Brass Bands England has revealed further details of their proposals for the European Brass Band Festival which will mark their hosting of the 50th anniversary European Championships in London in 2028.
Following the confirmation made by the European Brass Band Association made at the 2024 Championships in Palanga that the festival would return to the UK for the hallmark anniversary, further details have now been released.
Iconic venue
As stated in BBE's proposal the event will be hosted London's iconic Southbank Centre, making use of the multiple performance spaces including its Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room from 23rd — 30th April.
The venue has been an iconic feature of London's main entertainment and arts area found between Westminster Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge and which first gained worldwide prominence in hosting the 1951 Festival of Britain.
Brass Bands England (BBE) hosted a successful European Championship Festival in Birmingham in 2022.
Wide range of events
It is envisaged that the 2028 festival will provide a wide range of events, including a community festival offering opportunities for audiences of all ages and interests to discover brass banding.
Speaking about the progress, BBE's Chair Mike Kilroy told 4BR: "We had a fantastic time in Birmingham in 2022 and we'd like to thank EBBA for placing their trust in us once again.
This time around we have the luxury of planning time, and we're looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together as a sector to bring brass banding in front of a wider audience.
This will be a huge event for the brass banding community, and I can't wait for you to be a part of it!"
Consultation
BBE has announced that the programme for the 2028 festival will be developed in consultation with the UK banding sector, with everyone welcome to express their views.
Details on how to submit these will be released when consultation opens at BBE's Brass Band Conference in London on 19th October, after which it will remain open online.
BBE has announced that the programme for the 2028 festival will be developed in consultation with the UK banding sector, with everyone welcome to express their views4BR
Impressed
In response, EBBA President Ulf Rosenberg stated: "The EBBA Committee was impressed at how BBE was able to handle the organisation of the EBBC in 2022.
We are excited about the prospect of an accessible and community-focused festival taking place around the action within the Southbank concert venues. BBE is an ambitious and forward-looking organisation and we're looking forward to working with them again to welcome visitors from all over the world."
Taster:
2028 European Championships Southbank taster
