Dear supporters and friends of the Voice Festival UK,

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the closure of Voice Festival UK after 15 remarkable years. This decision was not made lightly, but as we reflect on our journey, we are immensely proud of what we have accomplished together, and the many memories made.

Long before 'Aca' became a prolific prefix and Pitch Perfect a household name, the Voice Festival UK was established in 2007 to support, develop and bring together the UK contemporary a cappella community.

Over the past 15 years, Voice Festival UK has been a uniting force for a cappella voices of all ages, backgrounds and levels of experience. We created a space where the once fledgling UK a cappella scene was able to grow, thrive and develop its own distinctive voice and identity, while fostering a deep appreciation for the artform across the United Kingdom. Through our three programmes focused on youth, university and community, we celebrated the diversity of vocal talent, nurturing countless voices and a sense of community that extends far beyond the stage.

We are so grateful for the community effort that is the Voice Festival UK. Together, we've encouraged experimentation and originality, and provided a platform for emerging a cappella singers and the next generation of professionals and leaders to take vocal harmony and music making to new heights. In more recent years we have nurtured UK a cappella groups, singers and new organisations in a different way, by providing grants, advice and resources to help them further their own aims and in doing so to further strengthen and grow the UK a cappella community.

The Voice Festival UK was founded in 2007 to meet a need. We set out to support a an embryonic a cappella scene to get off the ground, find its identity, build community, grow and flourish. The UK a cappella scene has evolved considerably since then and has grown to a magnitude where the needs are different, and can be met by multiple other organisations and what is now a much more joined up UK a cappella community. We have reflected and believe it time for the next generation of a cappella enthusiasts and organisations to lead the next chapter. We 'retire' happy in the knowledge that the UK a cappella scene is vibrant, diverse and resilient.

Writing this goodbye note, we are gripped with nostalgia. Revisiting 15 years of the Voice Festival has been a journey of joyful rediscovery. It's impossible to whittle down the many wonderful VF-UK moments and milestones to just a few bullets, so we've summarised the best bits by film, which fittingly encompasses an original VF-UK arrangement which is sung, performed, recorded, and produced by participants from across our programmes. It truly sums up the intergenerational spirit, togetherness and creativity which have been core to the VF-UK model; values which we hope will continue to be nurtured and embraced in the many years of UK a cappella to come.

In saying farewell, we want to extend a heartfelt and enormous THANK YOU to our incredible volunteers, supporters, friends, family and patrons. Described as “a jewel in the crown of the UK a cappella and choral world”, the Voice Festival has been a labour of love for many. Your unwavering dedication, tireless efforts, and generous contributions have been the lifeblood of our organisation. Without your passion and commitment, none of our achievements would have been possible.

We've been in great company over the years, and to the many professionals, grassroot leaders, and partner organisations that have provided expertise, guidance, opportunities, resources and time to us and our participants, we thank you enormously for the huge part you have played in driving the Voice Festival forward.

We've spent the last year working on a distribution plan for Voice Festival assets with a focus on charities aligned to our objectives and values. We are delighted to pass on substantial support to two distinct but complementary organisations, the UK A Cappella Society and the VOCES8 Foundation. We wish them every success with their plans and thank them for the part they will play in continuing the Voice Festival legacy. On a practical note, this landing page (www.voicefestival.co.uk) and our YouTube channel will remain for some time, providing some final resources and a link to memory lane for the a cappella community. Key links below for your use.

Once again, THANK YOU for your incredible support and for being an integral part of our journey. Your contributions will forever resonate in our hearts as a testament to the enduring power of music and community.

Alexandra Godfree, Simon Ashbell and Cherith Fothergill
Voice Festival Directors