Cultural ambassadors: 'There is little evidence of tsars being effective'

Published on Thursday 10 September 2009 09:23

ON the surface of it Festivals Edinburgh appears to have made a wise choice in electing to appoint a team of high profile cultural ambassadors to promote the city, rather than a single cultural tsar.

In truth, the council has had a fixation for appointing such people for the past five years. Tsars have been put in position to manage everything from the Festivals, to children, antisocial behaviour and drugs, and even design and canals.

And while few would doubt the credentials and abilities of those involved, there appears little tangible evidence that they have made any real difference at anything other than a local level.

Research has shown that a number of the city's more modern achievements – such as the academic and life sciences sectors – are not as well known to visitors and investors as traditional attractions like the city's architecture.

Actors Richard E Grant, Alan Cumming and Brian Cox, authors Christopher Brookmyre, Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall-Smith and broadcasters Jon Snow and Kirsty Wark are among a dozen celebrities now appointed to sell Edinburgh to the world.

They will act as figureheads for the city and attend events held during the Festivals, as well as participate in events at home and abroad as Festivals representatives.

It is difficult how to see this will not be more effective in promoting Edinburgh than having another fairly anonymous, largely home-based champion.

There's always 2012

IT was always going to be a night of glorious celebrations or tears – and sadly it turned out once again to be the latter for the Tartan Army.

Instead of donning their kilts and boarding the plane to South Africa for next summer's World Cup finals most will be packing their shorts and sunscreen and heading for the beaches of Benidorm and Torremolinos.

At least the team put on one of its best performances in what has often been a rather lacklustre campaign. And that does offer some hope for us making it through to the European finals in Poland and the Ukraine in 2012.

Last night the loyal players were standing by manager George Burley to lead them into that next campaign, but the smart money must be on SFA bosses calling time on his tenure.

Given the number of mistakes the former Hearts boss has made, few would argue with that decision.