In the build-up to our last festival, Hush, we announced that we would probably be taking an extended break once this festival was over, due to shortages of resources and funds.

As we have had numerous queries since then about when the next festival will be, it seemed logical to explain this more fully.

Cloud Dance Festival has grown significantly over the past year and a half, and we have reached the stage where we need to develop our work further, and look into diversifying our activities. This is where the resource and funding issues come in.

Resources

There is no actual "we" in Cloud Dance Festival; there's just me, and I already work full-time  elsewhere. Each festival alone involves around 100 hours' work per week for at least three months; from  the launch of each festival till its wrapping-up normally takes around six months.

Although we have had short-term adhoc assistance in the past from students and new graduates, what we urgently need is help from more experienced people, especially with marketing, publicity, management, production and advice. The workload of CDF has exceeded well beyond what one person can physically achieve, and the only sustainable solution is to seek core funding so that CDF can set up a small full-time team to carry out its work.

Funding

Not only do we need core funding in order to have the necessary staff to run Cloud Dance Festival succesfully, we are also in the position where we require funding to carry out our festivals as well.

Although for three years, we have managed to cover the festivals' costs, CDF has grown beyond what it can fund by itself. Any further festivals would generate a significant loss, and unfortunately CDF has eaten up all my savings for many years to come.

We appreciate that our need for funding has arrived at the worst possible time, however we have reached the limits of what we can achieve without funding.

What happens now

Firstly, we will be taking a break from festivals while we (I) decide what to do next. We are very sorry that this means not being able to do our "best of" festival in November.

The lack of volunteers means that the next few months will be spent working on business plans, consultations, funding applications and finishing our new website - things that cannot be put off for any longer, and which cannot be done while engrossed in yet another festival.

We will update this website when there is further news.

Chantal Guevara
Director