IF this year’s Brighton Festival is anything to go by then next year’s should be something truly special.

The three-week arts festival finished on Sunday with a flourish on Brighton seafront as thousands gathered to watch a display of lanterns and fireworks on the beach.

The free event is what Brighton Festival is all about and it is heartening that, alongside a record number of exclusives and commissions, there were 34 free offerings this year.

With next year’s Festival celebrating the 50th anniversary, we can all be sure of more great things to come.

But why should you care?

Subsidised by Arts Council England, which is funded by the Government, it is in our interest to check what’s on and see what it’s all about. It’s your money that helps pay for all this.

This year saw Gauge, a water exhibit at the Old Municipal Market, and Periplum: 451, a dystopian book-burning play at Preston Barracks.

There was also the Ear Trumpet music installation in Queen’s Park and some oddities in parks in Saltdean and Woodingdean called Without Walls.

And then there was Sunday’s finale, called Fleeting.

One thing that often leaves people’s eyes glazing over is the thought of “high art” and feeling left out if you don’t understand it.

The beauty of all these things, being free, is you don’t need to understand – just enjoy.

And if you don’t enjoy it, just shrug it off – there are worse ways to spend a day or evening.

With next year’s 50th anniversary, there will be many more free offerings worth visiting, whatever your outlook. And lots of this is from public money – so cherish it.