Pay for Edinburgh Festival workers worth nearly £20m

Pay for performers and backstage staff working at Edin - burgh’s main festivals is worth nearly £20 million, according to an official repor t into the “hidden” impact of the cit y’s signature events.

Around 90 per cent of fees for production staff is spent w i t h S c o t t i s h c o m p a n i e s , while nearly half of the money spent on creative talent goes to international organisations, according to the new research.

Exper ts found that almost two thirds of the total expenditure of the city’s main festivals supports workers on and off the stage.

The city’s main festivals support 6,000 full-time jobs each year, with more than 3,000 events attracting 4.5 million p eople. Previous studies on the impact of the Edinburgh festivls have largely focused on their economic impact – estimated at £313m in the most recent study published in 2016.

The new research, commissioned from BOP Consulting by Festivals Edinburgh, was ordered to look at how the festivals function as a “national cultural asset”.

The study, which looked at ten of the city’s biggest events, looked at what was spent on artists, performers and companies who appeared in Edinburgh, and what was sp ent behind the scenes to put on productions.

The report states: “The international profile, the variety of events, and the number of participants, permanent and temporar y staff, combine to give the festivals a specific role in t h e S c o t l a n d - wi d e c u l t u r a l and events ecosystems.

“Ta l e n t , a m b i t i o n , s k i l l s , j o b s , i d e a s a n d i n s p i r a t i o n circulate through the system, boosted by the festivals.”

Sorcha Carey, chair of Festivals Edinburgh, said: “Our festivals are profoundly international and distinctly Scottish and we are proud of the unique role we play suppor ting the country’s cultural sector.”

Donald Wilson, culture con- vener at the city council, said: “The enduring appeal of Edinburgh’s festivals to visitors is widely recognised and, with an annual 4.5 million audience members, is unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

“Together they support thousands of jobs and the local and S cottish economies, but the lure of the festivals for artists, directors and production staff and wider benefits have now been explored and the results tell a compelling story.

“Thi s i s t he f i r s t r e p o r t to document how Edinburgh’s festivals anchor the nation’s booming cultural and events sectors. It highlights the ripple effect of the festivals and the unique opportunity they provide as a global gathering for industry leaders to collaborate, learn and innovate.”