Wednesday 15 December 2010

The new World Buskers Festival (WBF) Trust, established earlier this year, received charitable status last week ensuring the event will continue to be a success.

World Buskers Festival Trust Chair, Linda Penno, says she is delighted with the new trust and is thrilled it has been recognised as a charity.

“We have a strong team and two of us, including myself, have come over from the Festival City Trust, so we’re well positioned to drive the festival forward. Our aims include to grow the national and international profile and identity of New Zealand street theatre and to enable the public to enjoy free access to world class buskers.”

The Christchurch City Council bought the WBF from the Festival City Trust (FCT) last year to ensure it could continue to grow as Christchurch’s favourite and largest free event and to prevent it from moving to another city.

Christchurch City Council Marketing Manager Richard Stokes says Council, as the new owner, has introduced a new trust to continue the successful model of independent governance to help shape the event.

Stokes says he is thrilled the application for charitable status was accepted and is confident the new Trust will go a long way to maintaining the quality of the event and its future growth.

“We’re committed to creating a vibrant calendar of events that attracts visitors and strengthens the distinctive identities and lifestyle qualities of Christchurch.

“Our major events enhance Christchurch as a place to live and visit, and the World Buskers Festival plays a huge part in that. The 2011 Festival is more important than ever as the buskers activity will help bring the buzz back to the central city following the earthquake.”

Next year’s WBF, from Thursday 20 to Sunday 30 January, has a strong line up of entertainers and several new additions and improvements. For more information visit www.worldbuskersfestival.com.

ENDS

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