A FESTIVAL of music, arts and walking has been praised by an international festival committee, marking it out as one of the best in Europe.

The Swaledale Festival, which takes place from Saturday, May 23 to Saturday, June 6 at venues across Swaledale and Wensleydale, has been named as one of 16 UK festivals to be awarded recognition by Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe (EFFE).

The jury examined applications from 896 festivals across Europe and assessed them for their compliance with artistic commitment, community involvement, and international and global outlook.

The EFFE scheme has been set up by the European Festivals Association, supported by the European Parliament as a new international platform to connect festivals that are committed to the arts, their communities and European values.

The platform will give festivals increased visibility across the international community, networking opportunities within the broader festivals sector and enable them to be part of an international cultural programme backed by the EU.

The award of the EFE label is an assurance of the high artistic quality achieved by the recipient festival.

Malcolm Creese, artistic director of the Swaledale Festival, said, “I am delighted that Swaledale Festival has been recognised by this prestigious international jury for its contribution to arts in the local community and its commitment to European values.

“Each summer we bring top international musicians and artists to the remote and beautiful Yorkshire Dales, and at the same time we provide a platform for talented performers from our local community.

“We also bring in visitors from around the world who make a significant contribution to the local economy. We look forward to being part of this wider community of European festivals which share our passion for all things artistic.”