Dear Peace in the Park community,

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It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closure of Peace in the Park. After much consideration and reflection, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors for good, and unfortunately, this means that the festival will not take place this year.

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Several key issues have led us to this decision, and we believe in being completely transparent with our community:

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1. Impact of COVID-19: Since the onset of the pandemic, we have struggled to meet our fundraising targets. The uncertainties and challenges brought about by COVID-19 have made it increasingly difficult to secure the necessary resources to sustain our operations.
    

2. Loss of Key Directors: Over the past few years, we have seen the departure of key directors who possessed the skills and expertise necessary to organise a festival of Peace in the Park's scale. Their absence has posed significant challenges in maintaining the festival's momentum and organisational capacity. Almost all of our current Directors were appointed in 2022, and despite their enthusiasm they do not have all the skills or capacity to successfully drive the festival forward across the various avenues required.
    

3. Fundraising Challenges: Fundraising in the current climate has proven to be exceedingly challenging. Despite our best efforts, we have faced hurdles in securing the financial support needed to sustain Peace in the Park. Whilst we were hopeful when submitting larger grant applications for this year, we have been informed that these have been unsuccessful.
    

4. Increase in Vendor Costs: We have experienced a notable increase in vendor costs, further adding to the financial strain. Rising expenses have made it increasingly difficult to allocate resources effectively and maintain the financial viability of the festival.
    

5. Loss of Community Cohesion: Regrettably, we have observed a decline in community cohesion and regular presence of Peace in the Park over time, which has impacted our ability to rally support through grant applications and participation for the festival.
    

6. Loss of Volunteers: In recent years we have seen a rapid decline in volunteer numbers and people attending our steering group meetings. To put on a festival of this size takes a lot of work. We want to emphasise that we deeply appreciate the volunteers who have generously shared their time and energy with us throughout the years.We understand that priorities can change, and everyone's time is valuable. The ever-growing cost of living coupled with shifts in personal circumstances often means that people's priorities naturally evolve. We recognize and respect these changes. It's the reality that nobody wishes for, yet it's something we must acknowledge.We want to extend our heartfelt understanding to all those who may have found it challenging to continue volunteering with us. Your contributions have been invaluable, and we are truly grateful for the support you have provided.

While we have endeavoured to remain optimistic and committed to serving the Sheffield community, we believe it would be unfair to continue our fundraising efforts without a clear path forward for Peace in the Park. We cannot in good conscience ask for your support or donations without certainty regarding when we can comfortably host the festival again.

What about the money fundraised?

For complete transparency - at the time of writing this statement Peace in the Park currently has £6,330.00 in the bank.

Despite Peace in the Park being a fully volunteer-led festival meaning no one is paid for their work, the organisation does have annual overheads in storage, operational costs such as Companies House, Accountant fees, and website fees of roughly £1,900 a year.

We are committed to make every effort to get in touch with generous donors who have made a donation with their name through our local giving page since April 2023 will be contacted over the coming weeks to arrange a refund for them. If you have proof of donation, please email us at pitpcontact@gmail.com and we can look into this.

All remaining funds in the bank from anonymous donations or cash donations from fundraising events will be split and donated to local Sheffield charities/community groups. We will arrange a poll to allow the Peace in the Park community to nominate and vote for who these charities should be.

Thank you to our Sheffield community 

We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported Peace in the Park over the years – from volunteers and donors to attendees and performers. Your unwavering dedication and passion have been the driving force behind this festival, and we are profoundly grateful for your support.

Though this chapter may be closing, the spirit of Peace in the Park will live on in the memories we have created together and the impact we have had on our community. We hope to find new ways to continue fostering connection, creativity, and positive change in Sheffield.

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Thank you for being a part of the Peace in the Park journey.

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With heartfelt appreciation,

Peace in the Park