Edinburgh Council approves millions for cultural sector and festivals

Edinburgh City Council has approved significant financial support for the city’s cultural sector, including a new £2.62 million Innovate Fund. This fund, supported by the Visitor Levy, will open for applications next week and is designed to improve resilience and support programming innovation for arts organisations of all sizes.

In addition to the new fund, councillors agreed to a one-off 25 percent increase in funding for existing Third Party Cultural Grants partners. This uplift, totaling approximately £1.12 million, will support major entities such as the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and the Fringe Society, as well as various community organisations. This funding extension is set to run until March 2028.

These measures are part of a broader £25 million investment in culture, heritage, and events planned over the next three years. The council aims to use these funds to drive growth that benefits residents, visitors, and cultural organisations alike. Eligibility criteria for the new funds will be applied broadly to encourage a wide variety of groups to participate.