A flagship festival that celebrates North Yorkshire’s cultural excellence and drives local tourism is among those to benefit from a multi-million pound support scheme.
Ryedale Festival has set out to make North Yorkshire one of the best regions in Europe to enjoy classical music since its launch in 1981.
The annual summer celebration now welcomes thousands of performers and fans with more than 60 events held in historic venues across the county in 2024, including expanding into new locations such as Selby and Scarborough.
The festival received a £90,000 Government grant through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which we administer, to grow its summer event that attracts fans from across the world as well as deliver a new spring festival promoting local creativity.
Starting tonight (Friday 21 March) and to be held over the next two weekends, the first-ever spring festival will showcase some of North Yorkshire’s most talented amateur choirs and musicians, as well as a well-known UK orchestra.
Our assistant director for culture and leisure, Jo Ireland, said: “Ryedale Festival has become a flagship event for our region and attracts thousands of classical music fans from across the world.
“It helps to showcase some of the stunning venues that we have here in North Yorkshire, from our atmospheric castles and historic abbeys to intimate churches and vibrant local arts centres.
“As the festival has grown and become increasingly popular over the years, it has also helped to drive local tourism, with local accommodation providers and businesses across the county benefiting from its success.
“It is fantastic to see the festival continue to thrive and I’m sure the spring festival, which has been boosted by UK Shared Prosperity Fund funding, will be a fantastic addition to the county’s cultural calendar.”
The spring festival kicks off this evening at The Wesley Centre in Malton with three of the region’s brightest choirs set to perform – Chanticleer, the ladies of York’s Main Street Sound and The Young Crescendos.
On Saturday (22 March), it is the turn of all-female and all-male choirs Harmonia and Sound Fellows, who will be performing at St Mary’s Church in Lastingham, with well-known writer Martin Vander Weyer presenting the evening of music and poetry.
Then next weekend, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment will entertain crowds at Norton’s St Peter’s Church and Scarborough’s Church of St Martin-on-the-Hill.
Ryedale Festival’s artistic director, Christopher Glynn, said: “Thanks to the passion and dedication of countless individuals who believe in live music and its place in everyday life, the festival has gone from strength to strength in recent years.
“The festival isn’t just a cultural highlight - it’s an economic driver. Last year, with the support of North Yorkshire Council, we commissioned an independent survey to assess the festival’s impact.
“The findings were striking - the festival generates an annual economic benefit of £1.5 million for the region, supports 20 tourism-related jobs, and helps retain an additional £1.275 million within the local economy.
“We’re committed to making Ryedale Festival a shining example of what a regional festival can achieve - both in attracting visitors to North Yorkshire and by reaching more people within the county itself.”
Mr Glynn added: “We’re incredibly grateful to North Yorkshire Council and delighted to see their new cultural strategy acknowledge the vital role the arts play in shaping communities, driving economic growth and strengthening local identity.”
Ryedale Festival was one of 791 local causes to have benefited from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with North Yorkshire allocated £16.9 million to support local businesses, non-profit organisations and community groups.
This was in addition to £5.4 million through the Rural England Prosperity Fund.
The fund brought in a further £16 million from other funding sources bringing the total money spent on projects launched through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Rural England Prosperity Fund across the county to £39 million.
We distributed the funding through a wide programme of grant and support schemes aimed at businesses and community groups.
In the Autumn Budget, the Government announced a one-year extension of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund up until March next year.
This will be delivered from the start of April by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority which has been allocated £8.7 million in funding.
Find out more about Ryedale Festival and the events taking place this month.