Britain’s two leading arts festivals are weathering the effects of the financial squeeze by turning to overseas governments and cultural bodies for support.

 

Both the Edinburgh International Festival, celebrating its 65th year, and its newer Manchester counterpart have raised more than ever before from foreign sources keen to promote their own countries’ culture, or to share the cost of new work.

One of the highlights of this year’s events at Edinburgh, which starts in August, will be the visit of the National Ballet of China, with its own symphony orchestra, presenting The Peony Pavilion for three nights .

The show involves the visit of 160 artists from China; 45 more will take part in the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe’s interpretation of Hamlet, The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan. Both shows are being subsidised by China’s ministry of culture, without whose support they would have been impossible to stage.

Christopher Wynn, director of sponsorship and development for the festival, said countries were increasingly using cultural diplomacy “to cast themselves in a positive light.

“They want to show the best of their culture in an international forum,” he said. Most of the support came in the form of “flights and freight” rather than money.

But he estimated that the festival had increased sponsorship from foreign governments and agencies sevenfold since the arrival of Jonathan Mills as director five years ago. The support has helped offset public sector cuts in real terms – the City of Edinburgh Council’s grant was down 2 per cent for this year’s festival, while Creative Scotland has provided standstill funding.

Mr Mills said the support of both bodies was “remarkable” considering the scale of public spending cuts elsewhere but added that it was necessary to seek new financial sources to put on ambitious programmes.

The theme of this year’s festival is Asia. Mr Mills said it was time for the west to stop regarding the continent as a “quaint curiosity” in cultural terms.