Arts Policy and a Scottish Parliament

Abstract

As I write this article, the 1996 Edinburgh Festival has begun. The capital is packed with performers, critics, journalists and plain honest gawpers. Church halls, school gyms and masonic lodges have been pressed into service as venues, and tourists crowd Edinburgh's re-organised city centre. Stamina depending, those visitors could sit for thousands of hours in front of an everchanging spectacle of theatre, comedy, music and dance. Behind the scenes a smaller number of people have worked as promoters, stage managers, venue operators and box office staff. Behind Ihcm are the policy makers, the Directors of the International Festival, Fringe and Film Festival. The audiences aren't concerned with the policies which have helped create the shows they watch, and the administrators won't have lime to see all the shows that their efforts have helped bring to fruition.