Ayrshire's Nicola Benedetti successfully spearheaded the 2023 Edinburgh International Festival which has ended on a high, after 24 packed days of events from 2,500 remarkable and diverse artists representing 50 nations.
The programme was characterised by a high quality of art, presenting work from 130 Grammy nominated artists, 33 Grammy award-winners, 14 Brit Award-winners, 6 Olivier Award-winners and 3 Venice Golden Lions awards. Artists also attracted significant worldwide media attention and positive reviews.
With an "unprecedented emphasis on a deepened audience experience", the 2023 International Festival reimagined how we interact with and appreciate live performance.
Nicola, who is festival director at Edinburgh International Festival, was delighted with the positive impact.
The West Kilbride, world class violinist said: “I dreamt of a festival that felt truly open and welcoming, creating a shared ownership and pride over the future of our festival and its profound contribution to Scotland’s culture and conversation.
"The response from artists and audiences has been resoundingly uplifting, filled with a tangible energy pulling us closer together. We asked, ‘where do we go from here?’ and we heard from thousands of people, sharing different perspectives from around the world. Now, we are confident in forging our path and deepening next year’s conversation together.”
In the 2023 International Festival 120,000 audience members found an in-depth and high-quality live experience across Edinburgh’s theatres, concert halls and venues.
The festival attracted 13 per cent international bookings, an increase of three per cent on last year, and also saw steady attendance from local audiences, with 69 per cent of bookers coming from Scotland.
As part of the vision to broaden audiences, over 21,000 tickets were discounted to people eligible for concessions, and over 500 tickets for NHS workers and 631 tickets through the Young Music Pass scheme, which gives free tickets to young people to experience the best classical music from around the world.
A total of 30 audio introductions were recorded by Nicola Benedetti with broadcaster Tom Service and artists from across the programme who gave insight and more context into specific performances and experiences. These reached 25,000 people, who listened as they were delivered by text message two hours before a performance. Over 32,000 people read blog articles which added further context.
This year also saw a focus on opportunities for talent development and professional exchange.
Five pre-professional musicians were also invited to join the Mendelssohn Octet at the Hub, in an audition judged by Nicola.
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Culture Secretary Angus Robertson, said: “This was a bumper year for Edinburgh’s summer festivals, distinguished by a strong contribution from home grown talent, and increased access to events through an expanded programme of community activities.
"Edinburgh’s festivals underline how important culture is to our way of life as well as underlining Scotland’s reputation on the international stage. I’d like to thank everyone involved for putting on such a fantastic line-up of performances and events this year.”
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