Oban Live boost thanks to £10K from Bid4Oban
OBAN’S business improvement district, Bid4Oban, has awarded Oban Live music concert a grant of £10,000 - £4,000 of which will be in the form of Love Oban vouchers, which can only be spent in Oban.
Held at Oban’s famous shinty ground, Mossfield Stadium, Oban Live is the biggest live music event in Argyll and Bute and will take place on June 2 and 3.
Last year’s inaugural event attracted 7,800 people to Oban, bringing in a £1.1million economic boost for the town and businesses. The grant is in addition to the in-kind support already delivered by Bid4Oban, including the administration of local ticket sales.
Daniel Gillespie, managing director for Oban Live, said: ‘ We are incredibly grateful to Bid4Oban and Oban’s business community for this grant.
‘Organising the largest music event in the region costs in excess of £ 300,000, so to receive this local support is critical to the successful delivery of the event that will bring visitors from all over the world.
‘As part of the partnership we will work closely with Bid4Oban to ensure that Oban businesses can maximise the opportunities available from the thousands of attendees visiting the town for the event.’
He added: ‘Bid4Oban has backed us since the pilot event Decade and we’d like to thank it for this award and its continued in-kind support in helping deliver this major event in Oban.’
Derek Connery, chief executive for Bid4Oban, said: ‘ We are delighted to offer Oban Live this award of £10,000.
‘Supporting events in Oban, particularly in the off-season shoulder months, is one of Bid4Oban’s top three priorities.
‘Having worked closely with the event since it began, we understand its popularity and the economic opportunity it brings for Oban businesses.’
He added: ‘Oban Live attracts thousands of people to the town. Contributing to its continued success is, therefore, important for boosting Oban tourism and our local economy. We wish them all the best for 2017.’
From traditional Scottish music stars to legendary household names, the 2017 line-up includes Skerryvore, Skipinnish, Manran, Trail West plus Toploader, Hue And Cry and many more.
Oban Live was created following the open-air concert Decade in 2015 – the 10th anniversary celebration of trad-fusion band Skerryvore that attracted 6,000 people from all over the world to the town.
From this, Oban Live was formed in 2016 with the aim of showcasing the very best Scottish and international artists as part of both the open-air concert and Oban Live fringe events.
Remaining tickets are available at www.obanlive.com or by visiting the Bid4Oban office.