 01228 226332