Many thanks for coming to those who came to last Thursday Public Meeting. Here is a summary of our plans.
Event Registration for the 2026 Festival
Registrations for 2026 events will open on 1 December 2025. We will have a longer application window, this time accepting entries until 28 February 2026. Once submitted, events will appear on a provisional calendar in real time. This should reduce the risk of programmes clashing.
The later deadline is thanks to the fact that we will not have a box office launch in 2026, so the print deadline is less nerve-racking. Also we have worked very hard with our web developer to improve the application procedures from last year so this should make the procedure easier for organisers as well as making the brochure preparation that much easier.
Linked Events
Some organisers last year found it very beneficial to group or link events, helping both attendance and guiding potential guests to combine booking two different events whose timings were coordinated to work as a satisfying pair. A notable 2025 example linked a concert by the Consort of Twelve and a walk/talk about Georgian Chichester to give two Georgian themed events that could be combined into a coherent afternoon’s entertainment.
Box Office
The Novium has closed the Chichester Box Office, which is disappointing for the festival and for organisers. Ticketing and accounting for over 100 events and redistributing funds for all of these through the festival itself is not an option, as we are a voluntary group without a physical shopfront.
The result is that we will be encouraging event organisers to make use of one of the online ticketing services (Eventbrite, TicketSource, TicketTailor etc.).
However we understand that a few organisers are very reluctant to make this switch, while some ticket buyers are not confident buying tickets online.
Two possibilities are still being investigated for solving these problems. Neither is confirmed as yet.
- If it proves feasible to align their box office software with third party events, there is a chance that the Chichester Cinema could offer ticketing services to just a limited number of Festival events. This would be helpful for those organisers who unable to cope with online ticket set-ups.
- Though they wouldn’t be able to provide ticketing per se, Chichester Library might be able to offer an arrangement in which residents who are not online at home or need help in making digital purchases, get some one-to-one coaching with a library staff member to help them buy tickets online.
Advertising
Every year we start accepting advertisers for the brochure and website around this time. As you may know we print 15,000 copies of our professionally designed, full-colour brochure. For full details of the advertising options, view this document. For early bookings we will hold the same rates as in 2024. Artwork and payment would not be due until January/February 2026 but we would like to have the brochure planned out well in advance. It’s quite possible that the spaces will fill up, as they did last year. Your contact is Vicki at accounts@festivalofchichester.co.uk.
Brochure Deliveries
The brochure will be printed in early April with distribution of the 15,000 copies an ongoing process throughout the months of April, May and June. To ensure that we get brochures right out over the whole district and beyond with a minimum of expenditure, we rely in part on volunteers. If you would be able to help us in this respect, please let us know. Ideally willing volunteers would take on the responsibility of maintaining the stock of brochures in just one or two (or a few) locations close to their homes so that no individual has more than a small job to do.
Festival Committee
As of 2026/27 we will have vacancies on our committee, including the coordination of events, physical event marketing and photography, and IT/marketing. Whether you’d like a minor role or are coming with energy and fresh ideas, we’d like to encourage you to meet us and perhaps sitting in on a meeting or two before deciding whether to join our committee. Visit this page to find out more.
Planning for the long term development of the festival
Alternatively/equally you might be more interested in joining a working group, outside of the committee, to consider the long-term development of the festival. In any case, please drop us a line.
With best wishes
Phil, Jen, Simon, Mark, Vicki, Edward, Earl, Anne and Simon
The Festival of Chichester Committee
