The Princetown Arts Festival is looking to secure funding via the SeaMoor Lotto fundraising lottery and a Crowdfunder which began on April 1.

The committee of volunteers is seeking £10,000 in donations and hoping that both funding streams can go some way to ensuring the event goes ahead this year. 

Launched in 2023, the festival is a celebration Dartmoor’s artistic community and vibrant arts scene, and is planned to take place in venues around Princetown on 20-21 July.

It promises to build on from the inaugural event with a ‘diverse array of artistic disciplines, great entertainment, captivating venues, and rich cultural experiences’. The festival even sports an updated logo this year which better represents its standing in the Princetown community. 

Nick Bennett, chairman of the arts committee and a sculptor based in Yelverton, said: “We decided to explore the different options available for local funding after a disappointing first bid for funding from the Arts Council England. 

“We will be reapplying but need to find other avenues to secure funds to make sure the festival keeps going. It’s going to be the same multi-venue format but will increase venues and introduce a wider array of both artists and entertainment.”

The two-day event showcases a wide range of art forms including sculpture, photography, painting, literature, and will once again feature a working blacksmith’s forge in front of the visitor centre and 15th century longbow re-enactments on the football field.

Nick continued: “Interest in participation has been high - with more than the 35 artists we had last year planning on coming. We will be making additional space available for outdoor stands to use gazebos in front of the visitor centre and in Duchy Square. 

“Despite our summers usually being glorious, we know that the Princetown climate can sometimes be a challenge so we are creating a ‘belt and braces’ approach to make sure we can accommodate all those attending. 

“Any funding we achieve will help pay for the vast array of costs we need to cover ranging from Park and Ride, advertising, venue hire, PR, graphic art, printing, signage and insurance to name but a few.”

Speaking last summer when the festival was set up, Nick spoke of his ambitions that the festival, saying: ‘Princetown has been crying out for something like this for a long time. There are places like Totnes and Bovey Tracey which are on the map for their arts and culture - now it is Princetown’s time.’

The SeaMoor Lotto fundraising lottery was established in 2018 by West Devon Borough Council to support local community causes and events by raising money within the local community. 

Participants can purchase as many tickets as they like at £1 per ticket, per week and from every £1 ticket spent, 60p goes to local good causes in West Devon. Participants need to chose Princetown Arts Festival when they sign up to it. 

The Crowdfunder runs for 55 days starting from the beginning of April and can be reached at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/princetownartsfestival2024.