By Linzi Watson

Last updated at 09:22, Friday, 27 March 2009

Popular music festival Brampton Live has been saved with an 11th hour funding boost.

Barbara Dickson

Organisers say they would have been forced to scale down the three-day festival or take a year out had it not been for a £35,000 grant from Arts Council England.

But because acts cannot be booked until funding is secured, the team now faces a race against time to complete the line-up by July.

Last September Carlisle City Council pledged £15,000 to the event – dubbed the biggest roots festival in the north of England – for 2009 and 2010, but organisers said extra cash was needed to support the move into an independent company.

Brampton Live is now under the management of Brampton Live Festival Limited, set up by Ken and Sue Bradburn who founded the festival in 1995.

Speaking about the grant awarded this week, co-director Mick North said: “This is fantastic news and absolutely crucial to the future of the festival. Without this grant, we’d be facing the possibility of scaling the festival down or even taking a year out.

“We’re really pleased that the Arts Council have recognised the festival’s achievements and potential with some serious funding.

“Now it’s all systems go to deliver Brampton Live 2009 and we hope supporters old and new will get behind it.”

Ken Bradburn, who is tasked with booking musicians, said: “We’re playing catch-up but I’m confident we will be offering another spectacular mix of home-grown and international artists.”

Among the acts already booked for the 15th annual event to be held at William Howard School from July 17 to 19, is award-winning singer and West End actress Barbara Dickson.

Carlisle City Council leader and Brampton councillor Mike Mitchelson said: “This year’s event signals a new era for the festival and we look forward to working with, and supporting, Brampton Live Festival Limited.”

Early tickets will be on sale until the end of April via the festival’s website at www.bramptonlive.net and from Carlisle’s Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery.

First published at 05:26, Friday, 27 March 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk