Angus Robertson urges Edinburgh festivals to expand
Mr Robertson said the move could to out-of-town locations, such as Leith and Edinburgh Park, could help spread the benefits of the festivals and ensure more people had 'easy access' to culture.
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The Edinburgh Central MSP told The Herald that a new festivals taskforce could help improve public transport services during major events like the Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe and the Tattoo.
And he indicated that the government would consider new 'interventions' to tackle the cost of accommodation in Edinburgh during the peak tourism season when most of its festivals are being staged.
Culture secretary Angus Robertson. (Image: Scottish Parliament) He suggested that the festivals had been a victim of their own success due to the popularity of the city and admitted that some people had been 'priced out' of the coming to its cultural events.
The capital's festivals, which date back to 1947, are largely staged in a small part of the city, particularly in the Old Town and south side, including around Edinburgh University's main campus.
Significant changes in recent years have included the relocation of the Edinburgh International Book Festival out of the New Town and into the Edinburgh Futures Institute complex at the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Several other Fringe venues in the New Town have stopped operating, while the Edinburgh International Festival is no longer using Leith Theatre after several years of staging contemporary music concerts there.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival relocated to a new home at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, near the Meadows, last year.
Two new taskforces have been created in the last year which are expected to help shape the future of Edinburgh's festivals and tackle some of their biggest challenges, including rising costs, shortage of affordable accommodation, congestion in parts of the city centre and pressures on public transport.
Mr Robertson instigated a new 'strategic partnership' for Scotland's leading arts festivals doing Edinburgh's annual cultural celebration last summer, while Edinburgh City Council has led the creation of a new 'festivals leadership group' which will also involve the Scottish Government and its agencies.
Mr Robertson told The Herald: 'It is for cultural programmers to make decisions on where they would confident about having successful runs.
'I think it would be tremendous if venues in different parts of the city could host events for the festivals.
'There are already great venues outwith the city centre that have a lot to offer. You only have to look at the example of Leith Theatre as a potential festival venue.
'People in Edinburgh are fantastic supporters of the festivals.
'But I think there are lots of opportunities for Edinburgh's festivals to be more accessible and to make sure there is easy access for Edinburgh's different communities.
'I am confident there will be new festival venues in future that have good infrastructure links that make it easier for people to go to them and there will be greater community benefit from them.'
Mr Robertson said he believed there were 'a number of ways' that festivals could be better supported in future to ensure they remain 'world-class' events, citing the cost of accommodation and public transport availability as examples of key areas to tackle.
He told The Herald: 'We are going to have to understand what potential interventions there are that might be able to satisfy many of the concerns that have been raised.
'There is no getting around the fact that Edinburgh is an extraordinarily popular city.
'It is a sign of the success of Edinburgh's festivals that so many people want to come to the city and stay in the city.
'There is an issue of supply of supply and demand. I understand that some people have been priced out.
'Interventions have already been made to provide student accommodation, but we need to think about all options which might make a difference. I am open to suggestions that people have.
'But there is also a balance to be struck for people who live in Edinburgh, about quality of life in a world-class visitor attraction. These are challenges popular cities around the world also have to face.'
Mr Robertson said he had asked festival organisers for their 'best information' on what public transport changes would make a difference to them.
He said: 'It's really important to make sure that we make sure that, with the convening power of government, our public agencies work in partnership with festivals so that they can reach their full potential.'
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