Harrogate International Festivals

The Harrogate International Festival was set up in response to local demand to re-establish the quality of event that people had been used to between the wars in the town's spa heyday. In 1966, with the help of composer Benjamin Britten and singer Peter Pears of Aldeburgh Festival fame, and financial support from Harrogate Borough Council and the Arts Council of England, Clive Wilson launched the Festival and became its first director. In artistic terms the Festival has changed radically from its origins in the late sixties.

The Festival dates (originally in mid-August) were chosen as they had to fit into the town's conference and exhibition calendar. In its early days the Festival featured music, literature, drama, visual arts and science. However, over the following decades music came to the fore, making up around 90% of the programme.

In 1984 following a national Arts Council strategy review entitled "The Glory of the Garden", funding was withdrawn from all festivals north of Cheltenham. Up to that point Harrogate had received a guarantee against loss of £38,000, the biggest Arts Council grant of any festival in England. The loss of the grant demanded a more populist approach to programming in order to build ticket revenue and to enable the major scaling up of corporate sponsorship.

In 1991 it was recognised that a broadening of the artistic programme was needed to extend the audience reach – geographically and the under 55s – as well as by genre and to increase sponsorship, trust funding and box office revenue, in order for the Festival to grow. An incremental expansion of the performing arts programming commenced initially with jazz, contemporary dance and classical ballet, World Music and literature.

In an average 12-month period the Festivals stage over 300 distinct events and attract over 90,000 people to its activities. Alongside box office sales they rely on sponsorship, grants and charitable giving.{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/harrogate-international-festival/|access-date=11 August 2021|website=Harrogate International Festivals}}

International music festival held across various venues during the month of July.{{cite web|url=http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2013/04/21/harrogate-international-festivals-2013-portfolio-announced/|title=Harrogate International Festivals 2013 portfolio announced|work=Harrogate Informer|accessdate=7 June 2015}}

Known as the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (TOPCWF), and held over four days in July, the festival was launched in 2003.{{cite web|title=Best-selling Rebus author Ian Rankin to chair Harrogate's crime writing festival|url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/best-selling-rebus-author-ian-rankin-chair-harrogates-crime-writing-festival-1364679|access-date=19 October 2021|work=Harrogate Advertiser}} TOPCWF is sponsored by T & R Theakston and is held at The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.{{Cite news|last=Nixson|first=Matt|date=4 June 2021|title=Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival announces authors line-up|work=Sunday Express|url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/1445415/Theakston-Old-Peculier-Crime-Writing-Festival-authors|access-date=11 August 2021}}

The winner of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is announced on the opening night.{{cite web|url=http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2013/03/13/wh-smith-partners-with-the-harrogate-international-festivals|title=WH Smith partners with the Harrogate International Festivals|work=Harrogate Informer|accessdate=7 June 2015}}{{Cite news|last=Gore|first=Will|date=7 July 2021|title=How a mysterious Harrogate hotel became a Mecca for crime fiction fans|work=The Spectator|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-a-mysterious-harrogate-hotel-became-a-mecca-for-crime-fiction-fans|access-date=11 August 2021}}

In 2013 The Guardian described TOPCWF as one of the best crime-writing festivals around the world{{cite news|last=Millar|first=Louise|date=19 July 2013|title=The best crime-writing festivals around the world|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jul/19/best-crime-festivals-around-the-world|access-date=11 August 2021}} and in 2016 TOPCWF was named by Elle Magazine as one of the six best literary festivals.{{cite news|last=James|first=Anna|date=4 July 2016|title=Goodbye Glastonbury: The Six Best Literary Festivals This Summer|work=Elle|url=https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/elle-voices/articles/a30985/goodbye-glastonbury-the-best-literary-festivals/|access-date=11 August 2021}}

Launched in 2012 and known as the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, the festival is held in October. Selected by Harper's Bazaar as 'one of the UK's best literary festivals{{Cite news|date=26 Feb 2015|title=What to book literary festival special|work=Harpers Bazaar|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/going-out/news/g33716/what-to-book-literary-festival-special/|access-date=11 August 2021}} the event celebrates great writing by bringing best-selling authors, politicians, comedians and stars of the stage to share their stories.{{Cite web|title=Raworths Literature Festival|url=https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/whats-on/raworths-october-2021/|access-date=11 August 2021|website=Harrogate International Festivals}}

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 festival was held online. Speakers included Bernard Cornwell, Lee Child, Matt Haig, Rory Bremner and Ken Follett.{{Cite news|last=Chalmers|first=Graham|date=25 September 2021|title=Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival to go digital for the first time ever|work=Harrogate Advertiser|url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/raworths-harrogate-literature-festival-to-go-digital-for-the-first-time-ever-2983362|access-date=20 October 2021}}

Speakers at the 2019 festival included David Cameron, Simon Weston, Sir Tim Waterstone and Louise Minchin.{{Cite news|last=Behrens|first=David|date=25 September 2019|title=Cameron makes rare appearance in Harrogate to promote book|work=The Yorkshire Post|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/arts-and-culture/books/cameron-makes-rare-appearance-harrogate-promote-book-1749466|access-date=20 October 2021}}

A series of international chamber concerts are held at the Old Swan, Harrogate between January and April each year. The Sunday Series was launched in 1993.

Known as Berwins Salon North, the events consist of three speakers who explore ideas from art, science and psychology.{{Cite news|date=28 September 2015|title=Berwins takes the sponsor's mantle for Salon North|work=Yorkshire Post|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/berwins-takes-sponsors-mantle-salon-north-1811945|access-date=11 August 2021}}

A week-long festival of club classics, soul and jazz is housed in a Spiegeltent on Crescent Gardens in Harrogate.{{cite news|last=Chalmers|first=Graham|date=19 May 2016|title=The spiegeltent is back for Harrogate International Festivals|work=Harrogate Advertiser|url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/the-spiegeltent-is-back-for-harrogate-international-festivals-1-7919639|accessdate=31 January 2019}} The venue is transformed through the day to house a Children's Festival featuring arts, music, science and literature that traditionally takes place during May and June.

HIF claims to have a reputation for bringing major outdoor installations to Harrogate.{{Cite web|title=Harrogate International Festivals Outdoor Installations|url=https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/outdoor-installations/|access-date=19 October 2021|website=Harrogate International Festivals}} Large scale projects include, Cie Carabosse Fire Garden – 2016,{{Cite news|date=20 June 2016|title=Fire spectacular for Harrogate's Valley Gardens this week|work=The Yorkshire Post|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/fire-spectacular-harrogates-valley-gardens-week-774939|access-date=19 October 2021}} Pentalum Luminarium by Architects of Air – 2018,{{Cite news|date=24 May 2018|title=Giant Art Installation Heads To Harrogate|work=Yorkshire Times|url=https://yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Giant-Art-Installation-Heads-To-Harrogate|access-date=19 October 2021}} Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram – 2019{{Cite news|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Finola|date=12 July 2019|title=10 breathtaking pictures that capture Harrogate's Museum of the Moon installation|work=Harrogate Advertiser|url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/10-breathtaking-pictures-capture-harrogates-museum-moon-installation-685049|access-date=19 October 2021}} and In Memorium by Luke Jerram in 2021.{{Cite news|last=Charmers|first=Graham|date=13 May 2021|title=The Stray to host major tribute to NHS as Harrogate International Festivals links up with award-winning artist|work=Harrogate Advertiser|url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/the-stray-to-host-major-tribute-to-nhs-as-harrogate-international-festivals-links-up-with-award-winning-artist-3235463|access-date=19 October 2021}}

In October 2021, a temporary sound and light art installation, celebrating Harrogate's 450 year spa heritage, was installed next to the Royal Pump Room Museum in the town. Entitled '1571 The Water That Made Us', the installation was a collaboration between sound and light artists, Dan Fox, and James Bawn and HIF.{{Cite news|last=Chalmers|first=Graham|date=18 October 2021|title=Spectacular installation in Harrogate town centre highlights town's 450-year spa heritage in build-up to Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival|work=Harrogate Advertiser|url=https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/spectacular-installation-in-harrogate-town-centre-highlights-towns-450-year-spa-heritage-in-build-up-to-raworths-harrogate-literature-festival-3422865|access-date=20 October 2021}}

{{reflist}}

Category:Arts festivals in England

Category:Festivals in North Yorkshire

Category:Cultural festivals in the United Kingdom

Category:Festivals established in 1966

Category:Events in Harrogate