ILKLEY Literature Festival, the largest, longest-established and most prestigious literature festival in the North of England and a firm favourite with thousands of local people, is facing losing all of its annual funding from Bradford Council.

In a public consultation document drawn up by the Council, the proposal is to end all funding to cultural festivals - including Ilkley Literature Festival - in April 2015. Now Literature Festival organisers are asking everyone who supports the Festival to make their views known.

Festival director Rachel Feldberg said: “While we understand the times we’re in and the difficult choices Bradford Council is having to make, the grant we receive from the Metropolitan District Council is a vital element in ensuring we deliver a nationally acclaimed literature festival here in Ilkley, alongside exciting development work for children and young people across Bradford district.

“By contributing just £11,178, Bradford Metropolitan District Council enables us to deliver nearly 300 live literature events a year for an audience of 26,000 people plus a year-round programme of development work in inner city schools, 33 weekly creative writing workshops for teenage writers and 60 creative writing sessions for children aged eight to 11.”

Chairman of the Festival Board Nigel Walsh said: “Bradford Council’s support gives other funders confidence and is a vital lever for additional funding: in 2014 it enabled us to attract a further £187,000 of investment into the district from the Arts Council and our sponsors.

“Each year we generate a further £240,000 from ticket sales and other income streams, turning Bradford’s £11,178 investment into £447,000 – representing a 40-fold return – and making a valuable contribution to the local economy.

“Withdrawal of Bradford Council’s funding would mean that the Festival will have to take stock.

“Options are to cut back on the Festival programme, raise ticket prices, limit the 49 events that are currently free and end workshops in inner city schools.” He added: “The cuts could threaten our future relationship with Arts Council England, who are our main supporters, and our relationship with Bradford, which would be a great shame as it’s such a mutually positive one at present.”

The Festival brings thousands of people to Ilkley each October, with more than 150 overnight stays in local hotels, creating a buzz which sees local cafes and bars overflowing.

Local businesses and The Grove Bookshop, Ilkley Playhouse and the Kings Hall all rely on Ilkley Literature Festival for a substantial chunk of their annual income, Rachel Feldberg added: “The only positive thing is that this is just a consultation document and with people’s support we know we can turn it around.”

She is calling for anyone who supports the Festival and is concerned about the prospect of it losing all funding from Bradford Council, to register their views at bradford.gov.uk/surveys/bc2014/budget_consultation_2014_15.htm.