European Festival of Arts (Hansard, 13 July 1992)

§ 18. Mr. Rowe
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will outline his plans for the European festival of arts taking place during the British presidency of the EC.

§ 24. Mr. Dykes
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will outline his plans for the European festival of arts taking place during the British presidency of the EC.

§ Mr. Mellor
I have sent each hon. Member a personal copy of the programme for the European arts festival, which contains details of more than 600 events across the United Kingdom.
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In addition, a schools and youth programme is being prepared for publication for the start of the autumn school term. This will include special workshops, visits to exhibitions and performances, competitions for special curriculum awards and a wide range of topic and project work. More than 2,000 schools have so far expressed interest in taking part. I shall send hon. Members a copy when it is available.

§ Ms. Walley
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultation was undertaken to determine the programme for the European arts festival.

§ Mr. Mellor
The Festival Director, John Drummond CBE, has consulted extensively in preparing the programme for the European arts festival, including the four arts councils, the regional arts boards, the Museums and Galleries Commission and a large number of arts organisations and others. He has also been supported by a widely based festival committee. In addition, all primary and secondary schools have been invited to participate in the education and youth programme.

§ Ms. Walley
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration was given to the scheduling of more than one event in the European arts festival for North Staffordshire; and if he will make it his policy to consult Staffordshire county council and the Stoke on Trent city council twinning officer to ensure that youth events and events in schools are scheduled for Stoke on Trent, North constituency.

§ Mr. Mellor
The festival programme has very wide coverage. North Staffordshire is one of 250 locations attracting 600 events. Two thousand primary and secondary schools are also involved in the education and youth programme. The festival organisers have been in touch with all local education authorities in the United Kingdom.