Scotland

The Edinburgh Festivals are aiming for the Scottish capital to be a world leading sustainable festival city, according to a new vision agreed by the festivals and their stakeholders.

Launched in the festivals’ 75th anniversary year, Edinburgh: City of Imagination is a vision for a resilient and ambitious festival city by 2030, encompassing eleven annual events including August’s Edinburgh International Festival and Festival Fringe.

The 2030 vision is based on six collective ambitions, including championing global solidarity, creating skills and work for local artists, workers and traders, and making links with city community groups and schools.

A goal to reduce emissions in line with the city’s goal of being net zero carbon by 2030 also features, alongside investing in excellence and innovation and increasing the festivals’ resilience and long-term financial sustainability.

Festivals Edinburgh Chair Simon Gage says the vision sets a course of action and should act as a starting point for each festival.

“Each festival [can] consider the shared ambitions and identify their particular areas of contribution and for joint efforts across the festivals, funders and stakeholders to identify how we can thrive as a world leading sustainable festival city in this decisive decade.”

The first Edinburgh Deaf Festival will take place from 12 -19 August.

Organised by Deaf Action, with the support of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the festival is the first of its kind to be held in Scotland. Its organisation, production, shows and events are all deaf-led and it is scheduled to feature drama, magic, comedy, cabaret, tours, exhibitions, workshops, book clubs and a deaf rave.

Performances will include a mix of deaf and hearing artists and will be interpreted and captioned to be inclusive for hearing people as well as the deaf and hard of hearing.

“The festival will be a real celebration of our language, culture, heritage and the variety of people that make up our community,” said Deaf Action CEO Philip Gerrard.

Fringe CEO Shona McCarthy said “the Edinburgh Fringe is really proud to be associated with the first deaf festival in Scotland”.

“I think this is something that’s going to continue into the future and I hope it becomes an annual addition to the festivals landscape,” she said.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe producers have received financial support to help them recover and remain resilient following the Covid-19 pandemic. 

A total of 13 Edinburgh Festival Fringe producers have been awarded a share of £1.275m from the Fringe 2022 Resilience Fund, financed by the Scottish Government and distributed by Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.

Venues in receipt of the money are Assembly, BlundaBus, Gilded Balloon, Greenside, Just The Tonic, Laughing Horse, Monkey Barrell Comedy, Pleasance, Scottish Comedy Festival, Summerhall, theSpaceUK, Underbelly and ZOO.

A further £305k has been allocated to support the ongoing resilience of the Fringe Society, which includes £55k to support the delivery of street events during August.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s fair to say that the last few years have been the most challenging in our festival’s history. 

"Now, as we prepare to enter our 75th anniversary year, creatives across the Fringe landscape are working hard to ensure that this incredible festival not only survives, but continues to work hard to be the best version of itself.

“This support from Scottish Government is absolutely vital in helping us to achieve that goal: allowing producers and creatives across the landscape to not only recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic, but to offer enhanced support to artists, workers and volunteers; to continue to programme creative and innovative work; to improve accessibility; to tackle affordability and to ensure that this festival remains true to its founding principles of openness and inclusivity.”

A Glasgow museum has received mixed responses to a display label supporting transgender rights. 

The Burrell Collection, which reopened in March following a £68.25m refurbishment, labelled two porcelain figures of Buddhist goddess Guanyin as a “transgender icon”.

One of the labels reads “trans people have always existed and are rooted in history. Figures like Guanyin reflect this, showing that gender and identity are not always fixed”, while another says “trans rights are human rights. Be more Guanyin”.

Campaign group Women Scotland accused the labels of appropriating Buddhist art to “prop up an ideology”.

Charitable trust Glasgow Life, which oversees the city’s museums, says academic studies have long referenced Guanyin as an icon for transgender people.

“One of the aims of the refurbishment of the Burrell Collection was to work with community groups to reflect often previously under-represented histories as part of the re-display, including LGBT histories, because Glasgow Life museums are places for everyone.”

The city of Edinburgh will hold a competition to select a music-writer-in-residence.

The appointee will chronicle the recovery of the local live music scene on the webistes of Edinburgh Music Lovers and Forever Edinburgh, a £90,000 campaign by Visit Scotland.

Edinburgh Music Lovers founder Jim Byers he that "telling more people about music in Edinburgh is something I’m very passionate about ".

"Local venues and artists need support more than ever and a music writer in residence can help showcase Edinburgh to music fans around the UK and also showcase and develop their writing skills at the same time.”

£25m has been committed to build the Dunard Centre, a long-awaited and much-debated concert hall in Edinburgh.

The Royal Bank of Scotland and Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Joint Committee stumped up the funding as part of the £75m project budget. £15m more must still be fundraised.

City councillors green lit plans the new home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra late last year. Initial plans were successfully challenged in court by hotel developers who worried the venue would block city views.

It will be Edinburgh's first new music venue in 100 years and the "cultural flagship" of its City Region Deal.

"I know so many people in the city are looking forward to enjoying all that this first-class cultural experience has to offer," Council Leader Adam McVey said.

Construction is due to begin soon on a site between St Andrew's Square and the St James Quarter. 

A £6m arts facility in Inverness has opened to its first residents.

Sited in a former Victorian school, construction on The Inverness Creative Academy took four years.

Project developers say the space features affordable accommodation for up to 44 artists and 54 workspaces for creative businesses, social enterprises and charities.

A public space at the venue is expected to be completed later this month.

The project was managed by Wasps, a national provider of creative workspaces across Scotland.

Edinburgh has committed to £4.7m of culture funding for 2022/23, £2m of it for Edinburgh International Festival.

Recognising the difficulties posed by Covid-19, the City of Edinburgh Council has extended its three-year funding agreement to four years. 

The Edinburgh Multicultural Festival, launched three years ago, has been added to the council's list of strategic partners, putting it on a more stable footing. It will receive £43,000. 

The agreement also includes support for the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival (£100,000), Imaginate children's festival (£100,000), Edinburgh International Book Festival (£50,000), and Edinburgh Art Festival (£20,000).

Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener, said cultural organisations responded to the pandemic "with determination and innovation" and reaffirmed the council's commitment to supporting the sector.