Press Release:
Charity Status

Friends of Frome Festival voted at an extraordinary general meeting on Tuesday 10 April to apply for charitable status.

In a unanimous vote, the meeting agreed to approach the Charity Commission to register Frome Festival as a charity.

Under the 13 defined categories of charity laid down by the Charities Act 2006, the festival would qualify under two categories, 'advancement of education' and 'advancement of arts, culture, heritage, or science'.

Becoming a registered charity opens up the possibility of new funding streams. Presently, the festival is limited to revenue funding from local authorities and the Arts Council.

Charitable status would also make the festival eligible for tax relief and gift aid on subscriptions and donations. The festival would also avoid inheritance tax if left goods or money in a will.

Under the terms of the act, the festival would not have to set up a separate company as its trading arm.

The application is expected to take three months to process.

Bob Morris, chairman of Frome Festival Ltd, has been the driving force behind the application, which is expected to take three months to process.

Dr Morris said:"Our aims are those of an educational and cultural charity. Every organisation that calls itself a charity must by law register as a charity.

"Registration is a guarantee of respectability. The Charity Commission takes a close interest in its registered charities. Anyone giving to the festival has reasonable assurance that everything above board. It is an obvious and logical step. As someone said at the meeting why have we waited so long?"

This year, the festival has applied for Arts Council revenue funding and matched funding from the local authorities. The bid was based on a business plan drawn up by independent arts consultant Richard Cragg as part of an organisational review in 2006 funded by The Arts Council.

Festival director Martin Bax said: "Frome Town Council has already agreed to give us funding and we have had positive responses from Mendip District Council and Somerset County Council.

"Should we be successful with the Arts Council bid, it would only be for a limited period. Becoming a charity gives us more scope to secure the long-term future of the festival.

"The intention of the festival has always been charitable. Everything we make is ploughed back into next year's festival. It would be nice to make it official.

"On a more practical note, being a charity would offer us fresh opportunities to seek funding from organisations that only deal with charities, such as the Esmé Fairbairn Foundation.

"We are grateful for the funding we have received in the past from our local authorities and from the Arts Council which has funded specific projects.

"I was heartened by the turn out of Friends and the enthusiastic reception they gave to this year's programme of events. We would be delighted to have more friends!" he said.

There are currently more than 50 Friends of Frome Festival. Friends receive advanced notice of the acts appearing each year, a brochure by post and a ticket voucher. They also become members of the company, voting in the board of directors and having a say in the future direction of the festival.

If you would like to become a Friend, contact the festival office on 01373 453889. This year's annual subscription costs £15.

Become a Friend of the Frome Festival and enjoy discounts on selected events. Click here to find out more!

Press Release Date: 19 April 2007