Astro Basics

About the Festival

The Adur Festival was a beloved annual celebration of arts and community in the Adur district of West Sussex. For nearly three decades, it brought together residents and visitors to experience visual arts, music, theatre, literature, dance, and more. This website chronicles the festival's rich history, its significance to the community, and explores the potential for its revival.

Origins and Early History

1987

The Adur Festival was established as an annual celebration of arts and community in the Adur district of West Sussex.

Early Years

For over two decades, the festival took place in the first two weeks of June each year, quickly becoming a fixture of the local cultural calendar.

1990s-2000s

The festival grew steadily in scope and popularity. By the 2000s, it featured hundreds of events across towns like Shoreham, Lancing, Sompting, and Southwick during its fortnight-long run.

2008

The 21st Adur Festival included a two-day Sompting Arts & Beer Festival, art exhibitions in Shoreham's historic churches, and live entertainment in town centers.

2012

Adur District Council decided that continuing to solely fund the festival was "unsustainable" amid tightening budgets.

2013

The Ropetackle Arts Trust took over coordination of the festival, transitioning to a mixed-funding model.

2016

The last full Adur Festival was held, after which it faced funding challenges and leadership transitions.

2017

The festival took a "pause" and has been dormant since, though interest in revival has persisted in the community.

Notable Past Events and Themes

Over its history, the Adur Festival hosted a wide variety of events and creative themes that engaged residents of all ages. Each year often carried a unifying theme to inspire participants.

Festival Themes

Sussex Coastal Sunset - Festival Theme Inspiration

Community Celebrations at Previous Festivals

Street Parties in Shoreham, Lancing, and Southwick

Community Arts Workshops and Performances

Signature Events

The festival was known for its diverse programming, including:

Art exhibitions in historic churches and community spaces
Live music performances from local and visiting artists
Theatre shows and stand-up comedy
Family activity days and creative workshops
Guided history walks highlighting local heritage
Street parties with carnival parades
World Oceans Day "Environment Festival" on Shoreham Beach
International Neighbours Day celebrating cultural diversity
Beer festivals and pop-up tea rooms

Funding and Sponsorship

The festival's funding model evolved significantly over its lifetime, adapting to changing economic circumstances while maintaining its community focus.

Early Funding (1987-2012)

In its early decades, the Adur Festival was predominantly funded and managed by Adur District Council as part of its community arts support. The Council underwrote the festival's core costs up until 2012.

Transition to Mixed Funding (2013-2016)

Starting in 2013, the nonprofit Ropetackle Arts Trust took over coordination of the festival. The festival's income became a mix of grants and local support:

Arts Council England (ACE) grants provided primary funding
Reduced contribution from Adur District Council
Support from the Sussex Community Foundation
Shoreham Port became a headline corporate sponsor in 2015
"Adur Pot of Gold" community grant scheme funded specific projects
In-kind support and small sponsorships from local businesses

"The festival is a non-profit event, and we wouldn't be able to organise events such as the district-wide street parties... without such generous support."

- Mella Faye-Punchard, Festival Coordinator

"Arts Council England's decision not only to continue to support the festival, but to increase its support is clear recognition of what has been achieved."

- Martin Allen, Ropetackle Trust Chairman

Community Involvement and Impact

One of the Adur Festival's greatest strengths was the high level of community participation in both organizing and programming events. It was fundamentally an "open access" festival — anyone could register an event under the festival banner so long as it took place in Adur during the festival dates.

Community Participation

Public planning meetings and workshops to shape the festival
Open registration system for events from any community member
Schools, art clubs, choirs, and local organizations all contributing
Community fundraising through raffles and local donations
Local libraries hosting author talks and reading events
High-street shops and cafés distributing festival brochures and hosting small events

Festival Impact

The festival had significant impacts on the Adur community:

Provided a platform for local expression and creativity
Strengthened community bonds across different towns in the district
Supported local businesses with increased footfall during festival weeks
Put Adur's name on the cultural map, attracting visitors to the area
Fostered a strong sense of local pride and identity

"The festival can't grow unless the community takes ownership of it."

- Mella Faye-Punchard, Festival Coordinator

"This Festival was a showcase for the town, bringing the community together and attracting tourists to the area."

- Local Business Owner

Decline and Discontinuation

After a quarter-century run, the Adur Festival faced headwinds in the mid-2010s that led to its decline and eventual pause.

Major Turning Points

2012: Adur District Council announced it could no longer directly sustain the festival due to budget pressures
2013-2016: The Ropetackle Trust successfully ran the festival with external funding and volunteer power
2017: The festival took a "pause," breaking the annual tradition

Contributing Factors

Funding challenges: Arts Council funding cycles ended, and grants were not renewed at the same level
Leadership transition: Festival coordinator Mella Faye-Punchard moved on to other projects
Increasing costs: The festival's growth meant higher production costs for large outdoor events and international acts
Volunteer capacity: Organizing such a complex event required significant volunteer manpower
Lack of sustainable structure: No established independent festival committee to continue once Ropetackle stepped back

Prospects for Revival

Although the Adur Festival has been inactive since 2016, the idea of reviving it has persisted in the community. The festival's significance — in terms of community cohesion, local pride, and cultural vibrancy — remains in the memory of Adur residents.

Current Status

Interest in reviving the festival has never entirely disappeared, and similar communities have shown it's possible to resurrect beloved local festivals with enough grassroots support. In 2023-2024, informal conversations among community leaders and arts enthusiasts in Adur have again brought up the question: Can we bring back the Adur Festival?

Revival Case Studies

Community Festival Revival Success Story

Coastal Community Celebration Example

Successful festival revivals elsewhere show that with "new leadership and business sponsorships" and a "wave of community support," a festival can be "rebuilt" and thrive in an even more inclusive and sustainable form.

Strategies for a Successful Revival

Reviving the Adur Festival would require careful planning and a strategy that leverages community strengths. Based on both the festival's history and outside case studies, here are key strategies and considerations:

Re-establish an Organizing Body

Form a steering committee or trust specifically for the festival, involving representatives from local arts bodies, business leaders, council liaisons, and passionate volunteers.

Secure Diverse Funding

Combine multiple funding streams: Arts Council grants, local government support, business sponsorships, community fundraising, and partnerships with organizations like Sussex Community Foundation.

Community Engagement

Make the festival "by and for the community" with public meetings to gather ideas, encourage participation from schools, arts clubs, and businesses, and recruit volunteers from every town in the district.

Scale and Program Planning

Start modestly and build up, focusing first on local arts and community gatherings with smaller budgets, while maintaining the "something for everyone" ethos.

Marketing and Online Presence

Create a strong online hub for the festival with clear sections for history, involvement, event listings, and sponsor acknowledgments, complemented by physical promotion in the community.

Sustainability Plan

Establish the festival as a registered charity or Community Interest Company for multi-year fundraising, document processes, build relationships with sponsors, and demonstrate economic and social impact.

Help Revive the Adur Festival

Are you passionate about bringing back this beloved community celebration? We're looking for volunteers, sponsors, and ideas to help revive the Adur Festival.

Get Involved