LONG-term director of Grassington Festival, Kate Beard, has stepped down after seven years in the role.

After gaining a wealth of experience at the Barbican Centre in London, and working with Manchester International Festival, Ms Beard first became involved with Grassington Festival in 2010, working firstly on the Hillside Art Project, and then alongside theatre company Slung Low with their production about Linton Camp.

She took on the mantle of festival director in 2012.

Highlights under her leadership include securing several world-class entertainers to perform in the Dale, including Billy Ocean and “Luminarium” immersive art installation by Architects of Air in 2012, The Boomtown Rats in 2014, Bananarama in 2017 and comedian Jason Manford this year, as well as late South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela.

Grassington Festival – a registered charity – has also enriched the local area in other ways under Ms Beard’s leadership, including several school initiatives, and community projects such as Leeds band Hope & Social’s “A Band Anyone Can Join” and “This Must Be The Place”.

She said of her time in Grassington: “It has been such a privilege to work with this fabulous festival. I’ve been very lucky to work with many incredible artists and so many brilliant people who have been so supportive in making this event happen every summer over the last seven years.

“Thank you all and I wish everyone all success for the future.”

Grassington Festival Society would like to thank Ms Beard for all her hard work over the years and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavours.

Thanks have also been extended to recent chairman Robert Fort who has also stepped down this year, and all members of the festival team, past and present, including the many volunteers without whom this festival simply wouldn’t be possible.

Grassington Festival was founded in 1981 by Colin and Fleur Speakman, with subsequent direction from Bunty Leder, Amelia Vyvyan, and, latterly, Kate Beard.

It is now under the new direction of Penny Hart-Woods, who will bring the Festival into its 39th year.

The 2019 Grassington Festival will run from June 15 to 29, beginning with six days of Fringe events, and followed with nine days of main programme shows.

Planning for next year is well under way, with the first acts to be announced very soon.

The two weeks of events see around 100

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