The Outstanding Manchester International Festival
13 February 2008
The inaugural Manchester International Festival was worth £29 million and attracted an extra 200,000 visitors to the city, according to an independent evaluation.
Members of Manchester's top-level committee The Executive today praised the innovative 10-day Festival, which included 25 world premieres and 105 different activities in 25 venues during June and July 2007.
The Festival was established by the City Council as a follow-on to the successful 2002 Commonwealth Games, to continue the national and international promotion of Manchester and to create extra investment , support jobs in the city and build on our track record of major cultural events.
Director Alex Poots created a series of original and modern world premieres which attracted tourists from all over the world and achieved more than £12 million of media coverage.
The independent evaluation by Morris Hargreaves McIntyre and Arts About Manchester also highlights a number of areas for improvement, including street dressing, the use of the Festival Pavilion and the booking system.
Leader of Manchester City Council Councillor Richard Leese said:"The International Festival was an exceptional event which was challenging and thought-provoking as well as fulfilling our desire for enjoyment and spectacle.
"It brought visitors and income to Manchester, and increased our profile as a cultural magnet, vital to any world-class city seeking to increase the amount of businesses and families looking to base themselves here.
"The excellent results from the independent evaluation more than justify the council's investment, and we want to make improvements and build on all the successes in 2009."
The dates for the Manchester International Festival 2009 have been set as July 2 to 19. There are likely to be more shows running for the duration of the whole Festival, more free family events, and extensions to the education and community engagement that was trailed in 2007.
Media contact:
Janine Watson, tel 0161 234 3337
