ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Economy Policy & Performance Group DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES 13 March 2008 HIGHLAND YEAR OF CULTURE 2007 1. SUMMARY 1.1 This report updates members on the impact of the Highland Year of Culture funding 2007 by reviewing the economic impact the funding has generated as well as the cultural and sporting legacy. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Argyll and Bute Council recognise the important financial impact of cultural, sporting and heritage events to the economy of the area and continues to support future events and festivals which promote culture and sporting initiatives . 3. DETAIL 3.1. Backgound Jack McConnell, First Minister at the time, called for 2007 to be designated Highland Year of Culture following the failure of Inverness to achieve the City of Culture status. The remaining £200,000 of Argyll and Bute’s Major Events and Festivals budget was directed towards funding events and festivals for the Highland Year of Culture 2007 programme. • There were six strands to the Festival – arts; heritage; sport; language; science; environment. • The event also had to relate to one or more of the themes of- Youth; Gaelic; creativity; access and inclusiveness; the Highlands as an inspirational place; Highland homecoming; re-interpretation of traditional Highland icons • Events had to incur a minimum total expenditure of £30,000 and the Council’s contribution was minimum of £5,000 and a maximum of £30,000 (the Council not exceeding 25% of the total funding package) • Criteria was in line with Event Scotland and Scotland’s Year of Culture indicators used to assess the value of the public funding contribution which included at least 2,000 visitors to the event and 300 overnight stays in the area as a consequence of the event. • The Council’s partner in Argyll and Bute was the then Argyll and the Islands Enterprise, who also contributed £200,000 to the event, including the first year grant for Connect, which is part of a three year funding agreement. There were three strands of the programme which are fully outlined in Appendix 1: • Commissioned events 1 • Education events • Cultural and Sporting events 3.2. Benefits of Cultural Tourism 3.2.1 Key Indicators met: 300 overnight stays and 2000 visitors The vast majority of events surpassed the targets that had been set. Event Funding Over 300 Over 2000 Overnight Visitors Stays Cantilena £7,875 N/A 1302 Connect £100,000 1540+ 16000 Cowalfest £16,768 400 11953 Islay Jazz Festival £6,000 1163 2039 Feill Chaluim Chille £30,000 581 3045 Isle of Bute Jazz £9,000 895 2534 Festival Half Life £30,000 4073 8658 Highlands and £5,000 3000 4000 Islands Dance Festival Kilmartin £10,000 1000+ 10,977 Wild Isles £8,232 500+ 8238 + Mull of Kintyre Music £12,000 1650 3000 Festival Swamp Soccer £6,000 1300 2000 Cowal Reforesting Scotland £10,000 305 890 – plus Mid Argyll many local people with disabilities Secondary Youth £15,000 119 580 Games Tiree Wave Classic £10,000 2460 bed nights 250* higher number not expected in light of island accommodation. Tarbert Scottish £7,500 2200 2200 series Chopard 8 Metre £7,500 2500 1000 Centennial - Rhu 3.2.2 Increased Visitor Spend Events contributed to increased tourist spend in relation to: • Accommodation • Food and Drink • Attractions 2 • Travel and Transport • Shopping as demonstrated by the case studies below. Case Study: Half Life Attendances: performance: 3079, site 5579, Total 8658 Overnight stays: 5,579 The event created a spend of: £673,267 visitor spend £250,880 bed spend £97,000 company spend Estimated impact over a ten year period £1,792,056 In the local area during September 2007 nearly 50 local businesses were used to provide services or goods as part of the project. Kilmartin House Museum reported a 28% rise in its visitor tickets over four weeks and an increase in its café of 38% over the same period. Others noted that the HALF LIFE project had helped to extend business by an extra two weeks. “During the whole 2 weeks we were very, very busy. And we were busy all day every day. I’d say business was up around 50%.” Café 35, Lochgilphead “September been the busiest month all year. We could have filled the place several times over. On the last weekend could have filled it 10 or 20 times over.” B&B, nr. Kilmartin Raised profile of the area through local and national media publicity. Legacy: Design and development of a new amenity, increased skills and confidence in the community Case Study: Connect Attendances: 16,000 Overnight stays: 140 hotel/bed and breakfast and estimated camping 1,400+ Local businesses benefited e.g. at Inverarary 2000 pairs of wellington boots were sold and 4000 rolls at Argyll Bakeries. There was also positive promotion of local foodstuffs in Argyll food tent. Economic impact estimated at £2m, a full economic impact study will be completed for 2008 event. Over 50% of the tickets sold were to English postcodes with significant overseas sales as well. Case Study: Centennial World Championship 2007 : Chopard 22 yachts entered from 11 countries Participants: 300+ 3 Overnight stays:2,500 Economic impact: £250,000 minimum. Unquantified spend in local bars, shops etc Clubhouse, grounds, pontoons etc were open to the public with free access to visitors. Local produce sourced for catering, local shops used where possible. Raised profile of area through extensive local, national and international media. Legacy: Club has been approached to host a number of future National and International sailing events. 3.2.3 Increased profile of Argyll and Bute i. Tourists from across the world Audiences were attracted from across the globe to events, examples are detailed below: 5% International 26.7% England and Wales Cowalfest 16.7% rest of Scotland 51.6% Cowal Islay Jazz 12% outside Europe 8% Europe Festival 16% England 64% Scotland Kilmartin Attendance from Norway, Canada, South Africa, Japan, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and other parts of British Isles International comments demonstrated how people had been inspired by historical importance of Kilmartin Glen, its landscape and heritage: ‘…Thoroughly inspirational and educational …’ Canada ‘….Professional and thought provoking …’ New Zealand Half Life 0.5% International 9.6% Rest of UK 63.1% Rest of Scotland 26.9% Argyll and Bute Highlands 10% International 10% Rest of England and Islands 50% Rest of Scotland 30% Argyll and Bute Music and Dance Festival Tiree wave 15% International 35% Rest of UK Classic 35% Rest of Scotland 15% Highland Tarbert 20% International 10% Rest of UK Scottish 70% Rest of Scotland ( includes local sailors) Series ii. Increased Press Coverage There was widespread coverage in a range of media from newspapers to radio and television, examples are detailed below. Kilmartin/Half Life Local and national press coverage, Kilmartin exhibition featured in Council of British Archaeology Briefing, lecture upcoming at University of Cambridge in March 4 2008 “Before us stretch 150 square miles of breathtaking Scottish landscape. Boasting more than 350 ancient monuments within a six mile radius, S- shaped Kilmartin Glen is one of Europe’s most important pre-historic sites.” rd The Guardian 23 August 2007 “Kilmartin is different again…This remote corner of Argyll is one of Scotland’s richest prehistoric landscapes with a high density of cup and ring marked rocks.” The Herald th 28 August 2007 “…Kilmartin Glen, a wildly beautiful art of Western Scotland, with a great deal of well-preserved evidence of Neolithic occupation…” nd Sunday Times Culture Magazine 2 September 2007 Connect National Press and TV coverage including ‘Good Morning Scotland’. Internet coverage including videos on YouTube. Cowalfest Continuous coverage in local and national press Islay Jazz festival High quality coverage in Scotsman and Sunday Times Feille Chalium National press, radio and website coverage Chille Mull of Kintyre National press and music magazines Music and Arts Festival 2007 Tiree Wave Magazine coverage – 74,000 print run Classic Website – 9,000 members – 400,000 hits per month PWA website – 1 Mil unique page impressions/month TV – News, Sail TV, BBC Adventure Show, Sky Sports Estimated Value - £400,000 Reforesting Local Argyll Newspapers Scotland Magazine Articles Woodlands of Website Dalriada Mull and Iona Wild Media and Internet profile throughout the year. Isles Coverage of Sea Eagles on a number of wildlife programmes including Springwatch and Landward. National Newspaper and Magazine articles. 3.3. Cultural and Sporting Legacy also includes 3.3.1 Educational Impact i. Argyll Rhapsody The funding allowed work with secondary pupils from all schools, initially by putting workshops out to them, then by bringing them together for a musical showcase. It enabled young musicians to work and perform with some of Scotland’s top traditional musicians as well as being able to perform a new piece of music written especially for them to reflect a 21 st Century setting of 5 Argyll Culture. A photojournalist worked with all the schools to produce a photographic reflection of young peoples’ views of Argyll Life. This was presented as part of the performance and is now touring schools as an exhibition. ii Cantilena Quartet The internationally renowned quartet, Cantilena Quartet, toured with a series of formal and informal concerts which were free. Venues ranged from Inveraray Castle to the Mull Cheese Factory. The biggest impact was on Lismore where a third of the population attended the afternoon concert. The music was of the highest standard and the setting made it quite stunning. 3.3.2 Increased community participation Partnership working with local communities and schools was a strong element of the whole programme. Examples include: o NVA work-shadow programme enabled placements to have direct experience with UK’s best designers and technicians in event management.