PRESS RELEASE: Edinburgh International Festival bucks corporate sponsorship trend with 11 new companies on board for 2007.

Wed 28 Mar 2007

Jonathan Mills, Festival Director, today announced the programme of his first Edinburgh International Festival which runs from Friday 10 August to Sunday 2 September.

In announcing the programme he paid this tribute, “I would like to voice publicly my enormous thanks to the many loyal sponsors and donors who continue to support the Festival. We offer a very special welcome to the new companies, trusts and individuals which have joined them this year in this important role in sustaining and developing the Festival. This commitment helps to make it possible to put on a Festival of world class quality while maintaining affordable ticket prices, to allow a diverse audience both local and international to enjoy the many events the Festival has to offer.”

New both to the Festival and to supporting the arts LogicaCMG this year sponsors conductor Gustavo Dudamel and his Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, the flagship orchestra of a huge country wide project which has seen some of the poorest children in Venezuela become international musicians.

Award winning technology company Lumison has joined as an in kind sponsor in a three year deal to provide dedicated server and managed hosted services for the Festival’s online activities.

Other new sponsors of the Festival this year are Arup, British Energy Group plc, Oracle, Sopra Newell & Budge, Thomas & Adamson and Turcan Connell.

Joining the already essential and valuable group of in kind supporters this year are ALCO Consulting - ICT strategic partner, City Inn Westminster and Malmaison Edinburgh.

Continued support from Scottish and Newcastle sees it sponsor the Festival’s Opening Concert for the 16th consecutive year, in 2007 a performance of Bernstein’s Candide.

Lloyds TSB Scotland sponsors Orpheus - the Journey, following the development of the Orpheus myth from the 17th century in Jordi Savall’s production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo through Trisha Brown’s interpretation in Canto/Pianto and to American Repertory Theatre’s modern take in Orpheus X.

Bank of Scotland’s support continues with the morning Bank of Scotland Queen’s Hall Series, its support of Bank of Scotland Connecting to Music, the Festival’s year round flagship education programme and the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert.

Other main sponsors include First ScotRail, Hire-A-Phone, IBM, The List, Mactaggart & Mickel Ltd, Renault, and Standard Life.

Income from individual supporters in the form of memberships and donations has reached record levels already in 2007.

The Edinburgh International Festival is one of the most exciting places on earth to experience the arts, it is also one of the most prestigious with world class artists travelling from around the world to present their work to a local and international audience. Sponsors and donors contribute to opera, theatre, dance, orchestral and chamber concerts in Edinburgh’s finest venues sure in the knowledge that quality and excellence, as well as diversity and enjoyment are keystones of the Edinburgh International Festival experience.

ENDS

There are still opportunities for corporate collaborations and charitable involvement in Festival 2007. For further information contact Nicky Pritchett-Brown, Sponsorship & Development Director on 0131 473 2063 or nicky.pritchett-brown@eif.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Public booking opens Saturday 14 April 2007

Hub Tickets: +44 (0)131 473 2000

Online booking and information: www.eif.co.uk#

Please see enclosed brochure for full programme information and listings.

We can supply the Festival listings and information in any format you require, please contact the press office.

For further information please contact Susie Burnet or Jackie Westbrook in the EIF press office on 0131 473 2020 or press@eif.co.uk

We would like to make a request for your support:

Corporate sponsorship of the Edinburgh International Festival is crucial to its future. As arts supporters yourselves we hope you will help us in maintaining this 25% of our income and our healthy relationships with sponsors by crediting them in print. This makes a real difference to the Festival. Mentions are counted and used as an evaluation of projects by our sponsors. A credit at the foot of an article can make all the difference to us. Please credit our sponsors where you can.

The Edinburgh International Festival is supported by The City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Arts Council, and The National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council.

Major event sponsors and supporters include:

Bank of Scotland Queen’s Hall Series
Saturday 11 August – Saturday 1 September 11.00am (excluding Sundays)

Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert
Sunday 2 September 9.00pm
Princes Street Gardens

Bank of Scotland Connecting to Music programme
From May 2004 ongoing school workshops.

Trisha Brown Dance Company
Friday 24 – Sunday 26 August 7.30pm
The Edinburgh Playhouse

Orpheus X
American Repertory Theatre
Saturday 25 August – Wednesday 29 August 8.00pm
Royal Lyceum Theatre

PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS

Dunard Fund
Edinburgh International Festival Endowment Fund

PROSCENIUM CLUB MEMBERS

AEGON UK plc
Arup
BAA Edinburgh
Baillie Gifford
BP
British Energy Group plc
Caledonian Hilton Hotel
Chiene + Tait
Dickson Minto W.S.
The EDI Group Ltd
Maclay Murray & Spens LLP
MacRoberts
John Menzies plc
The Miller Group Ltd
Oracle
Prudential
Scottish & Newcastle plc
ScottishPower
Scottish Widows
Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
Sopra Newell & Budge
Standard Life
Thomas & Adamson
Turcan Connell
Walter Scott & Partners Limited
and others under negotiation

DONORS

Johnston Press plc
MacDonald Orr
The Miller Group Ltd
Newton Investment Management Ltd.

IN KIND SUPPORTERS

Alba Water
ALCO Consulting-ICT Strategic Partner
The Balmoral
Capital solutions...
Dimensions (Scotland) Ltd
GNER
Malmaison Edinburgh
The Menzies Belford Hotel
Prestige Scotland
Springbank Distillery
Strathmore Mineral Water Company
TM Robertson Wine Cellars
(part of the Berkmann Group)

PRINCIPAL DONORS

American Friends of the Edinburgh International Festival
Edinburgh International Festival
Capital Fund
Edinburgh International Festival Patrons and Muses
Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Visiting Arts

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

The Consulate General of Spain, Edinburgh
Embassy of Finland, London
The Embassy of the United States of America, London
The Italian Cultural Institute, Edinburgh
Royal Norwegian Consulate General, Edinburgh
Taipei Representative Office in the U.K., Edinburgh Office
The United States Consulate General, Edinburgh

TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS

The Binks Trust
Cruden Foundation Limited
The Peter Diamand Trust
The Director’s Circle
The Evelyn Drysdale Charitable Trust
Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust
The Hamada Edinburgh Festival Foundation
Miss K M Harbinson’s Charitable Trust
The Hobart Trust
The Hope Scott Trust
The Inches Carr Trust
The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, The University of Edinburgh
Eda, Lady Jardine Charitable Trust
The Nancie Massey Charitable Trust
The Negaunee Foundation
The Oppenheim Foundation
Risk Charitable Fund
The Russell Trust
The Stevenston Charitable Trust
Miss C A M Sym’s Charitable Trust
The Tay Charitable Trust
Thirkleby Trust

The Edinburgh International Festival Society is registered as a company in Scotland (No SC024766) and as Scottish Charity (No SC004694)

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