October 2006

SUMMER PARTY

Celebrating our sponsorship of the local Music & Drama Festival

Simon Dutton Associates Ltd sponsored the Budleigh Salterton Festival of Music & Drama for the first time this year. Our summer party, to which all EnsembleXP.Net users were invited, was a celebration of this. 2006 is the third year of the festival, which is steadily growing each year. The festival committee are a group of volunteers with a variety of backgrounds. There is a thriving friends scheme and the event has always ended within its budget.

The event lasts for one week and features around five events per day, including exhibitions, children's’ workshops and master classes. This year’s big-name performance was given by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett with Claire Martin, presented by Sue Lawley.

The festival is a non-profit event. Revenue is generated through sponsorship, trust funding and ticket sales. Planning for next year’s festival is already underway, as funding applications need to be submitted up to 18 months in advance.

However, Budleigh Salterton Festival of Music & Drama is fast outgrowing its current ticket sales and distribution facilities. ‘We expect to get good sales again in 2007 through our box office at the Tourist Information Centre.‘ says Roger Bowen, Chairman of the Budleigh Salterton Festival of Music & Drama. ‘The race is on now to bring the festival and TIC websites up to the required standard - ticket booking online for example would be an enormous help, especially for those out-of-town who cannot easily get in to the TIC during opening hours.’