29/5/2008Festival Wars
AS GLASGOW'S champion arts event, the West End Festival has had its title largely uncontested for 13 years.
But now it faces a battle with a new upstart, a rival month-long festival with £20,000 backing from Glasgow City Council in the South Side.
In the South corner, venues in-and-around Shawlands will stage dozens of live music and comedy events from Monday, culminating in a carnival at Queen's Park on June 28.
In the West corner, an extravaganza of shows and events, the highlight of which is the Mardi Gras street party, will run from June 13-29.
West End Festival organisers admit they're a bit worried about the calendar clash. But the South Side bosses are quietly optimistic they'll give the West End event a run for its money.
Langside councillor James Dornan, one of the driving forces behind the new festival which is expected to attract thousands of people, said: "We're not worried about the clash as this is an event for the South Side.
"It's bigger than we would have hoped in our first year but though we're not as big as the West End Festival, yet!, we will be building on this."
Michael Dale, director of the West End Festival, which is backed with £55,000 from the city council and is expected to attract 140,000 people, supports the South Side event.
But he confessed: "I don't understand why they couldn't have had it in July, nothing happens in Glasgow then.
"Councillor Dornan picked my brains about holding a festival but Glasgow will struggle to sustain so many events at the same time."
Theatre Resources Arts Management Direct, based in Netherlee, is co-ordinating the South Side event in partnership with Glasgow City Council. The event will receive funds from the city council, commercial sponsors and National Lottery.
Isobel Barrett, festival director with TRAM, said of the Queen's Park carnival: "It's bound to be a fabulous day and we need as many people as possible to get involved.
"We would love to hear from people, including sponsors."
Meanwhile, it is estimated that this year's West End Festival Mardis Gras could attract as many as 90,000 people.
For more info see www.westendfestival.co.uk and www.southsidefestival.co.uk
But now it faces a battle with a new upstart, a rival month-long festival with £20,000 backing from Glasgow City Council in the South Side.
In the South corner, venues in-and-around Shawlands will stage dozens of live music and comedy events from Monday, culminating in a carnival at Queen's Park on June 28.
In the West corner, an extravaganza of shows and events, the highlight of which is the Mardi Gras street party, will run from June 13-29.
West End Festival organisers admit they're a bit worried about the calendar clash. But the South Side bosses are quietly optimistic they'll give the West End event a run for its money.
Langside councillor James Dornan, one of the driving forces behind the new festival which is expected to attract thousands of people, said: "We're not worried about the clash as this is an event for the South Side.
"It's bigger than we would have hoped in our first year but though we're not as big as the West End Festival, yet!, we will be building on this."
Michael Dale, director of the West End Festival, which is backed with £55,000 from the city council and is expected to attract 140,000 people, supports the South Side event.
But he confessed: "I don't understand why they couldn't have had it in July, nothing happens in Glasgow then.
"Councillor Dornan picked my brains about holding a festival but Glasgow will struggle to sustain so many events at the same time."
Theatre Resources Arts Management Direct, based in Netherlee, is co-ordinating the South Side event in partnership with Glasgow City Council. The event will receive funds from the city council, commercial sponsors and National Lottery.
Isobel Barrett, festival director with TRAM, said of the Queen's Park carnival: "It's bound to be a fabulous day and we need as many people as possible to get involved.
"We would love to hear from people, including sponsors."
Meanwhile, it is estimated that this year's West End Festival Mardis Gras could attract as many as 90,000 people.
For more info see www.westendfestival.co.uk and www.southsidefestival.co.uk
