Edinburgh festivals demand 'proportionate' funding as visitor levy increases costs
Edinburgh's major festivals are calling for the city council to reinvest visitor levy funds into cultural infrastructure. The organizers argue that rising operational costs and static core funding threaten the city's status as a premier festival destination.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between municipal tax policies and the financial sustainability of major cultural institutions.
The Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe will mark their 80th anniversary next year
News Edinburgh festivals demand ‘proportionate’ funding as visitor levy increases costs The group say they are ‘at risk of losing the things that give Edinburgh the edge over other festival cities’.
Edinburgh’s major festivals have united to warn the city’s council about the “increased financial burden” the recently implemented visitor levy has placed on them, in tandem with “broadly static” core funding from the local authority.
Umbrella body Edinburgh Festivals lodged a deputation with the City of Edinburgh Council last week, saying the city risks losing its “edge over other festival cities” due to underinvestment and the handling of the tourist tax.
The document asks the city’s Culture and Communities Committee for “proportionate reinvestment in the cultural infrastructure” using money raised by the visitor levy, and a review of the current grant funding landscape for the festivals.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in