The go-ahead was given at the local authority’s cabinet meeting last week (July 15) to establish the ‘registered charity’ body to organise the festival independently and be able to get outside commercial sponsorship.
Haringey got an extra year’s advance notice from the Mayor of London in 2024 that it was to host the 2027 festival.
The extra time compared to previous ‘year of culture’ awards to other boroughs has given the council a new approach like setting up a separate organisation for the festival that wouldn’t need to rely on the public coffers.
“This decision is major step for our year of culture,” the council’s cabinet member for culture Cllr Emily Arkell said. “It resonates with all our diverse communities as the ‘rebel borough’.
“The longer lead-in time allows us to look at the options and the need for a sustainable and agile mechanism.
“The company will also go beyond 2027, using outside funding not readily available to us — but also ensures continued council control to show Haringey’s creative heritage.”
The charity company running the 12-month programme is also able to lean on the council’s own culture department’s expertise. It can raise funds with commercial and other sponsorships without pressure on the town hall for money.
An independent company also gives flexibility afterwards to ‘repurpose’ itself, it is pointed out. This includes hosting 2028 UEFA Euro matches at venues like Spurs’ Tottenham stadium.
The council is now setting up the company as a not-for-profit enterprise, registered at Companies House and with the Charity Commission.
It ensures continued town hall control through its board of management, while maintaining independence and safeguards that won’t drain public resources.
Haringey won the bid in 2024 to host the 2027 festival, from May to the following March, with the extra advance notice.
The festival is a platform as London’s ‘rebel brough’ to show “everyday rebels and radical activists” with global connections and grassroots community culture — from music and dance to food, fashion and design.
