£77,000 MAJOR FESTIVALS FUNDING SET TO BE GIVEN GREEN LIGHT

At next week’s Policy and Resources committee meeting, members will be asked to agree funding of £77,000 to help support nine major events that are set to take place in Dumfries and Galloway over the next 13 months. The funding will be pooled together in the Major Events Strategic Fund, which has funded some world class events in the past such as World Championship Ice Hockey and the International Sheep Dog Trials.
Funding is recommended to support the following festivals;

• Pipe Band Championships in Annan
• Eden Festival
• Electric Fields
• Galloway Hills Rally
• Lockerbie Jazz Festival
• Muckle Town Adventure Festival
• Sanctuary
• Trophy D’Ecosse
• Wild Winter Film Festival
The Major Festivals and Events Strategy (MFES) was agreed by Members in November 2013, and has led to more than 30 events coming to our region

in the last 3 years. The event funded by the MFES has had an extremely positive effect on stimulating the local economy, with visitors, spectators, revellers and teams all coming to the region to stay over, eat out, visit our landmarks and make return visits.
The first event on the list for recommended funding is the Eden Festival, held in June. An economic impact study into last year’s Eden showed that almost £1million was contributed towards the local economy. The event itself is due to receive £12,000 of funding at the meeting on 25 February. Events follow later in June, July and August, before the Lockerbie Jazz Festival pitches up in September. Over 30 gigs took place in Lockerbie at last year’s festival, with music lovers coming from far and wide to enjoy the jazz extravaganza. Sport features in the funding recommendations too, with the Galloway Hills Rally and Trophy D’Ecosse Synchronised Skating competition also set to take place over the next year.
The Council’s Event Champion, Councillor Colin Smyth said ahead of the committee next week;
“There is no doubt in my mind that Dumfries and Galloway’s Festivals and Events are the best in rural Scotland. That is down to the creativity and hard work of the organisers and the support of the local community and visitors alike. But it is also helped significantly by the sustained support many receive from the Council including through our dedicated Major Events and Festivals Fund. Our festivals and events add to the quality of life in our beautiful region. They also support our local economy, which is our Council’s number one priority. It’s a competitive market out there and you have to give people a reason to visit our region.
The forthcoming year looks set to be as successful as previous years with a fantastic number of excellent festivals and events up for funding. They are diverse and importantly cover all parts of the region, ensuring every community benefits from the Council’s strategy”.

As well the funding being re commended to the nine festivals and events this year, our Council also funds a quartet of events that bring people from across the world to our region. The Big Burns Supper is the Council’s beacon event and receives international exposure. As well as this, we fund Spring Fling, the Arts Festival and the world-famous Wigtown Book Festival. These festivals help put Dumfries and Galloway firmly on the cultural map.