Organisers cancel Big Burns Supper for 2024

KT Tunstall is among the acts to have performed at the Big Burns Supper since it was first held

Organisers of the Big Burns Supper (BBS) festival in Dumfries have announced its cancellation for 2024.

They blamed the decision on the failure to secure funding from the national agency EventScotland for the January festival celebrating Scotland's bard.

Support from other organisations is set to be "rolled over" to 2025 when BBS hopes to return.

A statement from EventScotland said it had been unable to award funding after a "robust and thorough" assessment.

BBS said it had been told its plans fell short of the target for visitor tourism which it blamed on a hotel room shortage in Dumfries.

It said it had found out on 12 October that its request for funding had been unsuccessful and has asked for a meeting with Culture Minister Christina McKelvie.

The group behind the Big Burns Supper lost out on the lease of the town's Loreburn Hall earlier this year

The festival has been running in Dumfries for more than a decade and has played host to acts including KT Tunstall, Deacon Blue, Donovan, Lulu and Bill Bailey.

It said the loss of funding during a cost-of-living crisis when household incomes were under pressure had led to the "difficult decision" to postpone the event.

Founder Graham Main said: "This isn't a decision we have taken lightly.

"We feel the people of Dumfries and Galloway deserve more than they are currently being offered and will stand by our decision until local funding is matched nationally.

"The BBS model is incredibly fragile, relying on strong performing ticket and bar sales on top of local volunteering to make the event possible."

The Big Burns Supper has been staged in Dumfries for more than a decade

He said he was sure the event's "loyal audience" would understand why they had made the decision with a public information event now planned in the town on 7 November.

EventScotland said its programme was designed to support events which supported its strategy and boosted domestic tourism.

It said they were assessed in terms of "viability and impact" which determined the level of support.

BBS had been through that process but unfortunately had not met is programme criteria "on this occasion", it said.

The festival suffered another setback earlier this year when the group behind the event missed out on the lease of the Loreburn Hall in Dumfries.

The town's common good committee came down in favour of another bid as being of better value.

The Scottish government said its investment in arts and culture will increase, and in five years it will be will be £100m higher than it is now.

"However, due to the cost crisis we have had to make difficult choices regarding the Winter Festival Fund to live within our largely fixed budgets and this programme was closed permanently in 2022," a spokesperson added.

"Our ability to respond to the cost crisis is limited by the inactivity of the UK government and the financial restrictions of devolution.

"We will continue to do everything within our powers and resources to help those in the culture sector most affected by current economic challenges.

"The culture minister will be in touch shortly to offer further advice as the event considers its plans for 2025."

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