THE Scottish Government has given a leading book festival £300,000 to plug a gap after a key sponsor was dropped over threats of boycotts.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) is set to host more than 60 in-person and remote events this year for youngsters, with the Government funding set to support the programme for the next three years.
It dropped Baillie Gifford as its sponsor last year after several visitors and authors threatened to boycott the festival due to the company's alleged links to Israel and fossil fuel firms.
As reported in The Herald, the new funding will help to reduce the cost of school trips to the festival and will also provide free tickets to those unable to afford them.
Commenting, Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “The Edinburgh International Book Festival is one the country’s most significant cultural institutions.
“Its schools programme has been crucial in fostering literacy and cultural engagement among young people, with thousands of pupils benefiting annually from free events and resources.
“This funding secures those benefits for young readers across Edinburgh, helping schools that might otherwise struggle with travel costs, and ensuring they have the same opportunity to take part in one of the world’s leading literary festivals.”
Reflecting on the increased funding support for pupils, EIBF director Jenny Niven said the event’s programme for children is a “cornerstone of what we do”.
She added: “Publishing for children and young people has never been more vibrant, and the benefits of reading never better evidenced.
“The festival is perfectly positioned to help children engage with the amazing range and breadth of stories around them, to support teachers to use books imaginatively and creatively in learning, and to supply older kids with the tools to think critically, and learn to evaluate the deluge of info around them.
“This aspect of what we do is vital, and we’re delighted to have specific public funding support to develop this work further in the coming years.
“We’ve identified the cost of transport as a key barrier to a wider cohort of schools joining us in August, and are committed to maintaining free access for as many children as possible.
“We’re delighted that the Scottish Government’s increased support for festivals has delivered public funding to develop this work further in the coming years, and we look forward to widening our reach across Scotland and exploring further the digital potential of what we do.”
