WIGTOWN’S book festival has secured over £300,000 of funding for the next three years.
The funding from Creative Scotland means that the festival’s public funding has been restored to to 2018 levels taking into account inflation. The festival is set to receive £111,800 for year one, with £138,550 for the following two years.
Reacting to the news, Cathy Agnew, chair of Wigtown Festival Company, said: “Today’s new investment in culture across the whole of Scotland is hugely welcome and offers much needed stability to arts organisations nationwide, particularly in the wake of covid and the cost-of-living crisis.
“Wigtown Book Festival was recently named Scotland’s Outstanding Cultural Event or Festival in the national tourism awards, the Thistles. It is one of the most vibrant, colourful and best loved events of its kind but more than that, it is fundamental to the success of Wigtown as Scotland’s National Book Town and to the regional economy.
“It is a relief to know not only that this year’s event can go ahead as planned, but that we can continue to serve audiences, offer a resource for hundreds of authors each year, continue our work with young readers and writers, and help to develop Scotland’s National Book Town as a thriving tourist destination.”
