ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CITY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29516, 18 May 1961, Page 17

ARTS FESTIVAL FOR CITY

Plans Of Junior Council

An arts festival fortnight, to be held in Christchurch from July 1 to July 16 this year, has been planned by the Christchurch Junior Council, says a letter from the chairman of the Junior Council’s arts promotion committee (Mr G. H. Reddell) replying to a letter from a correspondent of “The Press,” Mr Simon Nathan. Mr Nathan had referred to the programme planned for an Auckland Festival of the Arts, to be held this year, and had asked what Christchurch was doing about arranging a festival. An arts festival for the city had first been proposed at a meeting of the Junior Council last December, Mr Reddell advised. The suggestion had been enthusiastically received, and committee work on the project had gone ahead ever since It is expected that the final programme for the festival will be announced in about two weeks. The support of many national and local organisations has been obtained, and the festival will include choral and orchestral groups, jazz, church music, drama, literature, poetry and ballet. A committee is also investigating the prospect of a similar festival in 1962. “I am sure that the festival proposed will warrant the support of all the citizens of Christchurch, and make them and Mr Nathan proud of our city,” Mr Reddell’s letter concludes.