We are sorry to announce that in light of recent developments and growing concerns we have followed the government advice during the COVID-19 outbreak and have made the difficult decision to cancel Exeter Respect Festival 2020 to be rescheduled for June 2021. Due to the uncertainty of the situation we decided that the health of our communities has to be our priority. We value your support, our engagement with you will continue, our plans will continue for organizing a bigger, inclusive festival in 2021. The new dates are 5^th & 6^th June 2021, the theme will remain the same. “Environmental Justice”.
All Different All Equal.

For health information on COVID-19 read NHS page:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Exeter Respect is very proud to have won 2 Exeter Living Awards in March – one in the events catagory and another overall recognition award. It is wonderful to have recognition and support within the community.

Thank you!

Exeter Respect is the city’s annual celebration of diversity where we use the performing and creative arts to engage the wider community in saying no to racism and all forms of prejudice. The Respect ethos is a simple one: racism and prejudice often spring from fear, and fear is often based on ignorance, so let’s overcome ignorance by getting to know one another and sharing not shunning our cultures. One of the best ways to get to know someone is to enjoy yourself with them, hence our celebratory event and adoption of the old Commission for Racial Equality slogan:
All Different, All Equal!

The first Exeter Respect festival took place in 1997 and there has been a celebration virtually every year since then. From 2003 to 2008 Exeter Respect’s biggest event was at Exeter Phoenix Arts Centre, but from 2009 to the present day our focus has been a giant two day festival in Belmont Park, with a footfall of around 20,000 people every year.

The increasing number of festival-goers is a sign of Respect’s success. An ongoing challenge is how to keep the event safe and enjoyable for everyone who comes along.
Due to the capacity limits of Belmont Park and a number of issues related to the consumption of alcohol in 2013, this year we took the tough decision to make the festival alcohol-free. We made this decision in consultation with the public and the Exeter Safety Advisory Group, which includes Exeter City Council and the Police.

We know that some people may be disappointed but hope that people who prefer to drink will understand the reasons. In the spirit of the festival, we hope people will respect this decision and refrain from bringing alcohol into the park.

Sam Kinsella from Ripple Effect, a recovery project for people in recovery from addiction said, “Exeter Respect is a family friendly open community event. The decision to free this from alcohol will create a safe environment. Ripple sees the impact of drugs and alcohol in young people and families and we support this decision. It is vital to have events where our community can be seen enjoying activities without the use of alcohol”.

We look forward to seeing everyone soon!