THIS year’s Hay Festival has been cancelled and organisers say the future of the entire-not-for-profit organisation is at risk due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The Hay-on-Wye based festival is one of the largest arts events in Wales and has an international reputation but festival boss Peter Florence has said it has just 10 days to secure enough funds to stage next year’s event.

The festival attracts thousands of visitors to Hay every May and has hosted some of the world’s biggest stars such as Bill Clinton the year he stood down as US President.

This year’s event was due to take place from May 21 to 31 and further line up announcements were due to be made today.

Speakers already confirmed for this year included Stephen Fray and novelist Hilary Mantel as well as Sandi Toksvig, as well as musicians Van Morrison, Amadou & Mariam, Caro Emerald and duo Aled Jones and Russell Watson with performances from Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour. A packed free Programme for Schools, also cancelled, was announced just last month.

Peter Florence, director of Hay Festival, said: “We regret deeply that our annual gathering of readers and writers and friends won’t take place in May, as it has for 33 years. As we face these coming weeks of uncertainty and isolation we will work hard to carry forward our spirit of togetherness, and to share stories and ideas.

“As an organisation we now face a stark reality. We have ten days to raise the funds we need to support us in the coming months and secure Hay Festival 2021 and a time when we can again celebrate together and tell stories of these times. Whatever you can spare will make a big difference. Every donation adds up. Thank you, Haymakers, for listening in our hour of need.”

The festival said it had little option to cancel following the government’s new public health guidelines, which advised against non-essential public travel and social contact, and growing concerns for the local community.

Refunds for all tickets are available now. All ticket holders are being contacted.

With 70% of income derived from ticket and book sales, the cancellation arrives at the moment of maximum exposure for the organisation, which is already committed to large infrastructure costs.

A GoFundMe page to support the Festival’s immediate future has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/f/ncz9z-hay-festival-emergency-fund.

This emergency fund will contribute towards a larger fundraising target that organisers are seeking to secure through multiple sources.

Other ways of supporting Hay Festival are outlined at hayfestival.org/wales/support-us

Donors will be recognised as official “Haymakers” and credited on a commemorative board displayed at every Festival edition to follow.