Plans for an inaugural cultural arts festival celebrating whisky, food and culture have received a £5,000 boost thanks to funding from SSE’s Griffin and Calliachar wind farm fund.
Three cultural organisations in Highland Perthshire (Birnam Arts, The Birks Cinema and Pitlochry Festival Theatre) have come together to help increase footfall to arts events during the month of May, traditionally a quiet time in Highland Perthshire’s Arts calendar.
The organisations decided to create a new festival between 23-25 May, to be called the Tummel and Tay Festival. Events will be shared between the three venues and will celebrate the central theme of whisky connecting not only the local distilleries in the area but also Homecoming 2014 and Event Scotland’s Food and Drink event.
The organisers applied for funding from the SSE’s Griffin and Calliachar wind farm fund to help with marketing the event and to support the employment of a project co-ordinator.
Mark Davanzo of Pitlochry Theatre said:” We are delighted to receive this boost from SSE to support the Festival in its inaugural year. We have lots of exciting activities planned including the performance of new Scottish musical ‘Whisky Kisses’, folk music sessions ‘Dance and Dram’, viewings of whisky themed films, a whisky themed food festival and distillery tours.”
Susan Scobie from, SSE’s Community Investment team, said: “This is an innovative idea and the groups should be commended for their linked-up approach. The potential economic benefit of the Festival is significant and we hope that support from the SSE Griffin and Calliachar fund will attract other funders to get on board.”
The Griffin and Calliachar Fund has an annual value of almost £400,000 and supports charitable projects in Aberfeldy, Dull and Weem, Dunkeld and Birnam, Kenmore and District, and Mid Atholl, Strathtay and Grandtully.
Above picture: Representatives of all three Arts Organisations and SSE meet up at Edradour Distellery in Pitlochry to promote the Tummel and Tay Festival.