The change comes primarily as a result of reduced sponsorship, although a lack of volunteer help has also put significant strain on the organisers.
‘It’s a shame that we’ve had to make this decision, but I think it’s really the best option,’ said the festival’s communications officer Dave Wheeler.
‘Our other options were to not do the festival this year at all, which of course none of us wanted, or we could have kept it at two weeks but scaled everything down.’
Any islander who has been to town in the summertime has likely encountered the festival in action, as it is spread all across the main shopping streets, showcasing music, art and theatre.
In recent years the performers have included groups from the UK who have travelled over to participate, although the lack of funding has also impacted that this year.
‘We’ve had very generous sponsors – sponsors who’ve given us more than we could have imagined – so it’s understandable that they’re saying “that’s all we can give for now”.
'We hope that any other businesses who want to support the Guernsey arts community and get some brand recognition in return will get in touch with us,’ said Mr Wheeler.
He added, though, that lack of funding was not the only trial that the festival was facing this year. A lack of volunteers has meant that many duties have fallen on the committee, whose members are also volunteers balancing full-time jobs.
‘During the festival, we rely on our volunteers to work behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly, while the committee is usually involved in more admin-type work,’ he said.
In the future, Mr Wheeler suggested, islanders who wish to contribute to the vibrancy of the island arts scene and the vitality of St Peter Port might find volunteering a fulfilling and enjoyable endeavour.
The Guernsey Street Festival’s organisers remain hopeful that its transition to a week-long event this year will be exceptional, and it will return to its two-week run in the future.
However, the festival emerged from years of the Town Carnival, which was only a week long.
This year, it is set to take place from Saturday 1 August to August 8.
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