FOCUS Wales
FOCUS Wales has been postponed until 2021, Getintothis’ Sian Ellis reports.
FOCUS Wales has been postponed until 2021, as the COVID-19 crisis continues to put a halt on events across the country.
The festival, winner of Best Festival for Emerging Talent at the UK Festival Awards, and recently shortlisted for a European Festival Award, joins a long list of events that won’t go ahead this year – despite Managing Director of Festival Republic Melvin Benn announcing a ‘full capacity’ plan that could see live events back in action as early as November.
The initial revised date for the festival was set for October 7-10, 2020. However, the team have now rearranged for the festival to take place October 7-9, 2021.
2020 would have marked the 10th edition of FOCUS Wales, which is an international multi-venue showcase festival in Wrexham.
The festival places the music industry spotlight firmly on the emerging talent that Wales has to offer the world.
The ambition to go ahead with FOCUS Wales in 2020 was in respect of the 10 year milestone, however the difficult decision to cancel this year completely was made after co-founder Neal Thompson said: “to be able to present the event in the way we feel would do it justice and mark our 10th year has become impossible”.
A statement reads: “FOCUS Wales strives to be an event which is inclusive, accessible, and a safe space, for our entire community of local, national, and international performers, speakers, visitors, and staff. With this in mind, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken the very difficult decision to postpone our 10th edition of FOCUS Wales until 7 – 9 October 2021″.
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“This is the very last thing we want to be doing, but sadly we feel it’s the only responsible option open to us at this point in time, as everyone’s health has to be the priority. This will be the first time in 10 years that we’ll have gone without the festival, and it’s difficult to put into words how the team is feeling right now”.
“At the same time, we’re more determined than ever to deliver a very special 10th edition of FOCUS Wales in 2021 that can truly be the celebration we all want it to be”.
For people who have already bought a ticket for the event, the statement advises: “We are asking ticket holders to roll-over your tickets to 2021, if you can do so. All ticket holders will be emailed in due course. If you do need to, refunds are available at face-value up until 1st August this year, via our ticket partners at Gigantic tickets.”
The aim is for FOCUS Wales 2021 to be their biggest event to date, with plans for next year already underway.
On a positive note, the entire festival line-up has been confirmed for the new festival dates, with more artists set to be announced in the coming months.
Artists confirmed for the 2021 dates so far include Richard Hawley, Gruff Rhys, The Twilight Sad and Tim Burgess.
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