Coronavirus in Scotland: Edinburgh International Children's Festival cancelled

The Edinburgh International Children's Festival has become the latest major event in the city to be called off in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

Productions from eight countries around the world featured in the Edinburgh International Children's Festival last year. Picture: Julie Howden.

Organisers have pulled the plug on the 12-day event, which was due to be staged at the end of May, citing the latest government advice, and the mass shutdown of schools and arts venues.

Productions from Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Canada, France and Norway were all due to feature in the festival, which usually attracts an audience of around 10,000 and has been running for 30 years.

The festival, which has committed to find "innovative ways to deliver our year-round programme," has pledged to honour the contracts of all artists that had been booked to appear.

Festival director Noel Jordan said: "Our priority is now on supporting those we work with and minimising their potential loss of income.

"I want to ensure the cancellation of the festival does not mean financial hardship for the small arts organisations, freelancers and independent artists we rely on to make our festival the special event that it is.

"So we will honour the contracts of all those individuals who were confirmed to work on the festival this year.

"We will also work with artists over the coming months to support them and to find artistic responses to the coronavirus situation.

"For now, we would like to thank our funders, partners, performing companies and audiences for their loyalty, support and understanding."

This year's Beltane Fire Festival, the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Edinburgh Science Festival have all been cancelled in the last few days.

The Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe, the Tattoo and the book festival are all currently due to go ahead.