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Expo funding for Edinburgh Art Festival
25/07/2008
The Edinburgh Art Festival is to receive £45,000 from the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festival Expo Fund to install artwork by leading Scottish artist, Jim Lambie, at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
The work, entitled Secret Affair, is a Scottish premiere and consists of seven giant keyholes made out of stainless steel. The work will be installed at the gardens by the end of July before being unveiled to the public on July 31.
This funding boost for the Art Festival is the seventh allocation from the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund.
Commenting on the funding, Culture Minister Linda Fabiani said:
"I am delighted to announce Expo funding of £45,000 for the Art Festival which will support first class work such as Jim Lambie's world renowned sculpture.
"This artwork will be appreciated by art lovers living in Scotland as well as the many people visiting Edinburgh for the festivals.
"Bringing work of this calibre to the Edinburgh festivals will further cement the capital's renowned reputation as a place of cultural and artistic excellence.''
Joanne Brown, Director of Edinburgh Art Festival added:
"The Edinburgh Art Festival rejoices in a wide-ranging programme of exhibitions curated specially by the city's galleries.
"When looking for a work to show as part of the Expo initiative we wanted one that would complement the exhibitions programme and bring a new dimension to the Festival. The EAF is the ideal context for the premiere of this new version of a work by one of the country's most admired contemporary artists, and we are delighted, that with the support of the Modern Institute and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh we are able to show it in this beautiful setting."
Today, Ms Fabiani also visited the very first recipient of the Expo Fund - Scottish Opera's wonderful new production of Smetana's The Two Widows which will premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival. The Minister met cast members of The Two Widows which received £277,000 of Expo Funding and heard how rehearsals were going. The performance will be unveiled at Edinburgh's Festival Theatre on Saturday August 9.
Jonathan Mills, Edinburgh International Festival Director added:
"Edinburgh International Festival is deeply grateful for the support it has received from the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund for the ambitious production of Smetana's The Two Widows in collaboration with Scottish Opera.
"The Expo Fund is an important acknowledgement of both the strength and diversity of Scottish performing artists and the prestige of the International Festival and indeed all of Edinburgh's festivals.
The Edinburgh Art Festival is an affiliation of institutions, galleries and artist - led organisations with a shared commitment to celebrating, presenting and communicating art of the highest quality in Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Festivals.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was proposed by the Art Festival for the installation of Jim Lambie's work which was conceived for a garden setting. It is also home to Inverleith House, a well respected, International contemporary visual arts venue.
The planned expenditure for the Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund is £6 million over three years (2008-2009 to 2011-2012).
Resources of £1.308 million have been allocated in 2008-09. The assessment process and funding is administered by the Scottish Arts Council.
The Expo Fund is available to all 12 Festivals in Edinburgh to support the development of Scottish-based work.
The main role for co-ordinating and delivering the portfolio of Expo projects falls to Festivals Edinburgh, led by Faith Liddell. A panel comprising members of the Thundering Hooves steering group and Festivals Forum has recommended the projects for funding in 2008-09.
To date, other projects which have received Expo funding include: Edinburgh's Hogmanay's Feet First event (£225,000);The Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival of Theatre for Children and Young People (£26,400); Edinburgh Mela (£41,492); Edinburgh International Film Festival (£60,000); Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (£41,370). The remaining successful projects will be announced in due course.