The latest round of funding from the council’s Strategic Events and Festivals Fund is set to boost the return of a host of popular events across Argyll and Bute.
The council awarded seven major events and festivals a total of £29,800 from the fund, which was set up to support organisers in growing their events and attracting more visitors to Argyll and Bute.
Councillors approved funding for the following events:
- Oban Winter Festival (£5,000)
- Sea Change Powering Women in Film 2022 (£4,000)
- Bute Noir (£4,000)
- Argyll Gathering Oban Games (£4,800)
- Tiree Music Festival (£5,000)
- Tarbert Music Festival (£2,000)
- Helensburgh Festival of Lights, Christmas Market and Christmas Lights switch on (£5,000)
To qualify for support, events or festivals must be likely to attract national and international visitors and generate significant economic benefits for the local community.
The estimated economic impact across Argyll and Bute from events and festivals supported in the first round of funding, before the pandemic, was around £7.5 million.
During the pandemic, when many of the area’s festivals and events had to be postponed, the council provided support in the form of grants to help cover costs which organisers had already incurred.
Policy Lead for the Economy and Rural Growth, Councillor Robin Currie said: “Events and festivals play a key role in attracting visitors from outside the area and supporting Argyll and Bute’s economic recovery and growth.
“The last couple of years have been very tough for the events sector with many having to be cancelled due to the pandemic. With restrictions now having eased, it’s great news that, with support from the Fund, so many of our local events are going ahead.”
Today’s allocations mean that the SEF has provided more than £125k to support to date to support local events and festivals in 2022/23.