Hidden Door to return in 2019 after successful fundraising campaign

An award-winning Edinburgh festival will return in 2019 following a successful fundraising campaign to save the event.

Organisers of Hidden Door confirmed today that the £40,000 needed to secure this year’s festival had been raised through a crowdfunding plea.

Last year it was revealed a mystery benefactor had pledged to match the total if a “final push” to secure the future of the event was successful.

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A “weekender” event is now set to be staged in May 2019 with a view to return as a full, ten-day festival in 2020.

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Funding crisis forces Hidden Door festival to drastically scale back

The volunteer-run multi-arts festival, which was named the city’s best cultural event last year, has been credited with breathing new life into the historic Leith Theatre building by using it for the event over the last two years.

The festival has staged concerts by Young Fathers, Idlewild, Admiral Fallow, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Kathryn Joseph and Anne Meredith in Leith Theatre in the last couple of years.

David Martin, Hidden Door founder and Creative Director, said: “They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and we have come out of this with a lot of positives. The last six months have been difficult, but we are delighted not only to be bringing some great live music to Edinburgh this year, but to also be planning much further into the future.

Hidden Door Festival will return in 2019 following a successful fundraising campaign.Hidden Door Festival will return in 2019 following a successful fundraising campaign.
Hidden Door Festival will return in 2019 following a successful fundraising campaign.

“This is all thanks to overwhelming public support, as well as the generosity of the artistic community who donated work for our Art Sale fundraiser. The whole team has been so touched by this support, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone for putting their faith in what we’re trying to achieve.

“We’ve got more fundraising to do, but we are now able to put all our energy towards planning the return of a full festival in 2020, which we hope will demonstrate the full potential of Hidden Door to bring together innovative arts, adventurous audiences and spectacular spaces to create something really special for the city.”

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