The World Coastal Rowing Championship and Scotland’s largest free youth music festival are two events in Dumfries & Galloway that are set to benefit from £47,500 of funding from EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s events directorate.
Both Stranraer Skiffieworlds and YouthBeatz will benefit from a share of £143,500 from Round 40 of EventScotland’s National Programme Fund.
The week-long Stranraer Skiffieworlds festival will take place in July when the town is expected to welcome more than 1,000 competitors and up to 75 boats to the competition, as well as thousands of local and international visitors and spectators. This is the first time that the event has received funding through the National Events Programme, with the event being awarded £25,000 to support PR and marketing activities.
Youthbeatz, Scotland’s largest free youth music event, which takes place in Dumfries in June has received £25,000.
Since its inception, the National Programme has played an integral role in developing domestic tourism across Scotland, having invested over £5.8 million into 511 events, 47 of which have taken place in Dumfries & Galloway*.
VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director Paula Ward said: “I am delighted that Youthbeatz and Stranraer Skiffieworlds will receive funding from the National Events Programme. Youthbeatz has grown in the last ten years and is now a firm favourite on the region’s events calendar and Stranraer Skiffieworlds will help showcase why Dumfries & Galloway, and Scotland, is the perfect stage for events.
“Over the years, our National Events Programme has played a crucial role in our work to increase domestic tourism across Scotland, complementing our International Programme of major events and supporting our long-term strategy of sustaining Scotland’s global reputation as the ‘perfect stage for events.’”
“It’s great to see the continued success of the programme, and we’re delighted to be able to support the ten events awarded in this latest round to develop and grow.”
Wendi Cuffe – Project Manager, Stranraer St Ayles Skiff Project said:” Organisers were absolutely delighted and overwhelmed when we heard our small newly formed club had been awarded to chance to host SkiffieWorlds 2019, it has given us the opportunity to showcase the town of Stranraer and the beautiful sheltered waters of Loch Ryan as an ideal safe venue to host national and international water based activities in years to come. The team have been working very hard to ensure our international, national and local visitors enjoy an active packed week of competitive and social rowing and a varied package of fun filled shore side activities, our thanks goes to EventScotland and other funders who have given us the support to ensure this weeklong event is a success ”
Since establishing the Programme back in 2004, EventScotland has invested more than £5.8 million into 511 events covering the length and breadth of the country. The support has allowed for the strategic development of events which occur outwith Edinburgh and Glasgow, helping drive domestic tourism, deliver economic impact for local communities and generate media profile for Scotland. It is estimated that to date the Programme has contributed £97.6 million in total to the Scottish economy.
Many of Scotland’s best loved events, including Wigtown Book Festival, Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival and the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running, have greatly benefited from the Programme’s support and have subsequently gone on to progress to EventScotland’s Beacon and International Programmes.
The National Events Programme is a strategic development programme with eligible events able to bid for a maximum of three rounds of funding. The deadline for the next round of the National Programme is 7 June 2019 with events taking place from January 2020 onwards eligible to apply. Guidelines for entry are available on www.eventscotland.org.
