Event Industry News

Lack of cash sinks ‘Ferry’ arts festival

ONE of the city’s newest arts festivals has been cancelled after organisers failed to find enough funding.

The second Ferry Fringe in South Queensferry had promised a wealth of artists and entertainers, as well as showcasing work by local bands and community organisations.

The June festival was to include a street market, and the committee had planned to make it an annual event, but they have now called the whole event off as they were not able to raise the estimated £7000 cost of staging it.

Committee members and local people say they are very disappointed, as the first festival in 2007 had been a success and they hoped to revive it following a break last year.

Chairman Mark Gorman said: “We got a number of young and active members to join the committee. But now it’s starting to get nearer the time, it’s too much of a risk to go ahead without the funding in place.

“We were given funding from the Scottish Arts Council to establish it, but we couldn’t get that again. We’ve tried going through other channels, but without any success.

“It was very successful in 2007, but last year a lot of organisers and committee members dropped out. It’s very disappointing for everyone who is involved, but we hope to go ahead next year.”

The festival was established to replace the town’s annual arts festival in September. Highlights of the packed programme of events had included a cabaret evening and a jazz cruise on the Forth. Many community and arts groups in the area put on exhibitions and performances.

The festival ran into problems when the planned continental market had to pull out, after the company failed to secure permission for road closures.

Community councillor David Steel said: “It’s a shame it’s not going ahead this year. Anything that promoted Queensferry and brings a bit of entertainment to the community has got to be good.”

A message on the festival’s website read: “When the time is right for the idea it will emerge again and draw a new team together.”

Source: Edinburgh Evening News