Edinburgh’s festivals urged to 'disperse’ from city centre to local parks to spread benefits of annual events

Edinburgh's festivals and events should be “dispersed” to parks and other green spaces across the city in future, a new study has recommended.

The development of new sites is being urged to tackle concerns in outlying communities that existing events are not inclusive or accessible.

The Edinburgh University-funded study has recommended they are pursued as an alternative to free ticket giveaways for shows in the city centre and traditional community programmes.

The hit Fringe show Doppler was staged in Musselburgh last summer. Picture: Duncan McGlynn

Research carried out across the city during the pandemic found demand for live music, drama and dance shows, as well as food and drink events, outwith the city centre.

It is hoped the new festival hubs would celebrate the diverse voices that make up local communities and culture across Edinburgh, as well as celebrate local stories drawn from the heritage of individual areas.

The study found the festivals were “loved and celebrated by communities around Edinburgh”, but also found widespread evidence in these areas of a perception of “not belonging” to them, and that they have been targeted more at tourists than people living in the city.

Other suggestions to help forge a greater “sense of belonging” among residents include helping local communities to produce, promote and perform in their own events, as well as the commissioning of new public works of art for outlying areas.

Artist Shona Hardie puts the finish touches to a portrait of digital innovator Natalie Duffield, chief executive of IntechnologySmartCities, at the North Edinburgh Arts centre, which was commissioned for a new street art trail recognising women in science and technology.

The study, which was also supported by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and umbrella body Festivals Edinburgh, called for more effort to be made to promote existing cultural events in areas of low ticket-buying to help “embed” a new relationship with them.