Edinburgh?s eleven festivals have formed a lobbying body to present the case for sustained support in the face of a perceived threat from emerging festivals in Britain and internationally.
The festivals have worked together informally for several years but over the past six months have joined together to form The Association of Edinburgh?s Festivals to represent shared interests. Representatives of the Festivals including the Fringe, the Book Festival and the International Festival are currently working to establish a company structure and investigate means of funding an office and staff. The Association has already succeeded in persuading the Scottish Executive to support a ?competition assessment project? to study a range of issues that affect the festivals, including transport, festival timetables, co-ordination and strategy. Adrian Trickey, Administrative Director of the Edinburgh International Festival, said, ?The festivals are a major earner for Scotland. We were concerned that the festivals might start to be taken for granted, particularly as other places are attempting to emulate some of Edinburgh?s achievements. We need to assess what Edinburgh needs to do to maintain what planners call our ?global advantage??.
Published: 29-11-2004