Harrogate International Festivals

rdf:langString Harrogate International Festivals

rdf:langString Harrogate International Festivals (HIF) is a registered charity and one of the UK's longest running arts festivals, having been established in 1966. Based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Festivals include the Harrogate Music Festival, Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate International Spring Series, Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival and a programme of outreach which includes the Spiegeltent and Children's Festival programmes. HIF also runs a programme of community outreach including literacy, music and arts programmes for young people and communities with least access to the arts due to rural isolation, geographical location or social exclusion. Charles, Prince of Wales is the Festival's patron, and Peter Blackburn CBE is its honorary president. Dame Fanny Waterman, DBE was honorary president from 2009 until her death in 2020, the position having previously been held by Clive Leach CBE. A past vice-president was Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam. The current Chair of the Trustees is Fiona Movley. In 2017, HIF won the Northern Soul Arts Festival of the Year Award.