Race against time to save Highland book festival
Nairn Book and Arts Festival needs to raise £15,000 in four weeks.
Last updated 4th Apr 2017
A major Highland festival's facing an urgent fundraising drive, after it failed to secure crucial funding.
Nairn Book and Arts Festival, which is held every September, hasn't secured a grant from Creative Scotland, leaving a £15,000 shortfall.
Now organisers are appealing to the public to help keep the event running with a fundraising campaign.
They need to generate the cash by May 1 to ensure it goes ahead later this year.
David Godden, Chair of the Nairn Book and Arts Festival said: “Losing Creative Scotland support this year has been a massive blow to the Festival, leaving a £15,000 gap in our finances and threatening not only this year’s Festival but its entire future.
"We have almost 100 events planned for this year’s Festival - literary talks, music, poetry and visual art, writing and art competitions, and free children’s events.
"In addition to what it brings to the cultural life of the area, the Festival plays a vital part in the local economy, boosts tourism in the region, and provides opportunities and support to local arts groups, volunteers and venues.
"The knock-on effect of losing it would be extremely damaging."
In a statement Creative Scotland told us it's only 'able to fund' less than a third of applications 'and difficult decisions need to be made.'
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