2025 promises to be a wonderful year for the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance (BIFF), as not only will it be celebrating six decades of entertaining audiences with its unique brand of international dance theatre but with the help of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, it will also be producing projects to secure the legacy of its work in the local community.
BIFF will be hosting exclusive events across Tees Valley including a catwalk style extravaganza at Preston Park Museum and Grounds and Billingham Town Centre of beautiful costume stage wear showcasing elegant fashion designs from countries around the world.
The featured continents and countries include Africa, Bolivia, England, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Colombia, Costa Rica, Georgia, India, Mexico, Montenegro, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Ukraine, and USA.
Another highlight will be the creation of a digital World Map of Memories and Scrapbook
Your festival story or experience could be:
Have you shared a pint or a taxi with a Mariachi band?
Were you inspired to become a dancer after attending one of the festival’s workshops?
Have you ever had a starring role in a BIFF stage show?
Have you been a festival volunteer and become a pen pal with a globetrotting dancer?
Did you learn a language especially to chat with the dancers?
Or maybe the Folklore Festival is your favourite festival of all time, if so, what is your fave international dance group and why?
The Festival wants to hear your stories from over the past 60 years, no matter how big or small.
Olga Maloney, Artistic Director of the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, said: “What better way to celebrate our 60th birthday than with the people who make the festival so special, our audience, performers and local people.
“Folklore dance theatre has been a proven way to break down cultural barriers for over six decades and enable people from across the region to experience global cultures on their doorstep.
“We are privileged that with the help of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and thanks to National Lottery players, the Festival will be able to document and deliver a series of celebratory projects that showcases and encompasses what BIFF means to so many people around the world. We want people to share their memories with us so that we can combine these stories and create a lasting archive that will live on forever.
“The programme of events uses nostalgia in a variety of different ways including staging exhibitions, workshops and creative competitions to celebrate with the local community the importance of heritage, culture and dance theatre from down the generations.”
“The Festival couldn’t have lasted for as long as it has without the love and compassion of our loyal festival family. We want to embrace that affection and tell the world our collective story through a variety of different projects so join in the fun, jump on-board and enjoy our sixtieth birthday adventure.”
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“We’re delighted that thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we can support BIFF to celebrate their 60th anniversary in style. For many years BIFF has been bringing people together from all walks of life through folklore dance theatre, and it’s fantastic news that they can continue to share and commemorate these wonderful stories of festivalgoers over the decades.”
If you would like to play your part in BIFF’s birthday festivities then please share your festival memories and have them immortalised in our digital heritage celebration then please fill in the form on the BIFF website https://
(The memories can be filmed on mobile phones and shared with the Festival or BIFF can arrange for the stories to be captured).
BIFF 2025 is also fundraising to make the festival bigger and better than ever before so if you are a local business looking to make a donation then please drop us a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Please look out for exciting announcements on the Festival’s social media channels as 2025 will be actioned packed filled with workshops, exhibitions, performances, heritage trails, projects and of course BIFF 2025 which will be taking place between 9th and 17th August.
Let’s welcome the world to Tees Valley in 2025!
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News
North-East Festival Favourite Receives £73,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund Boost During 60th Anniversary Year
Published January 29, 2025
By
Baker Lillivick
One of the region’s oldest festivals has been awarded an amazing £73,680 to deliver a series of major community heritage projects during its 60th anniversary year.
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