Edinburgh International Festival

As the oldest arts festival in the world, the Edinburgh International Festival should be a national treasure in Scotland. Originally conceived back in 1947 when eight theatre companies showed up uninvited to inject some much needed creativity to post-war Britain. The first Edinburgh Festival was held to great acclaim and the only criticism is that it didn’t have enough Scottish works. If you fast forward to the early 21st century then it appears that nothing much has changed. The EIF has now become the old lady of British arts scene. And with an increasingly youthful and pop flavoured alternative taking place in Manchester, the festival organisers launched their 2011 programme in a lively and combative fashion.

Bringing together east and west, the EIF has turned her eyes towards Asia this year and will be exploring some of vibrant and diverse cultures of the region. Some of the highlights include the world premiere of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, One Thousand and One Nights and The Peony Pavilion, performed by the National Ballet of China, which the organisers hope will ‘demonstrate the ideas and ambitions’ of this summer’s festival. As the artistic wonders of China, India and Japan take centre stage in the Far West, the oldest arts festival in the world has made a peculiar decision not to feature any Scottish productions.

Festival director Jonathan Mills found himself on the defensive in a challenging press conference, where he was rightly questioned about the lack of Scottish material and Edinburgh’s (lack of) friends in the west. Glasgow is a dirty word for Edinburgh’s festival organisers and is synonymous with inept transport links and mutual antipathy. With recent analysis showing that only 4-6% of festival tickets are sold to citizens on the other end of the M8. The Festival 2011 might be forging cultural relations between east and west but it fails to rouse any serious enthusiasm in Glasgow or other Scottish regions.

As the two cities respective film festivals resort to parochial back biting over ticket sales, the EIF has constructed a glass prism over Scotland’s capital. The cultural epicentre of Scottish life attracts some of the greatest writers, producers and artists on the planet yet this spectacular celebration is often ignored by huge swathes of people outside of Edinburgh. Something must strike at the heart of this paradox and whether it’s a lack of trains, affordable accommodation or a popular fear of elitism.

Scotland as a nation should be far prouder and actively engaged in this cultural success story. The Scottish education system fails to acknowledge the history of the Edinburgh Festivals as part of their curriculum and therefore it often goes unnoticed by those living outside of the capital. Edinburgh attracts visitors from all over the world and the city’s population famously doubles in August, where every space is rented out at extortionate rates, but their festivals are ignored by people living less than an hour away.

Arguably the Edinburgh Festivals don’t have to concern themselves with other parts of the country, especially when they can report such positive ticket sales from elsewhere. However there is a moral and national interest in ensuring the entire country is aware, supportive and can attend the festivals if they chose to do so. As the EIF celebrates the glorious technicolor shows from the Far East this year, it is a matter of regret that a Scottish national treasure remains inaccessible to many of its own people.