Heat is on to save annual fire festival

Published on Tuesday 10 October 2006 11:52

EDINBURGH is a city of festivals, there is no doubt about it. And even though the arts festivals of August may be a distant memory by now, the Beltane Fire Society is busy preparing to celebrate another festival, Samhuinn.

On October 31, the society will host a spectacular procession through the heart of the Old Town, culminating in a dazzling performance of fire-juggling, drumming and dancing at The Mound. For ancient Celts, this was the time of the year to bring the cattle in from summer pastures to lowland fields. This will be a night to reflect on the year gone by, and to look forward to the next.

Such events have become a regular part of the calendar in Edinburgh, thanks to the dedication of a network of volunteers at the Beltane Fire Society, the organisation that runs the Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill each April.

The society's work adds immeasurably to the reputation of the world's festival city, and Beltane has become an international draw.

But this success is now under threat because Edinburgh City Council may impose higher charges on the event - charges so high that they may in fact cripple the organisation.

The Evening News recently highlighted the need for greater support for the rest of the festival calendar - it's high time Beltane was recognised as part of that. The society's events are a rare opportunity to celebrate the country's ancient heritage, helping put Scotland's contemporary culture on the map and bringing many foreign visitors to the Capital. The Beltane Festival currently attracts up to 12,000 spectators, with over 300 voluntary collaborators and performers involved.

The celebrations also boost community development and help volunteers acquire new skills. Under the guidance of professionals, volunteers are trained in event production, prop construction, character performance techniques, team building, percussion skills and outdoor event safety. Many participants go on to develop careers in community education and performance art as a result of their experience.

I have been going to Beltane for many years, and I've seen the way it has changed. It started back in 1988 as the idea of a small group of enthusiasts with academic support from the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh. It has not always been uncontroversial, but issues with local residents and the council have now largely been resolved.

Perhaps the biggest change came in 2004 when it was decided to charge a fee to those attending the event. Until then the costs were met by donations on the night.

The change was largely because it became necessary to obtain a public entertainment licence from the council, as well as the fact that donations no longer matched the rising cost of production. The society still undertakes all of this work voluntarily, without any financial support from the council.

However, ticket prices are to cover costs only - the price is kept low enough so people on lower incomes can afford to attend.

This inclusive policy is a core principle of the society, and the affordability of tickets contributes significantly to the audience levels - reaching the event's licensed capacity of 12,000 earlier this year. Compare these audience figures to those of other events that are provided with significant subsidies by local authorities and other agencies, and it is a minor miracle that the event is managed within the current budget.

However, the fee charged by the council for issuing a licence is set to soar from 295 to a massive 8000 (a quarter of the current budget for the entire event) over the next three financial years. This could seriously jeopardise the event's future.

Of course the council must recoup some of the costs of operating a licensing department. However, making the same charge for a commercial concert at Murrayfield Stadium as for a not-for-profit community event such as this does seem unfair.

Fortunately, it is within the power of council to provide special dispensation of cost - and I and the volunteers involved are hoping that the current licensing cost for Beltane can be maintained. This will allow the 20th anniversary of Beltane in 2007 to be celebrated without fear of financial difficulty, and avoid a ticket price increase that could exclude many currently able to attend.

I hope that the 20th anniversary will also bring a new recognition across the city of the value of Beltane and the work of the society.

Let's make sure that Edinburgh keeps its reputation as the most diverse festival city in the world, and let's hope that everyone, no matter what their income, can take part.

• Mark Ballard is a Green Lothians MSP

• The Samhuinn procession starts at 9pm on October 31 at the Castle Esplanade