It has been announced by Brass Bands England (BBE), in partnership with the European Brass Band Association (EBBA), that England will not host the European Brass Band Championships (EBBC), which had been scheduled to take place in Birmingham in May 2028.

The original decision for England to host EBBC's 50th Anniversary followed the widely acclaimed success of the 2022 event, hosted by Brass Bands England in the immediate post-COVID period.

Extensive consideration

It received praise for not only its artistic quality, but also the organisational delivery, and its positive impact on performers, audiences and wider public.

It was stated that the decision followed what was described as "careful and extensive consideration"by the Board of Trustees of BBE, who concluded that it was "no longer viable for BBE to act as host for EBBC 2028."

They added: "The Board is deeply disappointed to have reached this decision, recognising the prestige of the European Championships and the enthusiasm with which a return to England had been welcomed.

The decision reflects the increasingly challenging financial environment facing arts and not-for-profit organisations, including significant competition for over-subscribed funding sources."

Government review

They continued: "In addition, early guidance arising from the UK Government's recent independent review of the arts sector has indicated that organisations such as Brass Bands England should place a stronger strategic emphasis on youth and school-rooted initiatives.

Taken together, these factors mean that hosting EBBC 2028 could no longer be sustained as a central element of BBE's medium-term financial and strategic plans without placing undue risk on the organisation's wider charitable objectives."

Difficult decision

Speaking about the decision, Mike Kilroy, BBE Chairperson said: "This has been an extremely difficult decision for the Board of Trustees, and one that we have not taken lightly. Following the tremendous success of EBBC 2022, we were enormously proud to be entrusted with hosting the Championships again in 2028.

However, the reality of the current funding landscape for arts charities, combined with the clear need for BBE to prioritise long-term investment in youth and education, has meant that we could not responsibly continue with the commitment to host EBBC 2028.

We are deeply disappointed, but we believe this decision is necessary to safeguard the future sustainability of our organisation and the work we do for the brass band community in England."

Very disappointed

In response, Ulf Rosenberg, EBBA President stated: "We are very disappointed that the 2028 European Brass Band Championships will no longer take place in England, particularly given the exceptional success of the 2022 event.

However, we fully understand and respect the decision taken by Brass Bands England in light of the financial and strategic pressures it faces. EBBA is grateful for the open and constructive dialogue with BBE and remains committed to working collaboratively to secure a suitable alternative host for the 2028 Championships."

Alternative venues

4BR understands that EBBA will now begin the process of identifying an alternative host country for the 2028 European Brass Band Championships and will communicate further details in due course.

Both organisations also reaffirmed their shared commitment to the ongoing success of the European Brass Band Championships and to the continued development, sustainability, and international collaboration of the brass band community across Europe.