[ivfdf-news] Re: YES 2007 - Who? What? Where? When?

[Gavin Skinner]

Hi - 

Rag Morris, the Bristol university based morris side has been running for 24
years now and attending IVFDF for almost as long. When Bristol Uni tried
running ICBINI 2003 it was part of our effort to try and set up a folk club at
Bristol Uni, initially as a 'department' of Rag Morris (so we didn't need to
set up a new society) but with the long-term aim of the folk club separating
off in the fullness of time. Although the event was fun and we just about broke
even, we failed to attract many Bristol students along to the workshops and
ceilidhs, and we've struggled to get many students involved in running the folk
club ever since. 

The last time IVFDF was held in Bristol was in 1957 and it had been a long-held
ambition of mine for Bristol to host the 50th anniversary rematch in 2007.
Without a strong University of Bristol Folk Club, that would be quite
impossible. I'm stepping down from the Rag Morris / Folk Club committee this
week, so unless we suddenly get an unexpected flurry of interest in running a
Bristol IVFDF from the new committee, we aren't going to be putting forward a
proposal this year. 

I'll suggest that people from fcub who are at IVFDF attend the 'Running a Folk
Soc' event at 9am on Saturday (usefully, before the Morris tour!) as we could
probably do with some help. We kind of felt a couple of years ago that there
was a resurgence in 'young folk' around the country but I'm not sure if that's
being sustained. But as Andrew said, it's probably time for people like me to
'mind my own business'!

Gavin.

Squire, Rag Morris  (until Thursday!)


--- Andrew Swaine <andrew-ivfdfnews at swaine.me.uk> wrote:

> At 17:38 11/02/2005  Friday, Stephen Brockbank wrote:
> >IN response to Andrew's request for what society positions are for 
> >organising IVFDF 2007.
> >There are people in Edinburgh who are currently doing a feasibility study 
> >into running the festival in the Capital of Scotland.
> >
> >Stephen Brockbank
> >(Nominally New Scotland)
> 
> I have had some responses off-list:
> 
> * Andy Anderson, formerly of Southampton Red Stags, has pointed out that 
> Southhampton does not have a society any more, and couldn't use the union 
> if it did.
> * Glasgow have stated that it is impossible due to the strength of their 
> society.
> * More tales of woe regarding the strength of Scottish societies.
> 
> No-one has yet said they would be happy to run it, and no-one other than 
> Stephen has said they're even looking into it.
> 
> It seems that, pending an offer, the options are fairly narrow:
> * Arm-twist someone like Sheffield or Exeter who have had it very recently 
> and haven't completely got over the last one yet.
> * Arm-twist a weak society into holding it, and risk killing that society
> off.
> * Put together a bid with one person on the ground at a university, but 
> with the majority of the organisation done by people elsewhere (taking 
> account of the difficulties people have had when this has been tried in the 
> past).
> * Get a non-university bid together, and risk IVFDF losing its student 
> focus (although this would be better than it not happening).
> 
> In some ways, I am glad I don't get a vote any more, that's not an easy one 
> to call.  One principle I would like to suggest is that we shouldn't force 
> a society to hold the festival that doesn't have sufficient manpower to 
> have separate people running the Society itself in parallel.
> 
> The key to the survival of IVFDF is the survival of the university 
> societies (which is of course more important).  Ultimately societies come 
> and go, but, established or emergent, they shouldn't go without the IVFDF 
> community having tried to help first.  Is there anything else IVFDF could 
> be doing to support emergent societies and societies in distress?  For
> example:
> 
> * Formally identifying them as in need of help?
> * Providing extra help for those societies running an IVFDF?
> * Organising more inter-University events, band tours, etc.?
> * Provide direct organisational assistance?
> * Pay for halls, bands, advertising costs, etc. where appropriate, out of 
> money from EFDSS or elsewhere?  I believe that if we have the case, the 
> money will be available from somewhere.
> * Produce some "how to run a society" guidance?  (Are people making common 
> mistakes?)
> 
> Do we need to have another national gathering of organisers, to discuss 
> these issues with each other and the societies in need of help?
> 
> Apologies to Aisling if we're doing some of these things already and, being 
> from a stronger society, I'm not aware of it.
> 
> Andrew.
> 
> 
> NOTE: Acting individually.  I haven't been a student since 1999 so I am 
> quite prepared for current students to tell me to mind my own business :-)
> 
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