Connecting Crouch End and Hornsey with news, views and information
I went to a committee meeting of the Crouch End Creatives Festival yesterday evening (Monday 2nd April) at the deceptively spacious Hornsey Vale Community Centre. It was the first such meeting I had attended, even though the organisers have been exhorting Crouch Enders to come along to the previous sessions, which they have held once a fortnight for some time now. This was not one of their standard meetings, but a special session, not just for the organising committee, rather an opportunity for some of the participants/exhibitors/performers to meet each other.
The Festival has many of the hallmarks of a successful project. A project is an undertaking which results in a change of state. At the beginning of this year there was no active Crouch End Festival, now it looks very much as though in May there will be. A distinct change of state.
What makes me think this project will be a success?
May God Bless Her and all who sail in her.
Tags: 2012, crouch end festival
Thankyou for such a good write up that really captured the spirit of the festival and what we want to achieve for the community.
We all hope it will be a success - even if I have to have a fierce face!
Marice
Having attended all the organising meetings since they resumed last year, can only agree that the success so far has been based on a loose 'self-organising' co-operative approach, without a 'boss', where the many hard-working people involved just get on with it - each to their own chosen skill.
There's a long history of Festivals here, producing enriching effects - the world-class Crouch End Festival Chorus was started as a Festival initiative by David Temple and John Gregson in 1984 and is stronger than ever.
I help with the website, leafleting, volunteers, participants, venues, dealing with community leaders and the Council (extremely helpful and positive!) and anything else I can do, including a creative contribution - it's rewarding.
Good to endorse the many people from previous festivals on whose shoulders we're standing. Met with the impressive Sally Mustoe, for instance, who was kind enough to pass me some of the previous publicity:
Be good to get back in touch with some of the ones not directly involved this year - anyone know any of them? As an unpaid volunteer for Transition Crouch End, I've seen many local community projects spring up and blossom over the years and encourage everyone to get involved - it helps us grow stronger and happier, like these Spanish people:
I too was buoyed by the energy and effectiveness of the meeting last night. Like you, I'm not a participator or exhibitor, and only went along as a writer and blogger who has just moved into the area and thought this would be an exciting project to be involved in. And I wasn't disappointed, I now feel much more part of the N8 community.
Great piece and great site.
Actually, there's also some much appreciated funding from Thorntons Budgens Pennies for Plastic fund , which is to be used for the 'Made in Crouch End' events which includes workshops, the guerilla bunting activity and the arts and crafts 'Trail' on 5th May
I remember the early Crouch End Festivals Chris Setz mentions,since I've lived in the area since 1964.Funding was obviously more generous then and I heard a rumour that there was some funding left over from the last one! Could that not be passed to the organisers of this year's festival? Does anyone know what happened to it?
I only mentioned the budget because going over budget is something that happens to projects, and in this case it can't.
I got no impression from the meeting that lack of cash is a problem.
And I'm more than a little shocked to see my name on the organising committee for the Festival of 2000! Perhaps that helps to explain why its not still going.
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