Dumfries and Galloway Council are set to agree a £365,000 Action Plan to support the regions Major Festivals and Events Sector.
A report to be considered by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee on Tuesday 9 February outlines a £365,000 Action Plan which will support the recovery of the Sector which was hit hard as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While still supporting Major Festivals and Events such as the Big Burns Supper, Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival, Spring Fling and the Wigtown Book Festival the Council are set to extend support to smaller community events through a new Community Events Fund. The Community Events Fund will be delivered by Dumfries and Galloway Council, in partnerships with the Dumfries and Galloway Events Partnership.
The Action Plan also aims to maximise the benefits of the Galloway Hoard Exhibition at the Kirkcudbright Gallery by funding a supporting events programme, by working with the Tour of Britain to deliver the Tour Series Criterium and to build on previous Sector Development Initiatives.
If agreed by Committee, the Council will also support a new Galloway Gravel Festival during 2021 as part of the Action Plan. The Festival would see a four day cycling festival based in and around Gatehouse of Fleet and the Galloway Forest Park in the Autumn.
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Events Champion Councillor Adam Wilson said, “Our region’s Major Festivals and Events Sector has been hit hard as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While other Sectors were able to resume trading for a short while almost all of our festivals and events have been unable to go ahead for nearly an entire year.
Our Events organisers have worked hard to support our local communities and to keep their organisations going over the last year. Our Council’s £365,000 Action Plan has been developed with the Sector and will help to get our Major Festivals and Events going again.
Our Action Plan will build on our regions natural assets, will support established major festivals and events who we will hopefully see return again this year and also support smaller community events with a focus on health and wellbeing.”
