Introducing... The Guild Goes on!

Upon its cancellation, the committee took up the challenge of organising a ‘virtual’ Festival for 2020 to continue the event’s unbroken 128-year record. After hours of meticulous planning and organisation in just a short few weeks, it is excited to introduce ‘The Guild Goes On!’.

Festival chairman Anne Clarke explained:

The Festival continued through both the First and Second World War and the Committee felt sure that the Guild community would appreciate the opportunity to keep the flag flying high, particularly through this challenging period.

Competitors who entered the regular Festival can share their home recording of a performance and have it sent to a qualified adjudicator, who will provide their expert feedback. All competitors will also receive an official Festival certificate - just imagine how rare those are going to be in years to come! 

She continued:

We are delighted to have secured three of the adjudicators who were due to attend this year’s Guild to carry out the judging for ‘The Guild Goes On!’. Steven Roberts will adjudicate the music, David Fonville, drama; and Deborah Norris, dance. All three are highly experienced professionals in their fields and approved by the British and International Federation of Festivals following an extensive programme of preparation and mentoring.

We know that, although necessary and absolutely the right decision, the cancellation of this year’s Festival was a disappointment to many. This is why we’d like to invite our competitors to still showcase their talents after all their hard work and preparations. We’re all learning how much music, drama and dance mean to us in these challenging times. So, let’s join together for ‘The Guild Goes On!’ and allow it to lift our spirits!

We are very grateful to Celton Manx for sponsoring The Guild Goes On! under its Recognition Scheme. We’d also like to thank the Festival’s main supporters, Dandara, for also backing this new virtual venture.

Dandara Managing Director Seamus Nugent added:

The Guild Committee has worked hard to launch this virtual Festival in a very short space of time and we think it’s a fantastic concept. Thousands of people are involved in the Festival every year including the organisers, competitors, adjudicators and audiences so we have no doubt this will please a lot of people and help bring the community together during this tough period.

We are proud to support this traditional Manx festival and impressed to see it venture into the digital space so effortlessly. Bring on ‘The Guild Goes On!’ for 2020.

‘The Guild Goes on!’ is open only to those who entered the 2020 Manx Music, Speech and Dance Festival through the online or paper entry process. Entries are free and will open on Saturday 25th April and close at midnight on Saturday 2nd May 2020.

Competitors can enter by uploading a recording of their performance via WeTransfer. One recording only per entrant. For more details on how to enter, head to the Manx Music Festival website.