Coventry University to sponsor this year’s Coventry Godiva Festival

Coventry University will be the headline sponsor for this year’s Coventry Godiva Festival. The University is lending its official support to the much loved live music event, which is now in its 19^th year.

Artists confirmed for this year’s event, which will be taking place over the weekend of Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July in the city’s War Memorial Park, include post-punk legends The Stranglers, glam metal rockers The Darkness, and rapper and record producer Example who will be appearing with DJ Wire. More acts from diverse musical genres are expected to be confirmed over the coming weeks.

As well as live music, the free to attend festival also offers food stalls, street theatre and a fairground as well as a host of other family friendly activities.

Festival sponsor Coventry University has a strong artistic heritage – honorary graduate and founding member of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi is currently a visiting professor of music - and its annual degree show, at which its art, design and performing arts students publically exhibit their work is currently underway.

Coventry University, along with the University of Warwick and the city council is also part of a consortium bidding to make Coventry the 2021 UK City of Culture - a fact central to the University’s decision to give its backing to this year’s festival.

John Latham, Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University, said:

“We’re passionate about the arts and the city and we know how well-loved the Coventry Godiva Festival is within the city and beyond. It’s a highlight of Coventry’s cultural calendar so we are delighted to give our support to the event.

 

The festival provides a great opportunity for people in the city and the surrounding area to see leading artists performing live on their doorstep for free. It also provides a great boost to the local economy. Moreover, it’s helped to enhance our cultural reputation and that’s really important; never more so than this year when Coventry is making a bid for the City of Culture title.”

Councillor Abdul Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member responsible for Events at Coventry City Council is delighted with the link-up with Coventry University. He said: 

“We have a long history of working in partnership with Coventry University and this deal strengthens that further.

 

To have them on board makes a significant difference to our ability to deliver another great event for the city which we know remains a highlight in the calendar, not just in Coventry but right across the wider region.

 

Securing sponsorship for the Coventry Godiva Festival was something we have been looking to achieve as the income it will generate will help to offset the financial cost of this wonderful and popular event at a time of considerable wider challenges we face as a Council.”

The Coventry Godiva Festival 2017 takes place from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July in the War Memorial Park, Coventry. Further details are available on the Festival’s official website www.godivafestival.com.  More information on the Coventry 2021 UK City of Culture bid can be found at https://coventry2021.co.uk. 

For further press information, please contact Mark Farnan, press officer, Coventry University on +44 (0)24 7765 8245 or mark.farnan@coventry.ac.uk.