"After 10 years as an independent festival, we have decided to step back from our presence and 16-year partnership with Electric Picnic so that we can refocus all of our attention to what the central idea behind Body & Soul is all about."

Body & Soul is ending its association with Electric Picnic after a 16-year partnership, the festival announced on Monday. The partnership has come to an end, a statement claimed on Monday, so that Body & Soul organisers can pay attention to what the central idea behind Body & Soul is all about - creating an intimate and collaborative festival of the future. Body & Soul has always been a popular part of the Electric Picnic experience for many festival goers, offering something away from the bigger stages at Stradbally. Body & Soul's independent festival will still be going ahead next summer, from 19-21 June in Ballinlough Castle, Westmeath. A statement issued by Avril Stanley, the founder of the Body & Soul Festival, shed some light on the decision to end the partnership, while also referencing a new winter festival that is being launched in December 2020. She said: "After 10 years as an independent festival, we have decided to step back from our presence and 16-year partnership with Electric Picnic so that we can refocus all of our attention to what the central idea behind Body & Soul is all about: creating an intimate and collaborative festival of the future; one that can embrace social change in a hugely positive way while celebrating an important and ancient Irish feast in our own unique, stand-alone style. "We want to work towards bringing back a fresh energy and perspective to Body & Soul at the Summer Solstice Festival in Ballinlough and for our new winter festival ÉRIU (December 2020). "We are adding a new sense of purpose to our festival pillars of Sustainability, Wellbeing, Creativity, Culture and Family and we hope to focus all of our efforts in bringing something different to the landscape of Irish festivals into the next 10 years. "The Body & Soul Family celebrates all of the incredible and unforgettable moments in our first festival home and wishes the Electric Picnic every success in the future."