Festival showed Scots culture in rude health

With the final weekend of the Edinburgh International Festival approaching, we have dance from Vietnam and New York, theatre from across the Arabic-speaking world, grand opera from Russia, a German symphony orchestra, visual arts exhibitions from Japan and Indonesia, and a recital from a Chinese piano virtuoso. All that before the Scottish Chamber Orchestra steps on to the stage in Princes Street Gardens for the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert on Sunday.

The International Festival exists to bring to Scotland’s capital artists and work that other organisations cannot easily achieve. Our job is to present arts of the highest possible international standard to the widest possible audience, to offer an international showcase for the best of Scottish culture and to reflect international culture to audiences from Scotland, the rest of the UK and the world.

I believe that this year’s Festival has indeed succeeded in these aims. You only have to look at the response to Scottish Ballet’s new commission, made possible by the Scottish Government’s Expo Fund and featuring the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, or the extraordinary critical acclaim for performances by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to see that Scottish culture is in rude health.

It is in the arena of international relations, cultural diplomacy and the building of bridges between nations through the arts that the Festival can play a crucial role throughout the UK.

Forging links with other nations has many benefits – in terms of trade and tourism as well as culture. The greater our understanding of other cultures, the greater the opportunities are able to be revealed. The focus on Asia this year is an appropriate recognition of a part of the world that is growing in stature and influence. It is an area that will become increasingly significant as our young people interact with it. And yet the extraordinary cultures of places such as Korea, Japan and China are still relatively unfamiliar to western audiences.

Some said there was too much emphasis on Asia and that our 2011 programme was challenging. Actually I would agree – it is a challenging programme and is what the International Festival should be doing. It is precisely our job to bring unfamiliar work and artists to the Festival: excellence can be found everywhere, as those who enjoyed our glorious Korean production of The Tempest or the wonderfully high-energy dance production Princess Bari can attest.

Much has been said about the Olympics in London next year being a potential threat to Edinburgh’s festivals and tourism in Scotland. However, with my experience in Australia during the Sydney games, I am confident that the 2012 Olympics, and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, are fantastic opportunities for us all to secure benefits for Scotland that will ensure a legacy for years to come.

For instance, it may be that in attracting not just visitors but also the immense army of non-accredited media, we will raise the profile of our great offerings here. Let’s not forget that in Edinburgh we stage the equivalent of a Commonwealth games every year.

In writing this column I was asked to reflect on this Festival and address the future. 2011 will not be a record-breaking year at the box office. It was never designed to do so. But records of other kinds have been set, such as the number of high-level international delegations received and the number of senior politicians and officials engaged with. We are using the strength of our legacy of 65 years to build long-term relationships with artists and audiences from places beyond Europe and North America.

The future for all arts organisations is challenging, with funders in difficult circumstances. However, I believe the Festival can continue to contribute in many ways and that if we all lift our eyes, our hearts and our ambitions we can bring ever greater success to our nation.

l Jonathan Mills is Edinburgh International Festival director