The organisers behind the controversial Bermondsey K-Pop festival have set aside £12,500 for community projects connected to Southwark Park.
At last Wednesday’s Council Assembly, it was revealed that the MIK Festival, which took up large areas of Southwark Park last July, had agreed to establish the ‘community fund’.
Southwark Council were responding to Liberal Democrat Cllr Rachel Bentley asking how the money raised from MIK was being used, particularly in light of the unpopular cancellation of Southwark Park Fireworks.
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In its response, the council said: “MIK event organisers also raised £12,500 for a community fund, which they are in the process of administering.
“Local community groups and organisations with a connection to Southwark Park will be invited to apply to the fund for projects they are planning or working on.”
The council also revealed that 100 per cent of the application fee and location hire fee from MIK has supported the 2022/23 Cultural Celebrations Fund events grants and the delivery of the council’s events service.
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As of 2021, this has been the purse that events must apply to for council funding. In 2022, it supported numerous events, from Carnaval del Pueblo to Camberwell Arts Festival.
But for Bermondsey Carnival organiser Russell Dryden, a £12,500 fund for Southwark Park projects doesn’t go far enough.
Forced to cancel Bermondsey Carnival this year, after it only received £10,000 from the CCF, having once received as much as £80,000, he said: “Any money they get should go to the Bermondsey Carnival.
“It’s a local asset and one of the things that defines South Bermondsey, which is also one of the most deprived areas in the borough. We need to get it back next year.”
Southwark Council has said it will announce the details of the £12,5000 community fund later this month, including how to apply.