Memo titled 'Comments on the Events' reviewing the Charles Street Festival and Carnival, Cardiff, July 1990

Disgrifiad

A one-page, typed, critical appraisal of the Charles Street Carnival held on 21 July 1990, possibly written by Ian Horsburgh, Chair of the Charles Street Arts Foundation Management Committee.

Comments include:
· “Most festival events the week before the carnival did not happen.”
· Programme was best ever but came out too late.
· “The street closure was a fiasco. The police forgot to close the street resulting in chaos and a danger to public safety.”
· Income from stalls was high but most were not decorated according to the theme and a minority ignored their allocated positions.
· The workcamp was successful but expensive, and needed a paid coordinator.
· Publicity worst ever.
· City Council Green exhibitions and administrative support excellent.
· “Procession excellent. A lot of hard work done. Procession over too quickly?” Compere Mike Bevan to be congratulated.
· “Green Art Exhibition. Good effort but better location needed.”
· “First time ever that the Carnival has been without indoor music.”
· Buskers festival not organised and street events/theatre/music very poor.
· Problems with Quakers Garden again and inflatable not supervised. Mrs Rainbow very good.

The overall conclusion: ”Apart from the events on the main stage the rest of the Carnival was thoroughly disorganised. Fine weather kept crowds away. However, despite the lack of street activities there was a pleasant ‘Church Fete’ atmosphere and several thousand Marks ands Spencer shoppers who stumbled upon the event spent an enjoyable ten minutes walking down the street.”

The memo is undated but does refer to awaiting a reply to a letter dated 30 July and replied to on 2 August. It may be the “written detailed report produced by Ian” referred to in Committee Minutes of 14 August 1990.

In June 1977, Cardiff Community Concern started the Charles Street Carnival as a community groups' alternative celebration of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. This became an annual event and grew into a separate organisation, Charles Street Arts Foundation. The Foundation came to employ artists and staff but was founded and run by volunteers. Cardiff Community Concern, also founded and run by volunteers, was an alternative advice and information centre for young people, based in 58 Charles Street.

Glamorgan Archives, D20/6
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