Festival dances into 60th year with funding boost

A long-running North East festival is set to mark its 60th anniversary in style after securing a £73,680 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance (BIFF) will use the funding to deliver community heritage projects, celebrating its legacy and global cultural impact.

Plans include a costume catwalk showcase at Preston Park Museum and Billingham Town Centre, featuring traditional outfits from across the world. 

A digital World Map of Memories and Scrapbook will also be created, inviting festivalgoers, volunteers and performers to share stories, photos and memorabilia from past events.

With participation encouraged from across the Tees Valley and beyond, organisers hope to capture the festival’s rich history and inspire future generations of international dance lovers.

Olga Maloney, artistic director of the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, said: “What better way to celebrate our 60th birthday than with the people who make the festival so special; our audience, performers and local people.

“Folklore dance theatre has been a proven way to break down cultural barriers for over six decades and enable people from across the region to experience global cultures on their doorstep.

“We are privileged that with the help of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and thanks to National Lottery players, the festival will be able to document and deliver a series of celebratory projects that showcases and encompasses what BIFF means to so many people around the world.” 

Helen Featherstone, director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “We’re delighted that thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we can support BIFF to celebrate their 60th anniversary in style.

“For many years BIFF has been bringing people together from all walks of life through folklore dance theatre, and it’s fantastic news that they can continue to share and commemorate these wonderful stories of festivalgoers over the decades.”

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