Fiasco Of Food Festival Funding
Fiasco relating to this year’s food festival funding is the politest adjective I feel I am best using, there are many other adjectives that I think would also apply.
I last posted on festivals funding on 16/5 when Cywain were seemingly belatedly tasked by Wag to run funding for festivals running in May & June. Yes that’s right last minute offerings in May for May & June festivals. The criteria sent to organisers appeared much the same as last year. Wag are still wanting 2,500 visitors and only 60% of Welsh trade stands. I cannot believe Wag cannot understand why this doesn’t work for festivals that are not ticketed and there are a number that are run in the street. Having just 60% Welsh stands isn’t fine in my book even if the stands from outside Wales are charged more, but we know they are not, so how is that fair?
Now despite my sending a Freedom Of Information question about food festivals funding I am getting a run around by Wag. Of course there is nothing new there I can here you all shouting, but do let’s all admit that is wrong, an FOI should be treated as that. Instead on my FOI, I was told: Thank you for your email, it was passed on to Food Division………………………..
I am informed by Wag on 15th May that: Cywain will administer the Food Festivals Grant scheme for festivals being run up until end June 2023. Details of how Welsh Government intend on taking the funding support forward from 1 July will be announced shortly. It is our intention that all food festivals will have the opportunity to apply for funding.
On 15th June after hearing nothing I chase Wag again – but that’s ok I’ve little else to do! We are working towards making an announcement on this w/c 26 June. Once we’ve completed the necessary clearances to make the announcement I will contact you to confirm the exact date and where the information will be published.
Well sadly lessons have not been learnt here, have they? Wag are going to announce w/c 26th June which perhaps mean that festivals running from July are still being kept in the dark as regards funding. It really does not take a genius or someone really understands food festivals to appreciate the extra pressure, if extra pressure was needed, for these festival organisers running from July onwards. All that is needed here is a little bit of common sense but my take is that common sense is not always commonly available!!! How on earth can an organiser plan unless their festival is sitting on lots of cash in the bank, well I don’t know many festivals that are in that position, but maybe Wag do.
I’ve been vocal about food festivals for getting on to 2 decades and I’d summarise this time as Wag food & drink not learning very much at all. I also wonder with being told – I will contact you to confirm the exact date and where the information will be published – that it will be posted on Wag’s website and I as media will not get a press release. Whether that means Visit Wales will be informed and other Welsh media, guess I’m unsure about that.
But all I can do now is wait and see and hopefully this funding fiasco ends soon, but will it?
21 June 2023 @ 09:31
My word you are being polite Kath – fiasco is way too kind. I could offer more suggestions but then you might not approve my comment!
We talked about bubbles during Covid, well a bubble is what food & drink dept. are in – they are totally detached from producers, punters and press.
I like you, feel sorry for organisers not sure why they’d put themselves through this trauma. Food producers need to know early to plan their year. You pleading for a festival calendar after many years, is more of your time wasted Kath.
21 June 2023 @ 12:02
Thanks for bringing welshfoodbites back.
Without you and Ian keeping us in the loop as best you can dealing with this dept, we’d never get any info.
I’ve read this twice and can only say I find this situation unbelieveable. My gut feeling is that this dept is not up to standard or fit for purpose, it never imporves in my view. The big companies always seem to get any money going as you and I have said in the past – they’re too big to fail. Whilst micro & smaller producers like me sink or swim on our own, apart from you and Ian, because wag say budgets have been cut. Unless they have to buy and airport or a farm, both vanity projects in my view.
I’m surprised that Wales has many festivals, as this is how they are treated year after year. Some festivals only have a few people running them and are scratching around for more people to help. What a nightmare for them, why they do it is something else, but us producers need them and more local produce markets. No good looking for food and drink to help out there.
What does Visit Wales do to help food and drink?
22 June 2023 @ 10:00
I can only agree with the 2 comments left and so very cross that wag food and drink can treat festival organisers in this manner, it is shocking. We need a strong festival programme supported by wag and visit wales, but that is a pie-in-the-sky-dream. Think 2 depts. working together is impossible here in Wales.
I know Kath that your only contact in this dept. which you thought highly of has left wag, so now, even more than the last 2 decades, you are wasting your time, what’s the point when no civil service is listening.
23 June 2023 @ 10:47
I’m livid reading wag’s latest and pathetic effort on food festivals, I’m shocked that no-one in that team knows what festivals need and WHEN!
Goodness knows long long you and Ian have tried to help on this because you 2 actually know. Festivals are important to my business but not to wag food and drink it seems.
We need a union as we have no voice into wag apart from you 2 and you both have been sent to Coventry by wag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
27 June 2023 @ 13:18
I’m with the comments I have read on this post.
Why do we have a food and drink dept if they cannot manage to look after food festivals – is that not a basic?
Tell festivals around 26th June if their events are running July August – this is beyond stupid
Thanks Kath for letting us know what is OR isn’t happening with food dept. Why this is your unpaid job is a credit to you and Ian, not to wag food.
28 June 2023 @ 09:09
IF WAG are funding some food festivals then why are English stands not charged more to attend? I agree Kath that 60% is not enough it should be at least 80%.
I’d suggest you give up Kath not sure what wag are really doing but they are not listening to anyone.
29 June 2023 @ 11:54
If food festivals are so tough to sort out funding for them I cannot see why we pay for a food and drink dept.
Not up to scratch is my take on this I think this is shocking to hear about. But thanks Kath anyway but you are wasting your time with this lot
30 June 2023 @ 11:27
I don’t think the welsh government food and drink can make their actions any clearer. I wonder if we need this dept. Must be exepnsive with most of the staff no doubt working from home whist we still pay for empty office across Wales.
Is money really tight for wag?
6 July 2023 @ 09:51
Money tight for wag? Seemingly not when they can buy an airport and then a farm, but these have been described as Wag’s vanity projects. PLus spend a fortune on M4 proposed widening but then say no it will do as it is!!!!!!
14 July 2023 @ 10:59
Wag food have continued for years to make food festival organisers stressed out.
Whatever the reasons are and sure it is budget cuts, why cannot wag food email organisers from January onwards and tell them what it happening or more to the point NOT happening, but at least they would know.
This is a shambles.
No wonder Kath you have brought this site back.
I wished WE gave the jobs to civil servants!
Wonder how many of that lot are still working from home and have left expensive offices virtually empty apart from security and cleaners, they will be empty and full of expensive desks, chairs, computers, phones…………we pay for this lot of office stuff.
17 July 2023 @ 12:05
Why is it so tough for wag food & drink to sort out festival funding?
Now they have stopped Cywain doing this 2nd half wag are doing it themselves goodness knows when funding will actually be paid
who would organise a festival for wag?
Not me, I prefer to deal with professionals and can’t say from what I have read this is wag food and drink.
27 July 2023 @ 09:20
We said before Covid, food festival funding couldn’t get any worse but how wrong we were. Wag food is in my view not up to the job. The big boys are fine they’ll be too big to fail but as for the rest of us Wag food is clueless about what we need.
Pity we don’t have a union!