Ten amazing days brings £6.75m into city’s economy

Ten amazing days brought a gross economic impact of some £6.7 million to Milton Keynes and a net contribution of just under £0.75 million, say organisers of IF: Milton Keynes International Festival.

Scores of business representatives joined guests from the arts, community and voluntary sectors at the Staves Theatre in Wavendon to hear how the festival, which brought 170 artistic performances, installations and shows to eight locations across the city in July, is making an ongoing difference in

IF: Milton Keynes International Festival brings a cultural and commercial boost

developing a sense of belonging across all sectors of the city’s population.

This year’s festival attracted a total audience of around 56,000. But, said festival director Monica Ferguson, that figure excludes the number of people in Milton Keynes for other reasons who paused to take in the artistic festival around them. Footfall in centre:mk, IF’s headline sponsor, rose by 14 per cent on the previous

CEO Sleepout bags £50,000 for homeless charities

non-festival year and was 4pc up on the figure during the previous festival in 2021.

Paying tribute to the role of the festival’s supporters headed by centre:mk and MyMiltonKeynes

Business Improvement District which funded the IF volunteers and paid for a TV advertising campaign designed to draw visitors from further afield in the UK, Ms Ferguson said: “IF created some really special moments this year and partner can use the festival as an opportunity to really make a difference, to raise their profile and make sure that their messages are communicated internationally.” centre:mk has supported IF: Milton Keynes International festival since it debuted in 2010. This year it hosted the stunning and thought-provoking installation The Place Between, an immersive artwork created by Rebecca Louise Law and sound artist Jason Singh. It incorporated more than 200,000 pieces of plant To page 3 >>

Experiencing one night of rough sleeping has enabled 55 businesspeople to raise almost £50,000 for organisations working with the homeless in Milton Keynes. Meet the intrepid souls who took part in this year’s CEO Sleepout initiative, who spent a night in the open at Milton Keynes College’s Bletchley campus to raise awareness of the plight of those without a place to sleep and to raise money for four charities supporting those in need; YMCA Milton Keynes, MK Bus Shelter, St Mark’s Meals and MK Food Bank.

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They are pictured as they prepare for a night sleeping outside on a ground sheet, some in blankets, others in survival bags or plastic bubble wrap. Read more on page 5 >>