Organisers of Brighton Pride's Women's Tent have announced that they are pulling out of this year's event, in a damning open letter to festival managers, today.
Signed by a number of women involved in the production - Sheila McWattie, Nicky Mitchell, Seffy, Al Start and Sue Shaw
- the letter says that "following lengthy consideration, the Women's Performance Tent
production team members are deeply concerned about
issues surrounding the delivery of Brighton Pride
this year."
It continues: "We have delivered an effective event for the past 10 years, often in a
volatile political and economic climate. The Women's Performance Tent
at Brighton Pride, with support from Brighton Women's Centre, Brighton
Pride, Brighton & Hove City Council and other donors, is designed
as an effective event that delivers a strong profile and benefits for
those organisations and the wider community.
"This year, our resources and faith in the Pride planning process have
been stretched beyond reasonable limits. On behalf of Brighton Women's
Centre, we are no longer able to guarantee delivery of a credible,
community-based political event in time to publicise it effectively and
co-ordinate a crucial group of committed community volunteers to
participate in that delivery.
"We are aware that many of our valued audience members will share our
disappointment. The production team will continue to plan live
performance fundraising events throughout the year.
"We hope that next year's planning, resources, communication and
timescales enable production of the type of quality event that we have
delivered consistently at Brighton Pride on Preston Park for the past
10 years, and are open to considering possibilities for 2011 within a
realistic, practical and principled framework."
The announcement is the latest blow for the city's gay celebration.
In April, the annual street party which takes place after Brighton Pride was
cancelled after no one stepped forward to organise the event, following
the disappearance of £10,000 from last year’s event budget and a
subsequent arrest. It was saved at the eleventh hour.
Then, as reported on PinkPaper.com last month, Aeon Events - best known as the promoter behind the successful Wild Fruit club nights - confirmed that they were no longer the event's bar contractors.
Following this, it was revealed that Tom Smith, a director of 19
Events Ltd - the subsequent bar contractor - is due to stand trial in September on charges of fraud,
relating to alleged thefts from a previous employer in 2007. Smith
denies all the charges.
A spokesperson for Brighton Pride told PinkPaper.com: "This is extremely disappointing in view of community forum meetings we have held to help improve communications and the additional funding Pride was able to source exclusively for use by the Women's Performance Tent.
"Pride is now looking into alternative options to ensure that our commitment to women's spaces and women's music is upheld. Artists that would like to play at Pride should contact 01273 775939 or email office@brightonpride.org."
Photo by Jane Wrin.