A follow-up to our 2010 and 2015 Impact Studies, it involved more than 22,000 participants and demonstrated remarkable economic impact. It has been featured in BBC Scotland and The Scotsman.
Operating at 75% of their pre-pandemic capacity, the festivals delivered an economic impact of £407m in Edinburgh and £367m across Scotland. This supported over 5,800 FTE jobs in Edinburgh and 5,000 FTE jobs throughout Scotland.
Importantly, our study also assessed the figures accounting for local expenditure. This showed a notable increase in the economic impact of the festivals when local spending is considered, underlining the significant contribution of local and Scottish audiences.
When local expenditure in Edinburgh was accounted for, the economic impact rose from £407 million to £492 million, an increase of £85 million. Similarly, Scotland's economic impact increased from £367 million to £620 million, a jump of £253 million.
These figures enforce the pivotal role of communal events in our post-pandemic world, demonstrating how both international and domestic visitors seek unique cultural experiences, and in turn contribute to local and national economies.
Thank you to the festivals and their research partners for facilitating the surveys of their audiences. To read full press coverage please see the links below.
Read full article in the Scotsman here.
Read the full article in BBC Scotland here.
Edinburgh Festivals Evaluation Featured in BBC Scotland & The Scotsman
The publication of our Impact Assessment of Edinburgh Festivals marks one of the most significant cultural impact studies to date.
Jun 28, 2023
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Nov 14, 2023
BOP Consulting acted as the secretariat for the Creative Industries Council working group, offering pro-bono administration, communications and policy support.
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Chief Economist, Jonathan Todd, travelled to V&A Dundee to present the findings of our five-year Impact Study with 'tialt' to museum staff and stakeholders.
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Co-Founder Paul and Senior Associate David travelled to Qingdao for Beijing design week 2023 and the city of Qingdao’s transforming cities through design.
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Our co-founder Paul Owens moderated a discussion with Aspen Institute UK and the EU Delegation to the UK on building economic resilience through culture and innovation.
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The world's largest museum prize, the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year Award plays a significant role within the museum sector.
Research for Art Fund's Museum of the Year featured in Museums Association Journal
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The publication of our Impact Assessment of Edinburgh Festivals marks one of the most significant cultural impact studies to date.
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By BOP Consulting
Jonathan Todd
Chief Economist
Jonathan is an economist with over a decade’s experience in impact assessment and evaluation, and high-level policy experience, particularly within the cultural and creative sectors.
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