The founder of Glastonbury festival, Michael Eavis is to be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s European Festival Awards ceremony. Each year the prize is dedicated to an individual whose personal vision and energy has propelled the entire festival industry forward in a dynamic, creative and positive way. Michael is to be given the Lifetime Achievement Award because of his seminal role in the European festival industry.
Glastonbury and its success have inspired thousands of festivals to be launched, and Michael’s own personal philosophy of philanthropy has been adopted by countless promoters. Commenting on his award Michael said: “After 41 years, to win something of this magnitude is something to be incredibly proud of. To still be doing this after that amount of time is no mean feat.” Michael will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Festival Awards Europe ceremony on Wednesday 11th January in Groningen, The Netherlands.
Speaking about the honour, James Drury Managing Director of Festival Awards said: “Since founding one of the most famous and long-lasting festivals in the world, Michael has dedicated his life to Glastonbury and the millions of festival-goers which have attended the event over its 41-year history. Glastonbury is the grandfather of the incredible festival market which Europe enjoys, and Michael is cited as an inspiration by almost every festival organiser I speak to across the world. This is why he is so deserving of this honour.”
Michael launched Glastonbury festival in 1970, after being inspired by the very first such gatherings such as the Isle of Wight Festival. After 11 years the event finally made a profit and Michael looked for good causes to support in the UK and around the world. Nowadays he aims to raise £2 million per year to make the quality of life better than it is, at present, for millions of people.
Presented in association with YOUROPE and Eurosonic Noorderslag, the Festival Awards Europe are the only pan-European body solely dedicated to recognising the contributions and achievements of the event organisers and performing artists that generate billions of Euros for local economies and brighten up the summer for tens of millions of festival-goers each year. Christof Huber, Yourope general secretary said: “Michael Eavis is an icon in the European festival scene and in my view, Glastonbury is the mother of all European festivals. He is just the right person to get the Livetime Achievement Award at the Festival Awards Europe.”
Tickets are now on sale for the special awards ceremony, which will open Eurosonic Noorderslag on Wednesday 11th January 2012, with a gala ceremony held at De Oosterpoort in Groningen, The Netherlands. Info: www.eurosonic-noorderslag.nl
Write a comment