Tickets sales fired up for 2009 but fears of future chill winds

Published on Tuesday 21 July 2009 09:46

THIS YEAR'S festival season in Edinburgh is shaping up to be one of the most successful ever. While that might seem an odd state of affairs, given the current economic outlook, the disruption to the city caused by the tram works and the threat of an all-out strike by binmen, it is hard to deny the facts.

Tickets sales for all the major festivals are reportedly very strong, with some approaching record levels, and recent studies have suggested that the city is set to benefit from a summer tourist boom as British holidaymakers cut back on foreign travel and look closer to home.

But as the venue managers and box office staff gear up for another busy year, questions are beginning to surface about what the coming years could bring. With the continued effects of the recession beginning to bite, putting small theatre companies out of business and reducing sponsorship for major events, could this be the last golden year for Edinburgh's festivals?

This year, it would seem the signs are all positive, and part of that may actually be a result of the credit crunch. A rise in the number of people holidaying at home and more value-for-money ticket offers have been put forward as reasons for successful ticket sales at events such as the Edinburgh Science Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

"There is no evidence to suggest that the recession will harm the Fringe," said Kath Mainland, chief executive of the Fringe Society. "The number of performers at this year's Fringe is up on last year and so far we have sold more tickets than we have ever sold at this time of year before.

"As for next year, we can no more predict the health of the arts any more than any other field. What we do know is that the one thing which will attract audiences, performers and potential sponsors is for us to make sure that this year we offer the most exciting and dynamic Fringe possible."

There are concerns that the effects of the recession will be felt more keenly next year, with more pressure put on the finances of both individuals and companies. This could mean a drop-off in ticket sales, and perhaps more worryingly, difficulty in attracting sufficient sponsorship.

There have already been several high-profile casualties of the credit crunch, most notably Fringe Sunday. The annual gathering, which provides a free taster of the best of the Fringe, was cancelled in May after organisers failed to find a sponsor. The event, which had been running for 30 years, was only just held in 2007 after HBOS stepped in to provide funding, believed to be about 70,000.

Sponsorship difficulties have also seen this year's Festival Cavalcade scaled back, while the prestigious comedy awards lost their 150,000 sponsorship deal with Intelligent Finance.

Nica Burns, director of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, has decided to invest up to 150,000 of her own money to keep the awards going until she finds a new sponsor, and said she believed next year would be easier. "What happened last year with the financial markets really came out of nowhere, and so the budgets for all of these companies were completely ruined," she said.

"Now that there is a bit of stability in the market, companies will again be able to allocate money for sponsorship, and provided there is a strong enough proposal, I think it will actually be easier to get them to sign up."

This optimism is not shared by every producer, however, with others concerned about how the financial problems could hit the line-up for events such as the Fringe and the International Festival, with smaller companies simply unable to afford to bring shows to the capital.

Tomek Borkowy, who has been running venues on the Edinburgh Fringe for 20 years, said this could have a knock-on effect on smaller venues.

"Next year the recession will hit enormously and we have to be prepared for this," he said. "The problem is that for the small venues, I don't know how we are going to survive if we don't have enough companies to come and perform and pay money to be here."

Jackie Westbrook, marketing and communications manager for the Edinburgh International Festival, said:

"In terms of where we will be next year I do not have a crystal ball. It may well be a difficult time for companies, but we will look to continue with the high level of sponsorship we have enjoyed in the past.

"We are continually reviewing our sponsorship, but our backers have been extremely supportive of us."

Councillor Steve Cardownie, the council's festival events champion, admitted funding for the city's festivals was tight, but added:

"We realise the value of the festivals to the local economy, so any money we put in is regarded as an investment. The private sector will put their money wherever they think they can get best value, and so Edinburgh is in a good position as its festivals are second to none and have tremendous global exposure."