Just under 5 years ago the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival came into being. Much of the pleasure was in the conception. The night in question, drink was taken. The air was heavy with possibility for the Cathedral Quarter – a new Left Bank a la Paris, a new San Francisco - move over Barcelona, Belfast coming through! (hmmm..)

If the broader Cathedral Quarter project has yet to fully realise that promise, the Festival continues to plough its own, slightly eccentric furrow, sometimes brilliant, often baffling. In the former category Patti Smith eternally stands out as do Will Self, Frank McCourt, Germaine Greer. In the latter category perhaps the Pocohontas singing Native American wasn’t our finest hour.

This year’s programme encompasses everyone and everything from Dylan Moran to Jerry Sadowitz, Arthur Scargill to Alistair Campbell, speed Chess tournaments to 60ft inflatable whales. Mainstream and leftfield events sit side by side in a genre-bending splurge of activity.

Add to the mix the huge BBC Music Live programme, the new Festival of Fools, our own ‘Homegrown’ mini-festival and Accession Day events and, for a brief period, at least, maybe we won’t be that far from the cosmopolitan ideal.

Once again our sponsorship drive had its customary lack of success. There have been some small rays of light however, specifically, Mr. Pound of High Street. So say ‘No’ to Nestle, boycott BP and shop with Mr Pound. Thanks for your continued support and enjoy the Festival.

This year the Festival experienced the irreplaceable loss of two great mentors; Mairtin Crawford, poet, compadre, space explorer and Eddie McParland, a huge hearted early friend of the Festival.
May they rest easy.