Two Denbighshire businesses are in the running for prestigious awards for their “amazing contribution” to the success of one of Wales’s top music festivals.
The news comes hot on the heels of an announcement that North Wales International Music Festival, at St Asaph Cathedral, has secured a £40,000 grant from the North Wales Regional Arts Lottery Fund.
The Arts and Business Cymru Awards, to be presented during a glittering ceremony at the Wales Millennium Centre, are designed to recognise the finest examples of partnerships between the two sectors.
The critically-acclaimed festival, which began in 1972, has always relied heavily on the support from local organizations.
In acknowledgement of their contribution, the Festival nominated the St Asaph accountancy practice of Salisbury and Company and the Ruthin hotel and restaurant Manorhaus.
According to Sue Last, Vice-Chair of the Board of the Festival, having such reliable, long-term support was extremely important and it was only right that their “amazing contribution” should be recognized.
She said: “We are absolutely delighted that Salisbury and Company and the Manorhaus are in contention for such prestigious awards and we wish them both well on the night.
“Having also received excellent news in relation to funding, we’re on a bit of a roll at the moment and we have an exciting and imaginative programme in place for this year’s festival.”
Both Salisbury and Company and the Manorhaus have been nominated in the category for small businesses – those for under 100 employees – and Salisbury have also been included in the section for Arts, Business and Employees.
The Manorhaus, established in 2002 by Chris Frost and Gavin Harris, are nominated in the category for long-term support for the arts.
The Festival administrators actually share a building with Salisbury and Company but their relationship goes much deeper than that.
Under their previous name of Gardner Salisbury they began supporting the week-long festival and were highly commended in the Small Business category of the Arts and Business Cymru awards.
The Festival’s artistic director Ann Atkinson has held workshops for the company’s employees, illustrating how music can help improve business skills.
Director Jeremy Salisbury said the Festival had been a “fantastic” advert for the arts as well as for St Asaph and the local community.
“We’ve been more than happy to support this cause over the years as one way of supporting the community in which many of our clients live and work,” he said.
Festival co-ordinator Katy Williams said that Chris Frost, who is a member of the Festival’s Board, and Gavin at the Manorhaus had also been tremendous supporters in various ways.
“They have formed a Ruthin-based syndicate involving chartered architect Robin Wolley and Astbury Civil Engineering who are sponsoring the event and they frequently host meetings and other functions at the Manorhaus,” she said.
Chris Frost said they were delighted to have been nominated for the award and to have been closely linked with such a prestigious event.
“I suppose we bring a bit of business acumen into the organization as well as bringing businesspeople along to the concerts, but there’s no doubt that we also benefit from our association,” he said.
Meanwhile Katy Williams herself, through her own personal company of Katy Morgan Photography, has also nominated the Anglesey-based firm of Peninsula Home Improvements in the category for small businesses.
It follows her work at Peninsula with her father, Mold-based artist/photographer John Butland Morgan.
The Managing Director of the Gaerwen company, Ken Grayson, challenged his workforce to work in teams to show off their skills by installing some of the company’s products in unusual settings.
Katy and her father worked closely with the staff in the project and recording their efforts, which included a door fitted into the sand at Porth Trecastell and a window installed in a quarry face near Holyhead.
This year’s festival opens on September 24 and runs until October 1. The first concert features the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, who appeared in the very first festival and have returned many times since, and baritone Roderick Williams.
Strings feature strongly in the week’s programme, with artists including Welsh triple harp virtuoso Robin Huw Bowen, classical guitarist Dimitris Dekavallas, the ensemble Blazin’ Fiddles and the Vida Guitar Quartet.
Among other highlights are a recital by top pianist Llyr Wiliams, from Rhos, near Wrexham, and a Portrait of Composer Dr Paul Mealor featuring Ensemble Cymru, Aberdeen University Chamber Choir and mezzo-soprano Ann Atkinson, who is also the Festival’s talented Artistic Director.
Dr Mealor will also conduct a choral workshop for mixed choirs.
For more information about this year’s event which is being held between September 24 and October 1.and how to book tickets go to www.northwalesmusicfestival.co.uk
