Record-breaking Ryedale Festival brings in almost £1.5m to area this summer

The festival sets out each year to make North Yorkshire one of the best places in Europe to enjoy and encounter classical music.

This summer’s festival featured 60 events in beautiful and historic locations and audiences turned out in their droves to experience some of the world’s greatest artists.

As well as many concerts selling out, this “astonishing” result can be attributed to the expanding footprint of the festival into new areas such as Selby and Scarborough, an initiative backed by North Yorkshire Council and Arts Council England.

In particular, the festival received a grant of £90,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, administered through North Yorkshire Council.

One of the festival’s ambitions is to increase the number of concert-goers experiencing classical music in this setting for the first time – and this year 15% of its audiences reported being first-timer attenders.

In order to assess the impact of the festival on the region, organisers commissioned an independent survey and economic impact assessment by MKA Economics.

Its findings led with the festival’s delivery of a total net economic impact on the area of £1,483,557, supporting 20 local tourism-related jobs.

In addition, the festival helped to retain £1,275,171 within the North Yorkshire economy.

And a further £354,000 of local investment was generated by hosting the event, including ticket sales, venue hire, salaries and partnerships.

The overwhelming majority of those who attended the festival said they would return, an impressive 96%.

When it came to rating their experience, 91% said it was very good or excellent, with an across-the-board high rating of 4.4 out of 5.

Half of those surveyed ranked it ‘much better’ or ‘better’ than other classical music festivals in the UK.

Audiences noted how much they enjoy visiting local cafes, pubs and restaurants as well as the nearby visitor attractions alongside the concerts.

The festival is a significant undertaking, this year involving over 700 performers, 162 volunteers, 362 Patrons, Members and Friends, and 300 amateur participants performing 60 events across 34 venues, including 6 world premieres and several broadcasts on BBC Radio 3.

Headline performers included Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Angela Hewitt, Dame Sheila Hancock and Tenebrae.

Artistic Director, Christopher Glynn said: “The impact of the festival feels very real and immediate when we are surrounded by the hundreds of enthusiastic people who together make it happen.

"But it’s also important we capture evidence of this impact in a way that can be shared with funders, partners and sponsors, to demonstrate the wider benefits of their support.

"As we look to develop the scale and breadth of the festival’s presence across the region, this survey provides evidence of its economic value beyond the inspiring and enriching musical experiences we share with audiences every July.”

North Yorkshire Council leader, Cllr Carl Les, chair of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund partnership group added: “The economic impact this festival has had on North Yorkshire is great to see.”

Ryedale Festival returns next with a series of spring concerts due to be announced soon, and the Summer Festival will run from July 11 to 27 2025 across North Yorkshire.