COVID-19: Body&Soul's Avril Stanley releases statement on cancellation

Following yesterday's announcement of updated COVID-19 restrictions, included the banning of all mass gatherings of over 5,000 people, Body&Soul's founder and director Avril Stanley has released a statement about the cancellation of the festival.

In her statement, Stanley noted that she was "heartbroken to confirm that Body&Soul 2020 cannot go ahead".

"While the impact of this decision creates ripples throughout our creative community spread across the globe," she continued, "Body&Soul’s top priority lies in keeping its artists, attendees, staff and extended community healthy and safe, and we absolutely respect the government’s decision and the steps it must take to protect everyone amidst this unprecedented crisis.

"Having shelved an incredible decade of an ever-evolving festival landscape, we were due to celebrate our 11th edition this Summer Solstice weekend across the new artisan food trails in the Castle's Walled Gardens, extensive wellness sanctuary space, immersive art installations, inspiring visionary talks and one of our favourite line ups yet, including Metronomy, Róisín Murphy, King Kong Company and Princess Nokia.

"I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to all the Body&Soulers; staff, volunteers, artists, partners and facilitators who have invested their time and energy and worked so hard to create the 2020 event."

Stanley goes on to note that the ticketing company will be in touch shortly about the refund process.

Body&Soul was due to take place from June 19 to 21 in Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath, this summer. At the festival's line-up launch event at Lost Lane in Dublin earlier this year, the organisers had stressed a new approach for 2020 – "embracing change through a wiser perspective" while also returning to their roots, with a smaller festival centred around the "little things that make a festival great."