LO1: Research Into 5 Festivals

LO1: Research Into Various Festivals

Preston Guild:

·        Historic celebration since 1179 when King Henry II gave Preston the right to have a Guild Merchant.

·        Unique- only guild still celebrated in whole of UK

·        Once every twenty years

·        2012 next festival

·        Each Guild- own identity/ over 800 year heritage

·        Lots of people get involved including artist/ businesses, athletes and performers.

·        Evolved over centuries.

·        Always been about people including those who plan, participate in and promote it.

·        Will be known as an ongoing thing and previous Preston Guild festivals not forgotten as stories are passed on from grandparent to their children and grandchildren.

·        Traditionally carried banners/ trade emblems, and wore colourful costumes.

·        18^th century- increasingly elaborate with decorated platforms.

·        Various trades involved, some always involved (carpenters, butchers), cotton industry (first time 1802), then new trades such as nuclear power, male order catalogues, electronics and aircraft building more recently (1972/1992).

·        Always drawn large crowds of visitors.

·        Balloon ascents, feasts etc.

Target Audience:

Everyone can take part as there is something for everybody, not just people of Preston.

Artistic Policy:

·        Something for everyone

·        Floats, walking groups, musical accompaniments.  

·        Costumes

·        Bands/ marching processions representing schools, the voluntary sector, communities, charities, youth groups, sports clubs etc.

·        Any kinds of trade

·        Imaginative

Funding:

·        Council funding

Kumbh Mela:

·        Hindu pilgramage

·        Largest gathering of people for religious purposes in the world

·        Gather at the Ganges River

·        3 types- Normal Kumbh Mela every three years, Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela every six years and Purna (complete) Kumbh Mela every 12 years.

·        In addition to the three above, the Maha (great) Kumbh Mela is held every 144 years and is held at Allahabad, previously attended by more than 60 million people in 2001, largest gathering ever recorded at time.

·        Last Ardh Kumbh Mela held over 45 day period, with 70 million Hindus partaking in 2007.

·        Bathe in River Ganges, to become free from their past sins (Karma), with a pure lifestyle required afterwards

·        Any Hindu can attend, young or old, rich or poor

·        Market areas, entirely vegetarian food, snake charmers, singing, religious discussions.

·        Dates back to India’s Vedic period where River Festivals first organised.

·        Hindus believe that after a fight involving the Gods and Demons for the pot of amrita (nectar of immortality), Lord Vishnu flew away with the Kumbha Urn, causing drops of this to be spilt in four places Prayag, Hardiwar, Ujjain and Nashik, where the Kumbh Mela are held.

·        Kumbha- Sanskrit for Pitcher (round pot with no handles), and Mela means a gathering.

·        Kumbha- zodiac sign for Aquarius in Indian Astrology for Aquarius.

Target Audience:

Hindus

Artistic Policy:

·        Some unusual things such as snake charmers, elephants, camels etc.

·        Market stalls- but strictly vegetarian food

·        Believe in bringing Hindus together as a group for activities, as that is what the Gods would want.

Funding:

One Big Weekend:

·        Held in Bolton, at Leverhulme Park

·        Thursday 16^th September 2010 and lasted four days.

·        Over 4500 visitors.

·        Events included Tower FM Live Show, Big Foot Monster truck show, Emmerdale Celebrity Support etc.

·        For the whole family, bringing the people of Bolton together.

·        Amir Khan, the Mayor, and Paddy and Marlon from Emmerdale started proceedings at 5pm on the first day.

·        Organised by Henry Hill- Bolton Northwest Funfairs.

·        Money raised from the event to go to Mayor’s Charity, Royal Manchester Hospital and to help victims of the floods in Pakistan.

·        Included two firework displays, Bolton’s very own beach complete with sand, as well as things to appeal to youngsters such as a Children’s Inflatable Play Area and a huge funfair.

Target Audience:

Mainly people from Bolton.

Artistic Policy:

·        Radio stations such as Tower FM live show.

·        A few celebrities such as Amir Khan and people from Eastenders.

Funding:

·        Officially sponsored by Metro Salvage- Scrap Removal Specialist

Cannes Film Festival:

Established to rival the Venice Film Festival, by Jean Zay, Minister of Education And Fine Arts

First edition originally set for 1939, but put back to 20^th September 1946 due to the war.

Held every September from then on (excluding 1948 and 1950), and every May from 1952 onwards.

Lots of various sections including:

The Official Section: the festival's main event

Parallel Sections: dedicated to discovering other aspects of cinema and non-competitive

as well as other Sections and events.

Juries are chosen prior to the beginning of each event and appointed by the festival's board of Directors. They are chosen from an internationally wide range of artists, based on their work and respect from peers. They are solely responsible for choosing which films will receive Cannes awards. There are juries for various sections such as Feature Films, short Film etc.

There are many awards awarded at the festival, the highest being the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) for best film.

Target Audience:

Strictly film professionals only and those who are invited.

Artistic Policy:

Both feature length and shirt films, with arthouse cinema as well as the more conventional. 

Directed just at film professionals.

Glastonbury:

Best known for music, but features dance, comedy, circus, theatre and cabaret among others. 

Largest greenfield music/ performing arts festival in the world- more than a mile and a half across with an eight and a half mile perimeter.

Accommodates all musical tastes with acoustic and Jazzworld for the more laid back listeners as well as more heavy rock music.

Lots of different areas and stages like the two mentioned above, Dance Vllage, Pyramid Stage etc.

Festival began 1970, the day after the death of Jimi Hendrix.

Target Audience:

Try to make it appeal to both younger and older people with different sections for each

Fans of music in particular, but also a wide range of performing arts including dance and theatre.

Artistic Policy:

Music- all different types of genres

Theatre

Dance

Circus

Theatre carabet

Funding:

All money raised goes to charities, with over one million pounds each year been given to them. 

Patrick Johnson 11S1