The first Saturday in August, every year from 1993 to
2007.
Sadly, we regret to announce that the Stanley Blues Festival, the music
event that featured international performers and attracted fans from all over
the country will not be staged again. Despite our best efforts with funding
bodies, potential sponsors and looking at ways of generating income on the day,
it is not possible to put together a funding package that would allow the event
to take place.
The following statement was released to the press:
Some of the biggest names in blues and blues-influenced music have played at
As well as leading contemporary
The festival was founded by Northern Recording, a music co-operative formed by
unemployed former Consett steelworkers, which itself closed through lack of
funding support in 2005.
From the beginning the philosophy was to stage an event that anyone could
attend, so there was never an admission charge.
The festival relied on funding from councils and outside bodies but securing
the money each year was always a problem.
Last year The Arts Council decided that the event was of insufficient priority
and Durham County Council stepped in to underwrite the shortfall.
Paul Green and Mary Kearney, whose late husband John was regarded as the father
of the festival, have organised the event in the past
few years.
Mr Green said: "It has become more and more
expensive to stage the blues festival and we have reached the point where we
have exhausted all the possibilities for fundraising.
"There is a lot of goodwill for the festival, but we needed more than
that.
"We would like to pay tribute to the team who has worked tirelessly over
the years. Companies like Nitelites, Vortex Lighting
and Event Cover have really supported us in our aim of showcasing just how good
we are here in the North East. We set out to make an event that would give
local bands a platform and we have stuck with that aim over 15 years.
"Along the way we have created an internationally-known festival that puts
the town on the map for all the right reasons. We would like to thank those who
have supported it, particularly all the local people who have been the
festival's biggest fans.''
Mrs Kearney said: "This has been a hard decision
to make and I'm sure that it will come as a big disappointment to many people.
"We are proud to have organised the blues
festival over the past 15 years and to have brought so many great musicians to
perform in
