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Edinburgh Festival Fringe chief warns LBC ‘disgraceful national embarrassment’ looming as artists priced out
26 August 2024, 19:16 | Updated: 26 August 2024, 19:37
Decades worth of progress in breaking down barriers within the UK arts sector is at risk of being reversed in what would be a national embarrassment, LBC has been warned.
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The Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Shona McCarthy claims rising costs coupled with the impact of continual cuts made this year’s Festival the most challenging yet for artists in its 77-year history.
More than 2.6million tickets were issued for thousands of shows put in the city over the last month.
But Ms McCarthy told us its success and the wider “creative output of our nations” is in “jeopardy if someone doesn’t step in and do something about it”.
Ms McCarthy said: “I think we're at a really critical moment. The reality behind the scenes is that it has been more challenging for artists than ever before. The cost of accommodation has hiked up, the cost of everything has hiked up except earned income by artists or funding initiatives to support artists.
“What has been the kind of final straw is the closing of the open fund for artists in Scotland this week. That was probably the only channel that there was directly for freelancers and for emerging artists to apply for support for their work.
“It feels like no matter how many things you come up with, there's something else that comes at you. You open one door and another gate shuts.
“I think we are at absolutely a crossroads moment. We need to wake up and pay attention. This thing that has made the UK and Scotland unique in the world, not just the festival, but the creative output of our nations, it is really in jeopardy if somebody doesn't step in and do something about it.”
The Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Shona McCarthy claims rising costs coupled with the impact of continual cuts made this year’s Festival the most challenging yet for artists in its 77-year history.
More than 2.6million tickets were issued for thousands of shows put in the city over the last month.
But Ms McCarthy told us its success and the wider “creative output of our nations” is in “jeopardy if someone doesn’t step in and do something about it”.
Ms McCarthy said: “I think we're at a really critical moment. The reality behind the scenes is that it has been more challenging for artists than ever before. The cost of accommodation has hiked up, the cost of everything has hiked up except earned income by artists or funding initiatives to support artists.
“What has been the kind of final straw is the closing of the open fund for artists in Scotland this week. That was probably the only channel that there was directly for freelancers and for emerging artists to apply for support for their work.
“It feels like no matter how many things you come up with, there's something else that comes at you. You open one door and another gate shuts.
“I think we are at absolutely a crossroads moment. We need to wake up and pay attention. This thing that has made the UK and Scotland unique in the world, not just the festival, but the creative output of our nations, it is really in jeopardy if somebody doesn't step in and do something about it.”
The performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity estimates funding from UK arts councils has been cut by 16% in real terms since 2017.
And Ms McCarthy warned of decades worth of work to remove barriers being undone as a result of that trend continuing.
“I think all of the work and all of the effort and all of the positive change that I've seen over my 35 years working in this sector and particularly in the last 20 years to move away from the kind of historic monoculturalism, elitism and exclusivity of the arts which were which are sector was entirely guilty of in the past, is at risk.
“We will go into a completely regressive phase and for a working class artist, for artists of colour, for artists with disabilities, for anybody facing any barriers to participation, it will become impossible and we will just lose all of that momentum and all of that positive progress, which in itself was still a journey, but I think it would just be an absolute disgrace and a national embarrassment if we don’t recognise this risk right now.
“When there are times of financial crisis, the arts are the first thing to be cut and it's not acceptable. We take up such a tiny proportion of national investment and I call it investment, not subsidy, very deliberately because the Fringe alone brings a 300 million annual return.
"I think the whole ecosystem is at risk if somebody doesn't wake up and pay attention to the possibility for artists to even get a start.”
The Scottish Government has said: "The culture secretary is in regular contact with the sector to discuss the issues it currently faces and how to address those challenges. We will continue to do everything within our powers and resources to protect our world class arts and culture sector. We have increased arts culture funding this year, as the first step to achieving our commitment to invest at least £100m more annually in culture and the arts by 2028-29.
“The Scottish budget continues to face significant challenges. We are considering the implications of the actions announced by the Chancellor on 29 July for our public finances, and the next steps required by the Scottish government.”
