The background to Blackheath Music Festival
2024 will see the running of the 35th Blackheath Music Festival as an in-person festival.
The first Blackheath Music Festival was held in May 1988. It was founded when Lewisham Festival – one of the largest local authority and multi-disciplinary festivals in the country – was ended in 1986. Blackheath Music Festival has always been a music-only festival, and is affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals.
There are over 300 Federation festivals across the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands. There are also member festivals in Europe, Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Most of these festivals have a wide range of music, speech and dance opportunities for amateur performers, whilst some are more specialist, perhaps offering just choral, band or stage dance events. Whatever the discipline, each offers a unique platform for performance.
To date Blackheath Music Festival has provided a platform for over 17,500 performances, giving each performer a chance to develop his or her skills and confidence in a public arena. Everything that this festival does grows from our desire to offer the performer an enhanced performance opportunity in good surroundings, under good performance conditions, and to receive immediate positive feedback from distinguished professional adjudicators. As at all festivals, the element of competition is entirely secondary.
Festivals have many objectives. Many famous names found their first platform at their local festival and, happily, some have never forgotten that and give the festival movement staunch support year on year. But, even more importantly, festivals develop transferable skills that all performers will use throughout their lives from their first job interview onwards. Most will not make their career in the arts but will become that educated audience who will keep the arts alive in the 21st century.
The first Blackheath Music Festival was held in May 1988. It was founded when Lewisham Festival – one of the largest local authority and multi-disciplinary festivals in the country – was ended in 1986. Blackheath Music Festival has always been a music-only festival, and is affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals.
There are over 300 Federation festivals across the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands. There are also member festivals in Europe, Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Most of these festivals have a wide range of music, speech and dance opportunities for amateur performers, whilst some are more specialist, perhaps offering just choral, band or stage dance events. Whatever the discipline, each offers a unique platform for performance.
To date Blackheath Music Festival has provided a platform for over 17,500 performances, giving each performer a chance to develop his or her skills and confidence in a public arena. Everything that this festival does grows from our desire to offer the performer an enhanced performance opportunity in good surroundings, under good performance conditions, and to receive immediate positive feedback from distinguished professional adjudicators. As at all festivals, the element of competition is entirely secondary.
Festivals have many objectives. Many famous names found their first platform at their local festival and, happily, some have never forgotten that and give the festival movement staunch support year on year. But, even more importantly, festivals develop transferable skills that all performers will use throughout their lives from their first job interview onwards. Most will not make their career in the arts but will become that educated audience who will keep the arts alive in the 21st century.