EXETER RESPECT FESTIVAL 2024
Belmont Park, Sat 08 and Sun 09 June 2024

Exeter Respect Festival 2024 will once again return to Exeter’s Belmont Park marking the 27th anniversary of the first Respect Festival in Exeter in 1997 that brought communities together to celebrate their differences and commonalities.

Keep watching this space and out social media pages for details of our next events.

If you would like to volunteer your time to support Exeter Respect 2024 please click here.
If you are a performer or a band who would like to showcase your performance with us please click here.
If you are a charity, cause or stall holder that would like a space please click here.

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Exeter Respect are proud to support International Women’s Day, presented by Devon United Women, Fawcett Devon & Exeter Phoenix on Saturday 9th March 2024 at Exeter Phoenix from 10:30 – 16:00

We hope to see you there!

Programme for the day

10:30, on arrival – Networking

STUDIO 74
Discussion Panels
From 10:45am
11:45 Shifting Women’s Power for Change
12:25 Women and Health
13:30 Women’s Power to Save Lives in Gaza
14:40 Our Journey – Share Experiences

AUDITORIUM
11:45 Newtown Roots Band
12:20 Melodie Jones
12:45 Ali Jones and Jamie Rudd
13.25 The Real Ish Band
14:00 Vicki Parks
14:30 Alison Macdonald
14:45 Wren Music (workshop and choir)

Artists displaying their work in the auditorium
La Vie En Rose Makery – Rosy Tydeman
Handmade Homeware – Danielle Williams
Josie Gould
Patricia Ferns
Petra Lewin
Alison Jagger Cane

WORKSHOPS
Women’s Health Workshops (women only)
11:00 TBC
Menopause, Empowering Women through this Incredible stage of Life 12:15
13:25 TBC
14:30 Health and Change, Rosalie Experience

STUDIO 1
11:00 – 16:00 Women’s Stalls

MEETING ROOM
11:00 -16:00 Women’s Activities

DANCE STUDIO
11:00 Yoga
12:10 Ilaria Belly Dance
13:20 Valentina & Ilaria Tarantella
14:30 Rosalie Dance Zumba

For more information please contact:
devonunitedwomen@yahoo.com
0779237334
Find us on Facebook

ABOUT EXETER RESPECT

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.

Exeter Respect returns to Belmont Park on Saturday 08 and Sunday 09 June 2024, we look forward to seeing you there.

Programme for the day

10:30, on arrival – Networking

STUDIO 74
Discussion Panels
From 10:45am
11:45 Shifting Women’s Power for Change
12:25 Women and Health
13:30 Women’s Power to Save Lives in Gaza
14:40 Our Journey – Share Experiences

AUDITORIUM
11:45 Newtown Roots Band
12:20 Melodie Jones
12:45 Ali Jones and Jamie Rudd
13.25 The Real Ish Band
14:00 Vicki Parks
14:30 Alison Macdonald
14:45 Wren Music (workshop and choir)

Artists displaying their work in the auditorium
La Vie En Rose Makery – Rosy Tydeman
Handmade Homeware – Danielle Williams
Josie Gould
Patricia Ferns
Petra Lewin
Alison Jagger Cane

WORKSHOPS
Women’s Health Workshops (women only)
11:00 TBC
Menopause, Empowering Women through this Incredible stage of Life 12:15
13:25 TBC
14:30 Health and Change, Rosalie Experience

STUDIO 1
11:00 – 16:00 Women’s Stalls

MEETING ROOM
11:00 -16:00 Women’s Activities

DANCE STUDIO
11:00 Yoga
12:10 Ilaria Belly Dance
13:20 Valentina & Ilaria Tarantella
14:30 Rosalie Dance Zumba

For more information please contact:
devonunitedwomen@yahoo.com
0779237334
Find us on Facebook

EXETER RESPECT FESTIVAL 2023

For our 26th anniversary, Exeter Respect Festival 2023 was dedicated to all people who gave their lifetime to campaign for “diversity built Britain”, the NHS’s 75th and Windrush’s 75th anniversary.
Exeter Respect Festival 2023 marked the 26th anniversary of the first 1997 Respect Festival in Exeter, aimed at bringing communities together to celebrate its differences and commonalities. This year’s theme was “Diversity Built Britain”. Exeter Respect Festival 2023 returned to mark the 75th anniversary of NHS and the 75th anniversary of Windrush.

The festival was held live and in full at Exeter City Council’s public ground at Belmont Park from Saturday 10th June to Sunday 11th June. The doors were open to the public at 11:30 am and the festivities kicked off at midday on Saturday, finishing at 7pm and started again from 11am to 6:15pm on Sunday.

The festival featured a kaleidoscope of performances. The outdoor stages included renowned local band Revelation Roots on Saturday and international Senegal artist Batch Gueye on Sunday. There were many other outdoor activities and processions for people of all ages, as well as the opportunity to sample a variety of food, clothing, and handmade crafts from local communities and organisations.

The festival was alcohol free, however Bar Nova provided non-alcoholic cocktails. Due to the economic climate, a suggested entrance fee of £2 per day was charged, with under 16s admitted free of charge.

Exeter Respect’s launch took place in May 2023 at the Exeter Phoenix with a screening of the film The Wytches Vendetta, directed by John Fitzsimons. The film tells the story of a descendant of those responsible for the hanging of three women for witchcraft and ensuing karmic revenge. The film begins with a reprise of the events that led to the hanging of three women, Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles and Susannah Edwards, in 1682.Enhanced with dramatic imagination and dialogue the courtroom and hanging scenes are re-enacted using locations in Bideford, The Guildhall in Exeter, and the Castle. The setting is the present day Dartmoor where in a lay-by one of the descendants, a successful American businessman, is trying to seduce a young woman. She refuses, but suggests a local pub where there may be a room available for the night. He is thrilled. A lack of moral concerns, inherited from his forefathers, guides his decisions. His delight grows when he finds the pub full of women. But they may not be who they seem, and his life is about to change forever. We feel this film is inclusive and addresses some of the issues that we face in Britain today.

Our theme was Diversity built Britain. Following on from the film screening, the speaker, medical student Nabeel Khan, highlighted the relevance of this film to the theme. The film sparked a discussion on a variety of issues, including gender, the NHS, Windrush, and the future of young people in the face of climate change and environmental impact. The audience left Studio 74 at Exeter Phoenix with the hope that next year will maintain the same format of a film followed by a panellist speaking afterwards.

We are honoured to have people coming from around Devon and beyond to Exeter specifically for the festival, and delighted that we have kept the festival alcohol-free. Exeter Respect Festival is unique. Its underlying message has not changed since it started in 1997 and it is the biggest annual celebration of diversity, equality, and human rights in the Southwest.

Devon County Council commented “It was a joy to experience such wonderful community spirit. The message of this excellent event was “all different, all equal”. It was humbling to meet community leaders and volunteers, who are embracing diversity and working together for the benefit of all.”

We would like to thank our communities, volunteers and sponsors for their dedication to the festival

Dr Suaad Genem-George
Managing Director
Exeter Respect CIC
“All Different All Equal”

2023 PRIMARY SPONSORS