The head of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) has delivered a defiant message to those who have questioned the event’s future following cutbacks in funding.
Stewart Aitken, the artistic director of the AIYF, which has been in existence for 46 years, told the Press and Journal: “We are already planning for 2018 and 2019 and we want to continue to make this a celebration of youth.
“We are in a better position than we were three weeks ago (when Aberdeen City Council confirmed it was cutting £129,000 of funding), because the response from artists, from former AIYF participants, from so many different people inside and outwith the city, has been overwhelming. People want the festival to continue. The question isn’t about whether we continue, but how we can change things to ensure the long-term viability of this event.”
The decision by the local authority to withdraw funding sparked shockwaves throughout the arts community in the city – and was criticised by such luminaries as internationally acclaimed musician Dame Evelyn Glennie and best-selling author Ann Cleeves.
Mr Aitken said he accepted the structure of the festival would have to be modified in the future and he revealed that next year’s event will be scaled down.
He added: “You can’t plan a festival of this size from year to year, if you have no long-term funding streams in place. Perhaps, what has happened is a reality check.
“Don’t listen to anybody who says we are doomed. Yes, we have a challenging future, but there is a massive amount of support for the AIYF.
“This event is very important for people in the north-east and it is not about to vanish.”