Nicola Benedetti among artists calling for Lammermuir Festival funding

The East Lothian-based classical music festival, which concluded on Monday, has been operating for 14 years.

The festival has received funding from Creative Scotland, the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries, totalling £615,929 since 2011. Last year, it gave £90,000.

However, financial support to the county festival was denied this year, with organisers saying its future is now at risk after having to use reserves to get by.

Among the reasons sited for not granting funding was a lack of “equality, diversity and inclusion”.

READ MORE: Lammermuir Festival defends its diversity as funding is withdrawn

An open letter has today been penned to Creative Scotland, signed by 362 musicians, composers, education workers, participants, supporters, audience members and local businesses including pianist Steven Obsorne, mezzo-soprano Andrea Baker and guitarist Sean Shibe.

James Waters, chief executive and joint artistic director of the Lammermuir Festival, said: “The support and affection for Lammermuir Festival that we have seen pouring in from musicians, education providers, local businesses, supporters and audiences across Scotland and beyond has been incredible. We have never been more proud of the festival and what it brings to so many and we will continue to do everything we can to secure its future.”

Pianist Steven Osborne signed the letter

One artist who signed the letter was Italian-Scottish classical solo violinist and festival director Nicola Benedetti, who expressed her disappointment with the situation.

She said: “Being able to share the best, world-class music making with audiences not residing in our cities but in rural areas is a really important part of our nation’s cultural fabric. An aspect we must support and nurture.

“The Lammermuir Festival has done this brilliantly over the last 14 festivals creating acclaimed events that also enable young artists to develop in the industry, and engage young people in the region to give them deep and extraordinary experiences.

“It would be tragic for Scotland’s music scene if this festival wasn’t supported to continue this work which benefits so many.”

Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti showed her support for the festival

Also copied into the letter was First Minister Humza Yousaf.

The full letter to Creative Scotland reads: “We the undersigned appeal to you to save what one audience member has described as a ‘precious jewel of originality and joy’.

“According to the panels judging Open Fund applications at Creative Scotland, Lammermuir Festival does not sufficiently align to your priorities.

“This is despite having the full support of the music officers at Creative Scotland who approved its application and strongly recommended funding without conditions.

“This is one of the most acclaimed classical music festivals in the UK, recipient of an RPS award, the highest accolade in its field, and giving work to 350 musicians a year, many of them Scottish. It has a proven record of achievement, appeals to ever-growing audiences and supports performers at all stages in their careers.

“It is also a festival which returns £750,000 in economic benefits for East Lothian, on top of its social and cultural benefits, bringing visitors to a region which is underserved for arts, offering audiences international quality music performances and participation opportunities.

“If the festival were to not exist, neither would its work with McOpera which engaged 1,700 children, young people and adults as participants and audience through their outreach strand over the last two years. This proved a formative part of so many young musicians’ lives in East Lothian.

“This strand of the festival’s work reached out to multiple and diverse local community groups, nurturing children and young people from across 31 different schools, supporting the growth of an instrumental music service and creative organisations (such as Dunbar Voices), bringing to the region international conductors and Scottish creatives, composers, singers and instrumentalists. It has also regularly provided career placements to students from Edinburgh College, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier Universities, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

“This decision by Creative Scotland flies in the face of the expressions of support for culture in Scotland, and in particular for festivals, that the First Minister Humza Yousaf, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy Neil Gray, and Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson have made in recent days.

“The open fund process appears to have no strategic overview of provision, and no clear artistic, quality or geographic priorities.

“Your process places huge pressure on organisations. Lammermuir Festival was invited to make multiple applications for the same activity with funding decisions taking their nerves to the wire - in this case Creative Scotland passed their verdict on a third application just 16 days before the festival started.

“The system needs to change. As it stands it places Scotland’s cultural ecology on a downward trajectory.

“Without Creative Scotland’s support the Lammermuir Festival’s future is under threat. Your decision not to fund the 2023 festival, destabilises the organisation and undermines the festival’s ability to plan for or run a festival in 2024 and beyond. In order to secure the future of this festival beyond 2023, urgent support is needed.

“As musicians, educators, audience members, supporters, participants, businesses in East Lothian, and community leaders we are utterly appalled at your decision and urgently appeal to Creative Scotland to reverse it in order to save this cultural gem.

“This festival cannot be allowed to disappear.”