EFA holds its General Meeting 2004 in London The European Festivals Association (EFA) holds its General Meeting in London from 1 until 3 October. The aim of EFA is to promote the highest ideas and significance of festivals through common publicity and by any appropriate means to maintain and develop high artistic quality of festivals and their important role in the international cultural cooperation. At the invitation of the BBC Proms and its president Nicholas Kenyon in collaboration with the Dartington International Summer School, Trinity College of Music and British Arts Festivals Association, about 110 representatives from more than 60 European and non-European Member Festivals from 30 different countries will have the opportunity this weekend to discuss not only the future of EFA including its legal, structural and personal renewal – President Gavin Henderson will present the new Secretary General, Hugo De Greef-, but also some of the key issues around the role of festivals, the challenges and opportunities in the enlargement of the European Union, as well as the exciting possibilities opened up through broadcasting and new technology for festivals. Important keynote speakers such as Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Jude Kelly, Sir Bob Scott and BBC senior personnel from radio, TV, and online including Roger Wright, Edward Blakeman, Oliver Macfarlane Kate Finch, Leigh Aspin and Graham Dixon as well as other guest speakers including Nora Nys and Walter Couvreur from Radio Klara in Belgium will contribute to a stimulating meeting. On top of this attractive conference programme, the BBC Proms has put together an impressive cultural and social programme including the opening concert of the BBC Symphony Orchestra autumn season at the internationally renowned Barbican Centre on Friday night, an exciting contemporary dance evening by Sylvie Guillem and the Ballet Boyz at Sadler’s Wells Theatre on Saturday night and an informal voyage on the Thames to Greenwich on Sunday followed by concerts and recitals in the Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich. This gathering thus promises an intensive and fertile meeting with fine performances for the EFA festival family. For further information, please contact us via email: Nathalie Dert Nathalie@efa-aef.org Kathrin Deventer Kathrin@efa-aef.org or via telephone: + 32 241 80 80 European Festivals Association Kleine Gentstraat 46 9051 Gent Belgium www.efa-aef.org