It has been reported that the European Brass Band Association has failed in its bid to gain European Union funding for the financing of two major projects.

Financial help

EBBA had hoped to gain financial help with its application for meeting the costs of cultural organisations and networks (ie. running costs of the European) as well as developing inter country links to member states such as Austria, Lithuania, England, Belgium, Netherlands and Norway.

Time

EBBA had taken a considerable amount of time over the application with initial presentations made in Belfast in 2006 and updates given at subsequent press conferences at the European Championships in Birmingham and Stavanger this year.

Although a major disappointment for EBBA the decision itself has no immediate impact on the European Championships as the current financial arrangements are still very much in place to cover the event costs4BR

Realistic

EBBA were both hopeful but realistic about their chances however, as a huge number applications had been made from numerous European cultural organisations, just to get through to this stage.

Disappointment

Although a major disappointment for EBBA the decision itself has no immediate impact on the European Championships as the current financial arrangements are still very much in place to cover the event costs.

4BR understands that a further decision to how EBBA moves forward on these projects will now be undertaken at their next Executive Committee meeting.