Burns and A' That - II

Following the immense success of last years inaugural "Burns and A' That" festival, funding support has now been confirmed. We'll keep you posted on the details. Watch this space.
Article from The Herald - 24th January 2003

Burns festival given £100,000 welcome
By CAMERON SIMPSON

THE Burns And A' That festival "is set to become the second biggest in Scotland's cultural calendar" after securing £100,000 funding yesterday from the Scottish Executive.

The prediction was made by Pete Irvine, who is organising the programme after the inaugural festival sponsored by The Herald met with huge critical success last year.

Mr Irvine, of Unique Events, said: "Burns stimulates passion and commitment in an enormous range of people both locally and nationally.

"We intend this to be the major annual showcase of Scottish talent and creativity. It's exciting and challenging for us to create a programme that works both in the town and in the countryside and it's great to be part of an ambitious new festival that is not in Edinburgh or Glasgow."

The Herald and the Sunday Herald are joint media sponsors of this year's event, which opens with a Holy Fair in Mauchline on May 3.

The main festival weekend will be launched once again with a concert at Culzean Castle on May 9. Last year, it was described by The Herald as "the best new concert in Scotland for years - if it is repeated, kill for a ticket". The weekend, focused in Ayr, culminates in a spectacular fireworks display on Sunday, May 11. The announcement came as aficionados the world over prepared their livers for the rigours of the annual tribute to the life, works, and spirit of Burns.

The humble Burns supper began in 1801, with nine people in Burns's cottage. Two centuries later it "has become the world's second most celebrated birthday party after December 25", according to Nat Edwards, director of the Burns National Heritage Park.

Murdo Morrison, of the Robert Burns Federation, agreed but refused to "guestimate" as he prepared to put his liver through seven suppers. However, one report said the number had breached 500,000.

"There will be between 30 and 40 in Ayr alone," said Mr Edwards, whose own at the heritage park will "raise a few eyebrows" with the Immortal Memory being given by a woman - Cathy Jamieson, education minister.

The more exotic are to be found abroad. In Abu Dhabi, the Immortal Memory will be given by Colin Howie, managing director of Surprising Scotland, the Prestwick airport-based company that has been asked to supply speakers and entertainers for the ever-growing demand for Scottish functions over the past decade, and has helped set up 20 Burns suppers in Russia and 10 in the Gulf. Mr Howie said: "Burns is alive and kicking." Burns is also growing in cyberspace. A Scottish-based website, www.pharo.com - which offers the world's first multimedia approach to mystery - is to put up a site to appeal to mystery aficionados world-wide to embark on a quest to locate works of the poet that may have been languishing for years in obscurity.

Burns, who died in 1796 leaving debts of £14 and assets of £15, earns Scotland £157.27m annually, according to figures compiled by Lesley Campbell, an economics consultant at the World Bank, who believes we should make better use of his fame. She said: "One agency I talked to suggested we should rename Prestwick airport as Robert Burns International airport and set up the Robert Burns memorial course at Turnberry.

"It really is about time we did a little bit more with Burns the brand."
The Herald -Jan 24th