THE ANNUAL Bromsgrove Festival could be revamped to include the town's folk festival, Orchestra of St John MusicFest and a host other events, it has been announced.
Plans for a new Bromsgrove community-wide arts festival have been mooted and those interested in being a part of it are being urged to go along to an open meeting at Avoncroft Museum's Guesten Hall at 7.30pm a week on Wednesday (August 14).
A small group of interested parties have taken on the idea of reinvigorating The Bromsgrove Festival to include the wider Bromsgrove community.
A drop in audiences and local interest in the Bromsgrove Festival in recent years has prompted the move and it is hoped individuals and groups from a variety of art genres will get involved and help reinvigorate it.
Many have expressed feelings that the festival has placed too much emphasis on the classical arts and it is hoped by including a more varied programme it will appeal to the wider community.
The objectives will still be to promote, maintain, improve and advance education and encourage more people to become part of the town's arts scene, whether it be music, singing, drama, mime, dance, painting or sculpture.
One of the group Bob Bignell said: "It is anticipated that the new festival will follow the traditions of bringing the finest performers to Bromsgrove whilst, at the same time, involving local groups of performers and artists from all genres including performance and visual arts.
"It is also hoped that people coming into the area for major events will be encouraged to stay longer to soak up an atmosphere enhanced by the many arts activities Bromsgrove has to offer.
"Bromsgrove Arts Alive, the local umbrella group for local performers, artists, potters, jewellers, defines the arts as 'the conscious arrangement and production of colours, forms, movements, sounds, and all other elements used in a manner that affects our human senses'.
"We want to extend that to the Bromsgrove Festival and make it as popular as it used to be."
The meeting is open to all interested parties but should you have any queries or require more details please do not hesitate to contact Bob Bignell on 0121 476 5938 or email to bromsgrovefestival@live.co .uk
Reproduced by kind permission of The Bromsgrove Standard