Scottish events sector to get £10m recovery funding

Scotland’s events sector is to receive funding support of £10m to help it recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Fiona Hyslop

New government funding streams will provide direct support to organisers of cultural, community, and sporting events, to deal with the “devastating impact" of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Supply chain firms facing hardship will also receive support to help keep them in business while restrictions on events are still in place.

The announcement of funding, which comes as a result of the £97 million in UK Government consequentials received by the Scottish Government, comes just days before the Edinburgh festivals season was due to commence before being cancelled by the pandemic.

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the events sector and its wider supply chain, and whilst we’ve had the positive step that drive-in events can resume, most of the sector will be unable to operate for some time to come.

“We’ve worked closely and constructively with the sector on the challenges they face and they have brought forward some creative ideas on how they can begin to operate safely. In addition to providing immediate support, some of this funding will look to bolster innovation and aid the longer term recovery of the events industry.”

She added: “Scotland has a track record of planning, delivery and success in events at international, national and local level and this £10 million funding will ensure the sector has a future and that we remain the perfect stage for events.”

Peter Duthie, Chair of the Event Industry Advisory Group and CEO of the SEC in Glasgow, welcomed the funding and added: "The sector contributes in the region of £6 billion to the Scottish economy each year and plays a vital role in the health and wellbeing of the nation. It was one of the first to go into lockdown and will be one of the last to fully come out.

“Additional funding from government for this important sector is very welcome and much needed, both by the event organisers and the wider supply chain businesses who are being hit exceptionally hard by the ongoing effect of an extended period of lockdown.

“Scotland’s event industry has worked hard to build a world-class reputation for the nation as the perfect stage for events; we must do everything in our power to protect that.”

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director