‘Festival of Brexit’ met radically downgraded predictions for visitor numbers

Final evaluation of Unboxed science and arts festival finds it delivered on its economic objectives

At a cost of 116.8m to the taxpayer, it was hoped that the Unboxed science and arts festival would bring the UK together in a post-Brexit love-fest and enhance our international reputation - to showcase what makes our country great today".

The final evaluation has found that the festival, commissioned by Theresa May in 2018 and named a festival of Brexit" by Jacob Rees-Mogg, brought together a fraction of the audiences initially hoped for. It nevertheless met later, radically downgraded predictions and delivered on its economic objectives.