The return of live events
As significant moments go, the return of Edinburgh’s world-leading August festivals was a momentous one. Gone were the recent eerily quiet streets, replaced by a real sense of optimism from artists, performers and audiences all enjoying an explosion of creative energy across much-loved venues, new purpose-built stages, bespoke outdoor locations, and innovative online activity too.
The Edinburgh Festivals are global brands that drive tourism year-round, promoting Scotland as a cultural leader and a dynamic, welcoming and creative nation. The atmosphere in the city has been electric, but more importantly the appreciation of human interaction, connection and shared experiences across the Art, Book, Fringe, Film and International Festivals’ programmes has never felt stronger. ?
Like many sectors, the events industry has had an enormously challenging 18 months, and although challenges?still exist including staff shortages, and longer-term financial support, the opportunity for a slow but steady return of live events has been welcomed with open arms.
Alongside the return of activity in Edinburgh, the summer has also welcomed back spectators at Major Golf Championships including the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie (19 - 22 August) and the abrdn Scottish Open (8 - 11 July) at Renaissance Club, North Berwick which provided golf fans with one of the first opportunities to watch the game’s biggest names in person since the start of the pandemic. ?
Fans of live sport have also recently been able to get back into stadiums – a triumphant win for supporters and teams alike. Venues principally used for vaccinations are now shifting back to business - for the first time in over a year and half, live entertainment is back at the SEC, and the EICC is currently hosting the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine’s fifth annual conference.
Through Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund (SERF) and the Year of Coasts and Waters 2021, both delivered by VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, events were initially supported to pivot to online offerings and, in some cases, hybrid events, but again more recently audiences have started to enjoy in-person events. From food festivals to photography exhibitions, motor shows to music festivals, and much more – events are taking the first steps in reclaiming their role of being at the heart of entertaining and benefiting local communities, and crucially the events supply chain itself.
In the forthcoming weeks and months, Scotland's biggest music festival TRNSMT is set to welcome back music fans; The British Orthopaedic Association – one of the largest medical conferences in the UK will bring its annual conference to P&J Live in Aberdeen; the Tour of Britain will take place across several locations, and the eyes of the world will be on Glasgow, and indeed Scotland as it prepares to welcome COP26, the largest business event ever hosted in the UK.
Beyond 2021, Scotland is set to once again shine as the perfect stage with major sporting, business and cultural events including; Scotland's Year of Stories 2022, The 150th Open at St Andrews in 2022 and Royal Troon in 2024, The Inaugural A3 (Animal Health, Agritech and Aquaculture) Conference 2022 in Edinburgh, Festival UK* 2022, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and Orkney 2025 Island Games. ?
The event industry has a proven track record of spirit, resilience, and adaptability that will no doubt need to continue as we navigate through fluctuating case rates and ongoing mitigations such as the recent announcement on vaccine certification. The ongoing work of the Events Industry Advisory Group continues to ensure there is a co-ordinated voice as we move through the restart and recovery, working collaboratively with VisitScotland Events and the Scottish Government.
Our events sector in Scotland is worth ￡6 billion so its importance not only economically but to the health and wellbeing and social fabric of Scotland cannot be understated. Importantly, sporting, cultural and business events also provide a vital stimulus for a wide range of associated sectors beyond tourism and can be catalysts for economic and social change.
By creating an environment that promotes the safe return of events there is the opportunity for the sector to play a key role in Scotland’s national recovery plan and route back from the pandemic.?