Cheltenham Festivals looks to widen participation
BBCAn organisation which manages four festivals has announced plans to widen involvement at its events.
Cheltenham Festivals runs the jazz, science, literature and music festivals between April and October each year, and celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2025.
The charity said it reached 80,000 children last year but wanted to get even more involved in the future.
"We're committed to breaking down barriers and ensuring more people than ever can discover the joy of cultural participation in its widest forms," co-CEO Ali Mawle said.
Cheltenham Festivals said it will launch a new writing for wellbeing project in summer 2026.
It will also expand a programme called Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils, which encourages teachers and pupils to read for pleasure, to those from poorer backgrounds.
A new guest curator for the Jazz Festival will be announced next month, who will be in the post for the next three years.
The Literature Festival also runs a pay it forward scheme, which last year donated over 100 books to families.
There will now be year-round fundraising activities to raise money to put on the events.
Cheltenham Festivals raises around 96% of the money needed to put on the four events each year, with the rest coming from Arts Council England.
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