Meeting of the Parliament 11 March 2026 [Draft]
I thank Foysol Choudhury for the opportunity to highlight Edinburgh international festival’s launch announcement. I encourage members across the chamber to share the exciting contents of the programme and the details of what we will be able to see later in the year.
Mr Choudhury will be aware that the Edinburgh international festival is now being funded on a multiyear basis. That is huge progress, but more can be done. I have set up a festivals task force to co-ordinate the work of the Government and other public agencies with our festivals, including the Edinburgh international festival. We acknowledge the important role that the world-class festival fulfils, and I will do everything that I can to support it and other festivals, not least because I am the member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Central and the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.
Mr Choudhury has highlighted an important month in the calendar for Scotland’s cultural life. The Scottish Government will work closely with the Edinburgh international festival to support it to succeed, as it has done over the past 47 years.