Festivals take steps to start facing future

Happy 60th Birthday - The Future ****

The Hub

AT the invitation of Jonathan Mills, a number of other directors gathered in The Hub to consider past and future Edinburgh Festivals. After general talk about the carnival nature of these events, which seek to widen the day-to-day experience of local residents and visitors alike, some fundamental differences became increasingly obvious. The Tattoo, for example, is an annual sell-out, and Fringe performers come along voluntarily.

The creation of Festivals Edinburgh and appointment of Faith Liddell to liaise with the 12 directors was agreed to represent a step forward. Jonathan Mills mentioned that he and Euan Loudon of the Tattoo had talked about alternative uses of the accommodation on the Castle Esplanade.

Asked why Scottish Opera had not performed this year, Mr Mills said he had had preliminary discussions with the Glasgow-based company about a possible production. Because the cost would have been £200,000 in excess of what was available from continental sources, it had been decided on economic grounds to choose one of them as an alternative.

On the subject of expansion and strongly advocating greater use of technology, Mr Mills pointed out that when his predecessor Sir Brian McMaster took up post the internet and other forms of mass communication hardly existed. Tattoo recordings have long been watched all round the world. Other Festival events could be similarly disseminated - on an increasing scale.

It was an interesting and thought-provoking discussion.