Loss-making for “several years”
Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel – who oversees the arts, heritage and culture budget from which that money is drawn – told Express this morning that the increased funding was designed to tackle some of the “headwinds” that have been battering the event since the pandemic, giving organisers the chance to “re-invigorate” it for a new generation of islanders and tourists.
He further revealed that the iconic local event, which holds its first 2024 event tonight, has been operating at a loss for “several years”.
Pictured: the Optimists Club’s float from last year’s Battle of Flowers’ moonlight parade.
An evolving parade
Once a literal battle of flowers, where the floats were dismantled and used in a fight between participants and spectators, the annual event has since blossomed into a multi-day festival with parades, music and entertainment.
Headliners this year are previous Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryderand the voice of Wet Wet Wet, Marti Pellow.
A Queen tribute band, a moonlight parade, and more is scheduled for the three-day festival which starts this afternoon.
Thousands of tourists and locals alike usually pour out into St Helier for both the day and moonlight parades, lining the Avenue to catch and glimpse of the floats which parishes and groups have agonised over for months.
Funding… with strings attached?
For the first time since its revival in 1951, the Battle of Flowers was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to pandemic restrictions – meaning the levels of funding in those years dropped to £84,477 and £12,500 respectively.
But that funding rocketed back up to £177,144 in 2022, £150,000 in 2023 and now to £270,000 in 2024.
Pictured: Government funding since 2020 for the Battle of Flowers – a breakdown of the spend was not provided.
The Government declined to reveal whether there were any associated contractual terms related to the grant funding when asked by Express, claiming this this would constitute “trade secrets” or “prejudice the commercial interests” of an individual.
Speaking to Express following the revelation, Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel nevertheless confirmed the money did not come without its strings attached.
“There are always KPIs [Key Performance Indicators] attached to funding,” he said. “We will be watching and working closely with organisers to see the funding is spent properly, and the Battle does improve in terms of the offering and the number of people watching.
“If we don’t see those changes, then we’ll have to sit down with them and have some serious conversations about future funding and reconsider the amount we provide.”
Pictured: Deputy Morel decides the funding for arts and culture in Jersey.
Deputy Morel said the uplift in funds came in response to a turbulent few years for the event which had left the event operating at a loss and question marks over its future.
Goal to help organisers make Battle “fit for the future”
“Battle of Flowers has, over the last few years, especially with covid, had some headwinds,” he explained, which led the organisers to put forward a business case laying out how they could “reinvigorate” it.
“That’s something that I think many islanders felt was needed, and that extra funding was designed to allow them to make those changes to try and attract more islanders and tourists to attend and take part,” he continued.
“This is an attempt to help the organisers put on a Battle that’s fit for now and for the future. It is an intrinsic part of the island’s culture and heritage as well as a tourism offering, and it was getting to the point where if Battle didn’t try to make serious changes and reinvent itself than it would have been put in serious jeopardy.
“With this funding, organisers have been able to make those serious changes and modernise the event.”
He added that the larger pot of money from which the Battle of Flowers funding is drawn has recently increased.
That increase was due to a proposition from Deputy Monty Tadier, who successfully campaigned for the States Assembly to allocate 1% of annual government expenditure on arts, heritage and culture.
Deputy Morel, who was unable to attend this year, said he hoped the event went well this weekend, adding: “We want the battle to succeed. We want it to continue.”
READ MORE…
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All 12 parishes set to feature in this year’s Battle of Flowers parade
Queen tribute band announced for Battle of Flowers
LISTEN: Islander to support Wet Wet Wet star at Battle of Flowers concert
WATCH: Wet Wet Wet’s Marti Pellow announced as BoF summer headliner
WATCH: Eurovision star Sam Ryder to perform at Battle of Flowers