---
title: "Food Festival Curator"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077a38"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077a38"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077a38.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077a38.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "Durham County Council"
published: "2026-09-25"
---

# Food Festival Curator

Buyer: Durham County Council  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077a38

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077a38)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077a38.json)

## Summary

Durham County Council is seeking a supplier to curate and deliver the 2027 Bishop Auckland and Seaham Food Festivals. Working with the Council’s festival team and partners, the service covers festival planning and programming, trader and exhibitor recruitment, performer and activity bookings, marketing support, commercial development, sponsorship opportunities and on-site event delivery. The supplier will develop programmes against agreed objectives and budgets, including year-round activity; recruit and manage participants; support income generation; contribute to a refreshed festival brand linked to Visit County Durham; engage stakeholders and community organisations; and help run the events. Reporting, budget monitoring and post-event evaluation are also required. The work is delivered in County Durham, at Bishop Auckland and Seaham. This is a festival organisation and event services contract.

The buyer invited offers through an open procedure. The deadline for questions was 21 October 2026 at 12:00, and bids were due by 23 October 2026 at 10:00. The stated award decision date was 29 October 2026. The contract is scheduled to run from 2 November 2026 to 27 September 2028, with an option to extend for two further 12-month periods, up to 27 September 2030. The estimated value is £80,000 excluding VAT (£88,000 including VAT). There is one lot. Evaluation gives technical quality 60%, price 30% and social value 10%.

The opportunity suits small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community or social enterprises. It is best suited to a festival or events supplier able to plan and deliver multiple food festivals in partnership with a local authority and other organisations. Relevant strengths include building varied programmes, recruiting and coordinating traders, exhibitors and performers, booking activities, and managing on-site event operations. Suppliers should also be capable of supporting marketing and brand development, engaging community and other stakeholders, identifying sponsorship and income opportunities, and monitoring budgets. The requirement calls for a joined-up service that spans planning, delivery and evaluation, including year-round activity and progress reporting. Social value forms part of the assessment alongside technical quality and price.

## Notice

Durham County Council seeks to appoint a supplier to provide curator services for the Bishop Auckland and Seaham Food Festivals 2027. Working with the Council's festival team and partners, the provider will support the planning, development and delivery of both festivals. Services will include festival programming, trader and exhibitor recruitment, performer and activity bookings, marketing support, commercial development, sponsorship opportunities and onsite event delivery. The supplier will assist in developing programmes aligned to agreed objectives and budgets, including year-round activity; recruit and manage traders, exhibitors and performers; support sponsorship and income generation; contribute to marketing, including development of a refreshed festival brand linked to Visit County Durham; engage with stakeholders and community organisations; support event operations; and provide progress reports, budget monitoring and post-event evaluation.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The proposed contract is to be let with an option to extend for a further 2 periods of 12 months from the actual end date.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090861-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 25 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 23 Oct 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 2 Nov 2026 - 27 Sep 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £80,000 |
| Lots value | £80,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Active |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Durham County Council |
| Locality | DURHAM |
| Postcode area | Durham |
| Postcode | DH1 5WB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear |
| ITL 3 | TLC41 Durham |
| Local authority | County Durham |
| Electoral ward | Framwellgate & Newton Hall |
| Westminster constituency | City of Durham |
| Delivery location | TLC14 Durham |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79952000 - Event services
- 79953000 - Festival organisation services

## Release History

- 25 Sep 2026 at 10:31 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090861-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090861-2026
  25th September 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.durham.gov.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.open-uk.org

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077a38. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077a38.json.