In just under two days, the Gloucestershire community has impressively raised more than the £15,000 needed to save the much-loved Cheltenham Paint Festival, enabling it to go ahead for another year in 2023.
After earlier announcing the festival was nowhere near their funding target this year, due to some of their usual sponsors choosing other projects to support, over 250 people rallied together to hit the donations target, with KOWSKI skiwear adding a huge £10,000 to the pot!
These efforts have amounted to an incredible £16,355 raised so far, with every extra £1 raised going towards keeping Cheltenham Paint Festival going beyond this year, showing the council and other sponsors why they should support it, too.
Festival director, Andy Dice Davies, said: 'I'm speechless! I can't believe you've raised £15,000 in UNDER two days to ensure the festival goes ahead!
'Massive thanks to Emma Bright for starting the GoFundMe - without that, we wouldn't be having a festival this year - and enormous thanks to Alex Jaskowski and Patsy of Kowski skiwear for their incredibly generous donation of £10,000 to take us over the line and ensure the festival goes ahead this year.
'I'm completely overwhelmed with the support the festival has received in the last two days - it has been incredible. Right, I'd best get planning for Cheltenham Paint Festival 2023!'
Alex Jaskowski, of Cheltenham-based ski apparel brand KOWSKI, said: 'As a Cheltenham born creative, the well-being of the local arts scene is a matter that’s very close to my heart.
'My father Patsy and I had a brief conversation and very quickly came to the unanimous decision that it was imperative we did our bit to help safeguard the festival.
'Whilst we are incredibly grateful to be in a position that has enabled us to support in the way which we have, this has well and truly been a collective community effort. Had Emma not brought the situation to our attention, the chances are we wouldn’t be sat here celebrating this moment.'
