£2000 Available For Arts Festival

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 18

£2000 Available For Arts Festival

At least £2OOO would be made available by the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council for the 1968 Christchurch Pan Pacific Arts Festival. Mr J. Collins, the patron of the Christchurch festival and a member of the Arts Council, told the second annual meeting of the festival yesterday.

[ Mr Collins said that if any unore finance was required it would probably be considered if a request was justified.

[ The chairman of the festival (Mr H. G. Hay) said that an advanced stage had been reached in negotiating for several leading overseas artists. An American jazz trio, a world-class theatrical company, and a Canadian ballet company were being considered for the 1968 festival, j Mr Hay said that some of the acts would be shared by the newly formed Australian and New Zealand festival circuit. At the moment the Adelaide Festival secretariat was taking the initiative in negotiating for some performers. “World class performers are commanding enormous fees today,” Mr Hay said. “One tenor who was considered was available for 2500 dollars a 'performance, and several i other artists were just as I costly." | Because the festival would • last for three weeks there j would be ample opportunity | for local artists to receive full I representation, Mr Hay said.

Officers elected were.—Pat ron, Mr J. Collins: chairman Mr H. G. Hay: deputy chairman. Mr E. J. Bradshaw general committee, Mrs C. J Ashley. Messrs E. J. Brad shaw, M. Busby, D. S. Broken shire, G. R. Clothier. A. 1. Cot trell, G. A. G. Connal, J. E Davies, Mrs G. M. Fair weather, Messrs H. G. Hay K. M. Hay, T. A. Kincaird. G R. Lascelles. A. W. Mann, C L. Martin. O. C. Mitchel), J Oakley. P. Pascoe. N. G Pickering. H. P. Smith, R. H Stewart, M. Till. C. N. Todd Miss N. Northcroft. Mr K [Newson; auditor, Mr A. W Mann.