Latest news with #Primadonna
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Festival cannot go ahead after recording breaking year due to financial pressures
An annual festival has announced it will not take place this year due to financial pressures. The Primadonna Festival, held at the Food Museum and other venues in Suffolk, announced the news on social media. The festival said: "Despite a record-breaking 2024, rising costs and lack of funding have made it impossible to deliver this year's event. "However, this is not the end. "We are working on a plan to secure Primadonna's future and return at full throttle in 2026. "In the meantime, we'll continue with bespoke events and collaborations to keep the spirit of Primadonna alive." Primadonna Festival assured people that it is not the end (Image: Leo Cackett) The arts, culture and heritage festival has previously hosted the likes of La Roux, Katy Brand, Sandi Toksvig and June Sarpong. Primadonna is aiming to return in 2026 and has received support online.
BBC News
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Suffolk Primadonna Festival cancelled for 2025 due to costs
A literary festival will not take place in the summer due to financial pressures, organisers have Festival has previously been held in different locations across Suffolk and brought writers and readers said despite a "record-breaking" 2024 event at Stowmarket's Food Museum, this year's event would not take place due to "rising costs and lack of funding".However, they added they would work on a plan to return in 2026. Tracey Bleakley, chair of the Primadonna Festival and Prize CIO, said the decision to take a fallow year marked "an important step in our evolution"."We have a brilliant team committed to building on Primadonna's special roots and seeing it thrive in 2026 and beyond, and we'd like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful volunteers, suppliers and partners who have made our festival what it is."With 13 festivals in our region already announcing pauses and cancellations this year, our thoughts also go out to our fellow festival organisers who are struggling to operate in an unprecedentedly difficult climate for festivals and the wider arts sector."Primadonna said last year's event saw the highest-ever audience, artist and volunteer ratings. Earlier this month, Global Rhythm Festival - a world and Caribbean music event based in Ipswich - similarly announced it had been cancelled due to "increased financial pressures".Further afield in Norfolk, Sundown Festival at the county showground said it would not return, and Cambridge Folk Festival cancelled its 60th anniversary celebration. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Seven things found in my mum's Amazon delivery' clinches poem prize
West Yorkshire's newest 'Young Poet Laureates' have been announced by Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, and the nation's Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage. The announcement follows a region-wide search, and the entering in of hundreds of poems by pupils in school years four and nine, after a programme launch by the National Literacy Trust in October. Professional poets have since worked with teachers to encourage children to unleash their creativity, demonstrating how writing and communication skills can help unlock lifelong opportunities. Max from Pontefract won the Year Four category with his poem 'Seven things found in my mum's Amazon delivery.' Ayeshah from Calderdale impressed the judges in the older group to win with her poem 'Primadonna.' The 2025 winners will take over from West Yorkshire's first-ever Young Poet Laureates, Alina Brdar and Isabelle Walker. The latter pair have performed at several high-profile events in the region over the past 12 months, including the annual Convention of the North, the British Library's 50th anniversary celebrations, and the BBC's Contains Strong Language festival. Ms Brabin said: "Alina and Isabelle have been phenomenal ambassadors for young creativity in our region over the past year, and I can't wait to see Max and Ayeshah follow in their footsteps. "Our region is bursting with talent and opportunities, and all of these incredible young poets have bright futures ahead of them. "We're building a region of learning and creativity in West Yorkshire, where young people are empowered to follow their passions and contribute to a stronger, brighter region." Sharena Lee Satti, project manager at the National Literacy Trust, said: "Writing for pleasure among children and young people in Yorkshire and the Humber is at an all-time low. "We want to ensure that no child misses out on the valuable wellbeing benefits of writing for pleasure. "The West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureate is empowering children across the region to rediscover the joys of writing and to express themselves through poetry. "Our winners Max and Ayeshah will now go on to serve as our second cohort of West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureates and help inspire their peers throughout the region to pick up a pen and give poetry a go." West Yorkshire's two new laureates were officially appointed by the mayor at a celebration event held at Mind The Gap in Bradford on January 26. For more information, please visit
