Photo credit: Play to the Crowd
Play to the Crowd has announced Andrew Loretto, Hat Fair and Playmakers Director, won the City Centre Champion Award at this year’s Winchester Business Excellence Awards.
The Winchester Business Excellence Awards – which celebrates the outstanding achievements of businesses and entrepreneurs across the district – took place on Thursday 19 June at Winchester Cathedral’s Pavilion, and was attended by local independent businesses and city leaders, where Andrew won the City Centre Champion award.
The award recognises a company or individual who celebrates the city centre and helps to raise the profile of Winchester. Andrew was in the running for City Centre Champion with the city-centre based independent family-run café-bar, Cabinet Rooms, and café, shop and event space, The South Downs Social – who Play to the Crowd extend their congratulations to.
Andrew, who joined Play to the Crowd in 2017 as its new director of Hat Fair – the UK’s longest running festival of Outdoor Arts – was nominated for City Centre Champion after spending successive years enriching Winchester and its people with culture through his diverse programming of international acts, Outdoor Arts shows and street performers – experts in entertaining, while, often, addressing topical issues. Hat Fair has also become a well-known platform for championing minority voices and local and young talent.
Over the years, Andrew’s job role has changed and in more recent years he has also been responsible for overseeing the charity’s Youth Theatre and outreach work, which has included the establishing of two community hubs in Wickham and Colden Common, where the team deliver activity and programme family theatre for audiences with limited access to the arts; plus, the awarding of the title of Theatre of Sanctuary to Play to the Crowd, which recognises the charity’s work with people seeking sanctuary.
Play to the Crowd is delighted that Andrew has been recognised for his work and commitment to improving people’s lives through the delivery of joyful live performance.
Andrew said “What a total honour to have been awarded City Centre Champion amongst esteemed nominated organisations working so hard to make Winchester a brilliant place to live, work and play.
“As a local resident for the past eight and a bit years, I have loved getting to know the city, its people, businesses and stakeholders through my role overseeing Hat Fair and associated year-round engagement.
“I look forward to staging my final Hat Fair on Saturday 5 July, which although a bit smaller than usual, will be full of local, national and international artists and voices, bringing joy to our city centre streets.
“When I move to Belfast this summer to take up a new role as Artistic Director of Beat Carnival, I will leave Winchester with much fondness and will continue to advocate for the city and district in the world of Outdoor Arts.
“I look forward to seeing how Winchester grows and thrives in future years – including of course, Hat Fairs to come!”
This year, Hat Fair Outdoor Arts festival is on Saturday 5 July. It is free, suitable for all ages, and takes place across the city centre. The programme of events is available at hatfair.co.uk.
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