With seven years of creativity and festivalling behind them the crew behind LeithLate have decided to call it a day – for now.
They have issued a statement today saying that to produce a festival each year with the quality, energy and ambition that LeithLate had has become unsustainable. There will be no festival this year.
Their sister project Leith Creative will continue but it has simply become impossible for the organisers to bring the annual festival to fruition.
Morvern Cunningham, Director of LeithLate told The Edinburgh Reporter : “It’s difficult to make such a thing as LeithLate sustainable in the current funding climate, and we were starting to push ourselves and the festival beyond our limits – risking compromising both the quality and spirit of LeithLate, which we would never wish to do.
“Through my additional work with Leith Creative, we have been campaigning for strategic investment into Leith’s local cultural infrastructure and creative activity – without which we might start to see the loss and erosion of what makes Leith creative in the first place.”
Local councillor Gordon Munro said : “This is a loss not just to Leith but to the Arts . Irregular funding does not help despite Leith Late putting on some remarkable events . It would appear a wing and a prayer is not enough and some rest and respite is needed . I hope they return.”
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