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Article published 01/07/2022

The Edinburgh Festivals together with their stakeholders on the Edinburgh Festivals Forum, have today (1 July) launched a joint vision for their future.

Launched in the festivals’ 75th anniversary year, Edinburgh: City of Imagination is a vision for a resilient and ambitious Festival City by 2030 – based on the unique value the festivals bring in connecting people, inspiring creative ideas, and bringing places alive in concentrated moments of communal celebration.

Visit the Edinburgh Festival City website to read more about the Edinburgh: City of Imagination vision.

The 2030 vision is to be a world leading sustainable festival city, based on six ambitions and an accompanying series of twelve actions across festivals and their stakeholders - a collective effort and leadership aimed at ensuring that Edinburgh’s Festival City flourishes even in uncertain times. It recognises that in order to renew and rebuild after two damaging years, there is a need to adapt in this changed era while holding onto fundamental purposes.

Edinburgh’s world-renowned Festivals are a key part of Scotland’s wide-ranging portfolio of signature events. Having them in our calendar strengthens the country’s position as a world-leading events destination and the perfect stage for events.

Few industries have the impact events do. The ambition and actions of Vision 2030 will ensure the festivals continue to play an important role in our communities by allowing us all to connect, enjoy and share memorable experiences while also helping sustain livelihoods and bring social, cultural and economic change.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events

Edinburgh’s Festivals are vital to Scotland’s culture, economy and place in the world, and they will be at the heart of the recovery and renewal of our capital city. I hope that the ambitions and actions set out here will help forge the renewed leadership and collective effort needed to support a renaissance for Edinburgh’s Festival City.

Susan Deacon, chair of the Festivals Forum

This 2030 Vision replaces the previous Thundering Hooves strategies (released in 2006 and 2015) and is the result of an extensive process of review and reflection based on a draft Vision released in August 2021 - which involved a wide range of discussions including with residents, through Edinburgh community councils, and local artists, through Creative Edinburgh, among others.

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