Fringe benefits!

Edinburgh’s festivals boost Scottish economy by over £300 million

Independent research published today confirms the huge contribution that Edinburgh’s Festivals make to the quality of life, international reputation and economic vitality of Edinburgh and Scotland. Edinburgh’s festivals attracted combined audiences of more than 4.5 million in 2015, putting them on par with attendances at the FIFA World Cup and second only to the Olympic Games.

The latest study, which surveyed 29,000 people, shows that Edinburgh’s Festivals continue to be Scotland’s world-leading cultural brands, delivering significant attendance numbers through their unrivalled cultural programmes.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has welcomed the findings. She said:  “Edinburgh can quite rightly be proud of the stage it provides to our world renowned festivals, and the welcome hospitality it provides to visitors, performers, promoters and many, many others through the season.

“These figures show not only are festivals fantastic events, enjoyed by a combined audience of 4.5 million in 2015 alone, they have huge economic impact – last year contributing £280 million to Edinburgh, and £313 million to Scotland as a whole.

“This year we have committed £2 million funding to support Edinburgh’s festivals through our Expo Fund. Festivals provide a platform to showcase our rich culture and exceptional creative talent to a global audience, and as the 2016 summer festival season gets underway I look forward to seeing what we have in store.”

Key findings from the study show that Edinburgh’s Festivals:

• Attract audiences of more than 4.5 million putting them on a par with the FIFA World Cup, both being second to the Olympic Games
• Act as economic powerhouses generating impact of £280m in Edinburgh and £313m in Scotland, representing an increase of 19% and 24% respectively on the previous 2010 study, and primarily benefiting businesses in the tourism sector
• Serve as ‘tourism gateways’, with more nights spent elsewhere in Scotland by festival audiences than in the 2010 study
• Position the city region as a leading international destination with 94% of respondents stating that the Festivals are part of what makes Edinburgh special as a city
• Present unique cultural experiences with 92% of respondents stating that the Festivals were ‘must see’ events that gave them the chance to see things they would not otherwise see
• Play a crucial role in year-round audience development, with 68% of respondents stating that attending the Festivals made them more likely to attend another cultural event
• Create a sense of civic pride with 89% of local festival goers agreeing that the Festivals increased their pride in Edinburgh as a city, reinforcing the findings of the recent Edinburgh People Survey
• Deliver quality professional Festivals, with satisfaction ratings of 95% – being the highest rated outcome in the entire study.

The City of Edinburgh Council is the longest-standing funding partner for the city’s major festivals, and Festivals and Events Champion Councillor Richard Lewis has also welcomed the report.

He said: “The research reaffirms Edinburgh’s position as the World’s Festival City. Not only do 89% of festival-goers agree that the Festivals increase their pride in Edinburgh, but 68% state their attendance makes them more likely to attend other cultural events. Edinburgh residents have a tremendous pride in the Festivals and they remain at the core of the city’s culture, acting as a gateway to the arts and culture for the rest of the country.

“The Festivals have long been an important factor for the region and country’s economy and today’s findings reveal a staggering economic boost. They support the equivalent of 5,660 full time jobs in the city and generate a massive economic impact of £280m locally and £313m in Scotland.”

The research reveals Edinburgh’s Festivals provide huge tourism benefits and position the city as a leading international destination with 94% of respondents stating that the Festivals make Edinburgh a special city.

Cllr Lewis added: “The first of Edinburgh’s Festivals was set up in 1947 with the specific purpose of bringing people and cultures together. Over the decades, Edinburgh has built up an international reputation as an ambassador for the arts. Now more than ever, as political uncertainty in Europe continues, that principle must be maintained.”

Commissioned by Edinburgh’s Festivals, the 2015 Impact Study (below) was produced by BOP Consulting and builds on the 2010 Impact Study.

Research for the Impact Study took place during the calendar year 2015, starting with the Edinburgh International Science Festival and concluding at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. A total of 29,273 people took part in the study, nearly twice as many as in the previous 2010 Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study.

Introducing the Study, Richard Naylor, Director of Research at BOP consulting said: “The scale of the 2015 Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study makes it one of the most statistically significant studies in the cultural world and the results continue to show that Edinburgh’s Festivals have an impact commensurate to their world leading festival city status.”

The Study states that ‘the continued quality and innovation of the core cultural offer of the Festivals lies at the heart of any wider impact they have’ and shows that the economic impact in particular has primarily benefited businesses in the tourism sector, especially accommodation and food & drink businesses.

Julia Amour, Director of Festivals Edinburgh said: “The Impact Study tells us that the Festivals’ unique resilience and the increasing value they deliver is based on the artistic vision, ambition and programmes of the individual festivals. Continued investment in these programmes is crucial to driving our impacts and ensuring that our distinctive cultural offering remains the envy of cities around the world.”

Ken Hay, Chair of Festivals Edinburgh commented: “As we look ahead to 2017 and the 70^thanniversary of the birth of our festival city, these impacts reinforce Edinburgh’s world leading status. The 2015 Impact Study shows that the Edinburgh Festivals represent Scotland at its most confident, its most open and its most creative. They are distinctively Scottish and yet profoundly international, committed to capitalising on their enormous global value for the benefit of all.”

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