I HAVE a possible solution to put forward with regard to festivals in the Forest of Dean. After taking on board the many diverse opinions about The Severn Revels Festival, the following facts have become clear:
1. The Revels organisers, Dean Arts, have always provided quality cultural and world music events in the Forest, plus schools workshops and artist exchanges.
2. The Forest's villages and towns also provide many celebrations of Forest life – ie Coleford Music Festival, Newent Onion Fair, Newnham's Passage 2000, Forest Enterprise – Beechenhurst events, Forest Food Fair, Dean Heritage Centre, Sculpture Trail, Open Studios, Hay Barn Gallery, Cinderford Artspace, Clearwell Caves, Steam Fairs, Forest of Dean Theatre, music, poetry, bands, exhibitions, performances plus Forest Artworks' Community Radio and forthcoming film festival.
3. The Forest of Dean has some of Britain's most beautiful scenery, we have a good selection of accommodation, venues and hostelries. We also have a rich local history and traditional cultures.
4. We all want a celebration, a community festival that appeals to all, that is not in anyone's "backyard" and does not need a high police presence.
Perhaps a way ahead is not to have a site based festival. Perhaps we need a Dean Festival that lasts a season or a month. A rolling programme that involves a wide spread of Forest villages, towns and venues, using local talents whilst also bringing in world music and cultures.
There are so many excellent events occurring in the Forest already – they could be co-ordinated and other events brought in.
Hereford, Monmouth, Ross, Ledbury, Gloucester, all stage yearly festivals that grow from strength to strength and are sustainable both economically and creatively.
We need the tourism and boost a Forest festival could bring as a regular event. We don't want to lose our community arts festival, we are looking for a positive solution.
I have written to Jim Stewart at the Forest of Dean District Council and asked for his comments and that of the review committee. – Sue Dubois (Passage 2000).