McArthur calls on government to protect Orkney festival funding 

Orkney’s MSP Liam McArthur has today called on the Scottish Government to take steps to ensure that funding allocations for festivals and events in island communities such as Orkney are sufficiently island proofed to allow long term sustainability. 

 Speaking at Constitution, External Affairs and Culture portfolio questions, Mr McArthur congratulated the organisers, volunteers and performers who helped make the 2025 Orkney folk festival so successful, and asked the Cabinet Secretary to engage with Event Scotland to discuss concerns that the current funding criteria don’t take account of the needs of smaller, island-based festivals. 

 In response, the Cabinet Secretary confirmed that he was willing to meet with Event Scotland to discuss the island-specific dimension to festival funding, and would write to Mr McArthur with a further response in due course. 

 Commenting after the exchange, Mr McArthur said: 

 “The 2025 Orkney Folk Festival, held earlier this month, was an excellent reminder of the exceptional quality of festivals and cultural events we enjoy in Orkney. With record-breaking ticket sales, and an estimated £1m contribution to the local economy, the importance of festivals to our local community in Orkney cannot be overstated.

 “Organisers have concerns, however, that funding allocations by Events Scotland do not fully meet the needs of island festivals and events. Funding is only granted for three year intervals, and there is a focus supporting new and growing events.

 “Naturally, the capacity for island festivals to see the same levels of growth as events held in larger cities is limited. Indeed, sustainability and continuity of events such as the Orkney Folk Festival matter more than out and out growth. 

 “I welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s willingness to meet with Event Scotland to discuss what might be done to better ‘island proof’ funding criteria to ensure the success of events such as the Orkney Folk Festival can be sustained into the future. I look forward to engaging further with the government on this matter.”