§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage why he decided to base none of the events in London in the European arts festival, July to December, in Waltham Forest.
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§ Mr. MellorEven with more than 600 published events across the United Kingdom throughout the European arts festival, it was not possible to support projects in every locality. But I am delighted to tell the hon. Member that, as part of the schools and youth programme to be published later in the summer, Oily Cart will be presenting "Gobble and Gook" at Handsworth primary school on 5 November. Through the local education authority, all state schools in Waltham Forest have also been invited to take part in the schools and youth programme. A number of schools have expressed interest in doing so.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many of the arts events listed in the brochure on the European arts festival, to be held in the United Kingdom during the current presidency of the European Council, are events additional to those held on a regular basis; and what is the additional cost to the United Kingdom in sponsoring the special arts and musical events listed in the brochure.
§ Mr. MellorThe events in the European arts festival fall into four categories: new initiatives, largely funded by the festival; long-held ambitions which could only be realised by the additional funding provided by the festival; partially funded projects which needed additional support to bring them to fruition; and a very small number of events which the festival has not supported, but which the organisers wished to associate with the programme because of the nature of the event. None of the major projects, for instance the touring festival tent, the visits of the great European drama companies and some of the major exhibitions, could have happened without the support of the festival.
The cost to the Exchequer of sponsoring the European arts festival is £ 6 million.