Funding fears among the Scottish arts fraternity
posted May 18th, 2012.
Reductions in its funding from the Scottish Government will result in Creative Scotland making changes to its funding of certain arts organisations. The changes affect those middling organisations such as Grid Iron who currently qualify for "flexible funding", i.e. funding for two year periods. From April 2013 they will have to apply for funding on a per project basis. Needless to say, affected organisations are apprehensive about their futures. Articles on this subject can be found in various media outlets, including The Stage, The Guardian and The Scotsman.
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Go-ahead given for Spiegeltent on George Street
posted May 18th, 2012.
The Scotsman reports that the city council has given the go-ahead for a spiegeltent to be erected in George Street for the whole of August. This is an arrangement between Australian impresario David Bates who was ousted from George Square last year and Salt 'n Sauce Promotions who have captured the initial contract to run the New Assembly Rooms.
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Made in Scotland Showcase 2012 announced
posted May 18th, 2012.
The programme for Made in Scotland 2012 has been announced. The 12 successful applicants include Gerry Mulgrew with Tam O'Shanter and Rob Drummond with Bullet Catch. Made in Scotland is a curated showcase of Scottish work. It is a joint initiative of the Festival Fringe Society, the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Creative Scotland - supported by the Scottish Government's Expo Fund. Details of all 12 shows can be found on the Made in Scotland website.
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Featherstone resigns from NTS
posted May 13th, 2012.
Various media outlets, including The Stage, report that Vicky Featherstone, the artistic director of the National Theatre of Scotland, has tended her resignation. She will become artistic director at the Royal Court in London when Dominic Cooke steps down in April 2013. The Scotsman kicks off speculation regarding her possible successor.
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"Fringe stars attack blitz on swearing in programme adverts"
posted May 10th, 2012.
... is the headline in The Scotsman with similar attempts to drum up some outrage in various other media outlets. This is all about the Fringe Society altering the titles of several shows in their forthcoming programme brochure. Talking Cock becomes Talking C*ck and Prick becomes Pr!ck. This hardly registers one point zero on the Edinburgh Festival brouhaha scale. When you want a bit of controversy where are those councillors, churchmen and other moral guardians of old who were always all set to run some show or other out of town? Or the threat of some naked nuns on stage or an "event with happening"?
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Fringe programme brochure to have a Spoken Word section
posted May 1st, 2012.
The Scotsman reports that a Facebook campaign has been successful in persuading the Fringe to introduce a Spoken Word section in this year's programme brochure. Actually, I seem to remember that there used to be a poetry section back in the early 1990s.
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The return of Edinburgh's Assembly Rooms
posted April 26th, 2012. updated April 28th, 2012.
Mark Fisher has penned an article in The List on the Assembly Rooms which will re-open in time for the 2012 festival after its 18 month refurbishment. If you have been following the saga you will be aware that the venue will be under new management. Tommy Sheppard's organisation Salt 'n Sauce Promotions, owners of the Stand Comedy Club, has been awarded the initial contract. Mark covers the refurbishment and gives an inkling of the some of this year's shows. Similar articles appeared in The Scotsman and BBC News the following day which both concentrate more on this year's shows at Assembly Rooms Fringe, as it will be known.
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MagicFest 2012 programme launched
posted April 25th, 2012.
Trailed as "the biggest illusion ever attempted in Scotland", the programme for the 2012 Edinburgh Magic Festival was officially launched today at Lothian Buses Central Depot where Kevin McMahon transformed a bus into butterflies. Information on the launch can be found here on the pre-festival stuff page.
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New Fringe venue at former registry office
posted April 25th, 2012. updated May 3rd, 2012.
The former registry office in India Buildings on Victoria Street will act as a Fringe venue this year, operating under the name of C nova. According to the report in The Scotsman there will be 6 performance spaces. All seven floors of the building will in fact be used; it will include spaces for art exhibitions, workshops and educational activities. Further info was added in The Stage.
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Killer Joe to open 2012 Edinburgh Film Festival
posted April 20th, 2012.
EIFF continues to drip-feed announcements relating to the 2012 festival. Various media outlets, including The Scotsman, report that Killer Joe will open this year's festival. It will be the UK premiere with the film going on general release on June 29th, 2012.
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Roadkill wins Olivier award
posted April 18th, 2012.
Roadkill was arguably the highlight of the 2010 Fringe although only a small number of punters were able to see it. It made a return visit in 2011, once again as part of the Traverse programme. It has subsequently been staged in various other places, and it was for its stay at the Theatre Royal Stratford East that it has recently won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre.
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Shinji Somai retrospective at 2012 Film Festival
posted April 13th, 2012.
More pre-announcing ... this time from the Film Festival. There will be a major retrospective of the work of Japanese director Shinji Somai at this year's festival. The full programme is due to be launched in early May.
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Edge Festival is no more
posted April 11th, 2012.
The Scotsman reports that DF Concerts is to pull the plug on the Edge Festival, previously known as T on the Fringe. It blames the lack of a major sponsor. It says that it will still be bringing gigs in August, just not under the Edge Festival banner.
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