Festival shows will go on thanks to £2m-a-year lifeline

Published on Tuesday 15 March 2011 14:38

FUNDING of £2 million a year to promote home-grown work at Edinburgh's festivals has been safeguarded for the next three years.

The Expo Fund, which has helped pay for some of the most high-profile shows of the past three years, is to have its budget protected by arts agency Creative Scotland.

First Minister Alex Salmond also told The Scotsman he was "absolutely" committed to the fund continuing for the forseeable future as first details emerged about the next round of projects to be supported. Scottish Ballet has been backed to the tune of 100,000 for a major show in this year's Edinburgh International Festival which will feature a collaboration with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

The Edinburgh Art Festival has been awarded 160,000 to allow it to create an artists' pavilion for the first time, with the Grassmarket the favoured location for the project.

Organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay have been awarded 250,000 to stage a major new sporting event on New Year's Day to herald the countdown to the London Olympics.

The Expo Fund was instigated by the SNP to help showcase Scottish artists at the festivals and help them take work overseas after it has been premired in Edinburgh. Among the projects previously awarded funding were Martin Creed's transformation of the notorious Scotsman Steps by installing them in marble, the National Theatre of Scotland's production of Caledonia for the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe hits Decky Does a Bronco, Barflies, Midsummer, Roadkill and Sub Rosa.

The current 2m-a-year funding for the festivals has been enshrined in Creative Scotland's budget plans for the next three years.

Faith Liddell, director of umbrella body Festivals Edinburgh, which helped broker the original deal to create the fund, said: "It has made a huge difference to all of the festivals over the last three years and also in creating a better understanding of the benefits of these events. We are enormously grateful for the Expo Fund and especially so as we develop exciting projects and initiatives that will keep Edinburgh and Scotland on the map in the Olympic and Commonwealth years of 2012 and 2014."

Mr Salmond said major cultural events had been spared in the spending cuts because of their value to the country's economy.

"The creation of the Expo Fund was long overdue and we want to see it continue."

Culture minister Fiona Hyslop added: "Edinburgh is the world's premier festival city. That reputation is vitally important for the city and the whole of Scotland.

"Edinburgh's festivals attract millions of visitors to Scotland year round from across the globe, making a vital contribution to our economy. We are committed to ensuring they continue to flourish.

"That is exactly why we have continued to invest in them. Our Expo Fund has produced creative and imaginative projects of the highest quality, many of which are critically acclaimed.It has promoted Scotland's artistic talent and enhanced our reputation internationally."