Dunard Concert Hall delivery should be celebrated - Donald Anderson
It’s with trepidation that I disagree with sister paper The Scotsman columnist Brian Wilson, who recently questioned whether more Scottish Government funding should be given to the Dunard Concert Hall proposals.
However, I do feel it’s right that public funding helps deliver what is one of the city’s greatest recent achievements.
Brian contrasted the spending with poverty levels in the city, that of course concern us all. That said, Edinburgh’s vibrant arts scene, including the world’s largest arts festival is one of the things that helps drive Edinburgh’s economic success and quality of life.
The arts should never be the preserve of the rich, they’re for everyone. That ethic has been inculcated in our festivals since their inception.
Affordable tickets have always been a feature of the International Festival and the Festival Fringe. Helen Crummy established the Craigmillar Festival Society, which was all about ensuring that the arts were readily available for people on all incomes.
Today that tradition continues with the amazing Lyra, which is Scotland’s only theatre for children and teenagers based in the heart of Craigmillar. Helen Crummy would be proud to see her legacy living on in Lyra.
I have no doubt that people from our poorest communities will be able to see world class arts events at the Dunard Concert Hall, and be able to perform there too.
Securing a new concert hall in Edinburgh has been a struggle, the site is perfectly located in the heart of the city and winning government funding for anything in Edinburgh is a challenge.
Carol Grigor and the Dunard Fund is the most significant significant source of arts philanthropic funding for the city since the days when Andrew Usher helped deliver the Usher Hall.
The International Festival would have been much diminished had it not been for regular funding from the Dunard Trust.
The arts are indeed for everyone, and I’m confident everyone will get a chance to enjoy some of the world’s best music in a venue with world class acoustics. We should all celebrate what will I am sure be an amazing success.