Edinburgh's Festivals have received a funding boost, it was announced on Thursday as an ambitious programme of additional world premieres, new commissions and international gatherings was unveiled.
A total £3.2 million is being invested this year by major public funders in Edinburgh's twelve main festivals, the first of which, the Edinburgh International Science Festival, kicks off at the end of March.
The Scottish Government Expo Fund for Edinburgh’s Festivals is providing £2.25 million, an additional £0.25 million on previous years. The remaining £0.95 million public funding for the Edinburgh’s Festivals 2012 is coming from City of Edinburgh Council, EventScotland, and Creative Scotland.
Shows announced include the world premiere of a new work by James MacMillan, a series of major public art commissions in the New Town, a World Dance Feste, the first ever World Fringe Congress, a World Jazz Orchestra directed by Joe Temperley, and The Edinburgh World Writers' Conference 2012.
The funding boost comes in this the "Year of Creative Scotland" and with the London Olympics taking place 27 July to 12 August and Paralympics from 29 August to 9 September.
Commenting, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs said:
“Edinburgh’s Festivals are known all over the world and provide a platform to showcase our rich culture and exceptional creative talent, as well as raise the international profile of Scotland. That is why we are expanding the Expo Fund, increasing our support for Edinburgh's Festivals to £2.25 million.”
The Events
- InMotion is a family-friendly series of activities from the Edinburgh International Science Festival to celebrate the science of human movement and performance in relation to sport, technology and dance. It will be presented at the National Museum of Scotland
- Imaginate have commissioned two new plays for children: Andy Cannon and Mull Theatre will present Scota-land and Andy Manley, Rob Evans and macrobert present Mikey and Addie. Both plays will tour Scotland after the Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival as part of the London 2012 Festival
- The Edinburgh International Film Festival will host a programme offering thirty emerging Scottish and UK writers, directors and producers the opportunity to meet and network with key international film industry professionals through a series of discussions, workshops and one-to-one meetings. A select group of Scottish producers from these participants will also be given the invaluable chance to access professionals from the wider international film arena at the Toronto International Film Festival later in the year
- The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival will introduce a programme of ambitious collaborations bringing together Scottish and international musicians. It will feature two Edinburgh Jazz Festival Orchestras including a World Orchestra directed by Joe Temperley. The “World of Jazz” will present music from all over the planet with a highlight being a residency by some of Brasil’s top samba musicians
- The Edinburgh Art Festival will deliver a major programme of newly commissioned, publicly sited artworks which will take audiences on a promenade through Edinburgh’s central New Town. The programme, featuring new work by both established and emerging Scottish artists, will take the city as stage, celebrating Edinburgh's rich architectural heritage in a series of interventions around Edinburgh’s historic monuments and public spaces
- The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will see the continuation of the highly successful ‘Made in Scotland’ showcase which shines a spotlight on the best of Scottish theatre and dance, promoting it to an international audience and arts market. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will also host the inaugural World Fringe Congress, bringing together Fringe organisers from around the globe to exchange ideas, foster new international collaborations and create a legacy of lasting networks
- The Edinburgh International Festival will present the world premiere of a new opera by Scottish composer Craig Armstrong and the Scottish premiere of an opera by James McMillan both performed by Scottish Opera, alongside a new production, for a Festival debut, from theatre company Vanishing Point and the world premiere of a James MacMillan work performed by the Hebrides Ensemble. Support is also going towards another large scale project, to be announced at the Festival’s launch next week on 14 March
- The Edinburgh World Writers' Conference 2012 is a major programming partnership between The Edinburgh International Book Festival and the British Council. The conference, inspired by the seminal 1962 Writers' Conference in Edinburgh, will bring leading Scottish and international writers together for a series of discussions framed around keynote opening statements which will be simultaneously broadcast online
- The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s Diamond Jubilee themed production is Scotland’s Salute to the Monarch, 60 years after her accession to the throne. With specially commissioned music, colourful themed dance displays, state-of-the-art production technology and compelling graphic installations, the 90-minute show – which also celebrates the Year of Creative Scotland – will help contribute to the national celebrations
- Edinburgh Mela World Dance Feste 2012 is a new unique platform for dance at the Edinburgh Festivals, combining traditional dance forms from round the globe with new and vibrant work commissioned from Scottish companies and international artists. This year's lineup includes Bright Night International and Adura Onashile, Walk the Plank featuring Dance Ihayami, and Indian artist Shallu Jindal
- The Scottish International Storytelling Festival, will celebrate the bi-centenary of the publication of Grimm’s Fairy Tales with ‘Once Upon a Story’, a festival programme exploring the regional tales and cultures of Scotland linked with European regions through story and song
- 2012 began with the New Year Games as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, four brand-new live experiences that combined games, music, dance and live art, and details of the 2012-13 Hogmanay programme will be unveiled towards the end of the year
The dates for each of Edinburgh’s Festivals in 2012 are:
- Edinburgh International Science Festival – from 30 March to 15 April
- Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival – from 7 May to 14 May
- Edinburgh International Film Festival – from 20 June to 1 July
- Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival – from 20 July to 29 July
- Edinburgh Art Festival – from 2 August to 2 September
- Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – from 3 August to 25 August
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe – from 3 August to 27 August
- Edinburgh International Festival – 9 August to 2 September
- Edinburgh International Book Festival – 11 August to 27 August
- Edinburgh Mela – 31 August to 2 September
- Edinburgh International Storytelling Festival – 19 October to 28 October
- Edinburgh’s Hogmanay – 30 December 2012 to 1 January 2013
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