Understandably, we have been receiving many queries regarding our 2019 Festival. Firstly we would like to apologise for any recent lack of clarity. Unfortunately we have not been in a position to release any definitive information until now. We are currently going through a period of change, restructure and re-validation. After lengthy consideration we have decided that there will not be a CFTF 2019. It’s with sadness that we have come to this conclusion but we think it will be an important and positive step for the future of the festival.

Over the last 3 years, this festival has grown into a city wide, 2 week celebration of theatre, dance, workshops, seminars, poetry and community. First and foremost we want to THANK YOU, the artists, audiences and organisations of Cardiff, for making that happen. You inspired us to create a festival that celebrates this city’s thriving fringe arts community, and supported us in providing platforms for artists and unique experiences for audiences.

For the last three years, the festival has been maintained through the generous donations of sponsors, of venues, of the public and the time and energies of the team of volunteers that comprise our staff.

This year, however, we find ourselves severely depleted in resources, most crucially in the last case.

Much of our hard working team of volunteers have had to move forward to other projects, places and passions.

As we enter 2019 with an urgent need for restructure and revitalisation, we have been forced to consider more widely the responsibilities that we have to this city and its community. Taking into account the continued lack of funding and time, twinned with our newfound deficit of staff, we have come to the conclusion that we will not be able to deliver the quality of festival that Cardiff deserves. In recognising this we have decided not to present a festival for 2019.

We are proud to see that our festival has been embraced so lovingly by this city’s audiences and artists. Our venues, especially, for the last three years have given us so much of their time and space, occasionally even making losses out of their own businesses so that the festival can run. This is no longer acceptable. We have been given so much to be able to make this festival possible but if we are to continue, then we need to be fair and we need to be kind, taking less and giving more.

We are immensely proud to be a part of this city’s unique cultural ecology. We are delighted to see Cardiff’s theatres and venues continue to open their doors to emerging artists from near and far. We are especially proud to see nationally recognised organisations like The Other Room and Sherman Theatre programming many of the exciting acts and companies seen at the Cardiff Fringe in previous years.

We have learned a lot in the last 4 years. We see this as having been our Pilot.

As it comes to an end, we have our eyes firmly fixed on the future.

We want to grow our little, passion-fuelled festival into a thriving, ambitious and sustainable celebration of Cardiff and its communities.

We will be pursuing new avenues for funding so that we can properly pay venues, artists and staff.

We will be exploring new ways of structuring our business to create something sustainable, in order to support our collaborators with more stability.

We will be thinking of more effective ways to represent and celebrate Cardiff’s diverse communities, and its rich Welsh heritage.

To do this, we need time. We hope you understand.

If you feel like you would like to be involved in the future in some capacity or if you have any questions please do email us or get in contact using the form below. We would be grateful for any input, be it advice, concern or an interest in having a more formal volunteering role within the organisation. Let us know and we will add you to a mailing list and keep you involved and in the loop with the festival ongoing.

This isn’t Goodbye. Just bye for now.

Diolch,

Alice Downing (Marketing Director)

Duncan Hallis (Festival Director)

& the CFTF Team.