Stockton International Riverside Festival
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}
{{COI|date=April 2011}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name = Stockton International Riverside Festival
| native_name =
| logo =
| logo_caption =
| image =
| imagesize = frameless
| caption =
| date =
| begins = 2 August 2024
| ends = 4 August 2024
| frequency =
| location = Stockton-on-Tees
| years_active = {{age|1986|08|01}}
| first = 1988
| last = 2024
| participants =
| attendance =
| genre = Arts festival
| budget =
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| website = http://www.sirf.co.uk/
| footnotes =
}}
The Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) is an annual outdoor arts festival in Stockton-on-Tees, England.{{cite web|url=http://sirf.co.uk/|title=SIRF | Stockton International Riverside Festival once again transforming the centre of Stockton for four fantastic days with the finest street theatre, circus, dance, music and pyrotechnics from all over the world.|publisher=sirf.co.uk|accessdate=25 July 2016}} It includes British and international performers. The most recent event took place between 2 August and 4 August 2024. The next event will take place in 2025.
History
The first Stockton Riverside Festival was founded by Frank Wilson and the first festival took place in August 1988. Now known as the Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) it has grown into an internationally famous event that attracts thousands of spectators.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/all-about/stockton-international-riverside-festival|title=Stockton International Riverside Festival - News, views, gossip, pictures, video - Teesside Live|website=www.gazettelive.co.uk|access-date=2020-01-31}} In 2015 founder, Frank Wilson, was awarded an MBE for his services to the festival arts in the North East, recognising the impact the festival had made to Stockton. In 2017 SIRF celebrated its 30th anniversary.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/you-need-know-years-30th-13390499|title=Stockton makes a spectacle of itself|last=Whetstone|first=David|date=2017-07-26|website=nechronicle|access-date=2020-01-31}}
=Stockton Riverside Fringe Festival=
In 1991 local musicians collaborated to start the Stockton Riverside Fringe Festival as a companion event to SIRF. It grew from a small, free, one-stage, one-day fringe event that was intended to showcase local talent to become, by its tenth festival in 2010, a multi-stage, paid for event headlined by as Calvin Harris.{{Cite web|url=https://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/stocktonfringe/2010fringe|title=Stockton Riverside Fringe Festival 2010 - eFestivals.co.uk|website=www.efestivals.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-01-31}} From 2011 onwards, it was produced by the Tees Music Alliance in collaboration with Stockton Borough Council and it was renamed the Stockton Weekender. It was headlined by Maxïmo Park in 2011,{{cite web|url=http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/stocktonfringe/2011/|title=Stockton Weekender 2011 - eFestivals.co.uk|publisher=efestivals.co.uk|accessdate=25 July 2016}} The Pogues in 2012,{{cite web|url=http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/stocktonfringe/2012/|title=Stockton Weekender 2012 - eFestivals.co.uk|publisher=efestivals.co.uk|accessdate=25 July 2016}} Primal Scream in 2013{{Cite web|url=https://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/stocktonfringe/2013|title=Stockton Weekender 2013 - eFestivals.co.uk|website=www.efestivals.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-01-31}} and by Public Enemy in 2014, which would be its last year. Following the festival, Tees Valley Music Alliance announced that it would no longer be organising the festival as it had failed to sell enough tickets to cover its costs and considered it to no longer be financially viable.{{Cite web|url=https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=1dc5cbba96f5b24ce769a56c3&id=1ac95ef4b3|title=A Fond Farewell... Thank you and Good Night|website=us1.campaign-archive.com|access-date=2020-01-31}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/teesvalley/11440099.Time_called_on_Stockton_Weekender_music_festival/|title=Time called on Stockton Weekender music festival|last=Hetherington|first=Graeme|date=29 August 2014|website=The Northern Echo|publisher=Newsquest|accessdate=29 August 2014}}
Festival Programme
Since the mid-1990s SIRF has been regularly funded by Stockton Borough Council and since 2012 the council has received National Portfolio Organisation funding from Arts Council England to the value of approximately £200,000 per annum.{{Cite web|url=https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/national-portfolio-2018-22/more-data-2018-22|title=The data: 2018-22 {{!}} Arts Council England|website=www.artscouncil.org.uk|access-date=2020-01-31}} The Festival Programme is delivered by a dedicated team employed by the local authority.
= Festival Directors =
= Community Carnival Programme =
The SIRF community carnival programme commissions artists to engage with local schools and community groups supporting them to create costumes, carnival structures, music and performances, interpreting an annually agreed theme, which then become a vibrant and colourful procession through the centre of Stockton starting at noon on the Saturday afternoon. By the 2016 festival this had grown to 1,211 participants, spread over 49 different community groups. Previous carnival themes have included:
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Theme !Notes |
| 2004
|Crinolines In The Jungle{{Cite web|url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/riverside-festival-2004-3825687|title=Riverside Festival 2004|last=Live|first=Teesside|date=2004-07-18|website=gazettelive|access-date=2020-02-01}} | |
| 2015
|Instant Light |Inspired by the Stockton born John Walker inventor of the friction match.{{Cite web|url=http://bctaspire.org.uk/?p=2874|title=SIRF Carnival 2015 – BCT Aspire|website=bctaspire.org.uk|access-date=2020-01-31}} |
| 2016
|Mythical Lands and Fantastical Creatures |A theme to explore myths and tales of weird and wonderful places throughout history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stockton.gov.uk/news/2016/march/join-sirf-community-carnival-2016/|title=Join SIRF Community Carnival 2016!|website=Stockton Borough Council|language=en|access-date=2020-01-31}} |
| 2018
|Fizz, Bang, Pop |
| 2019
|Tales of the Tees Valley |Part of the Great Place programme designed to celebrate the Tees Valley. |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sirf.co.uk/ Stockton International Riverside Festival] (SIRF)
- [http://www.stockton.gov.uk/ Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council]
Category:Art festivals in the United Kingdom
Category:Recurring events established in 1988
Category:Arts festivals in England