It’s two weeks since the end of the very first COAST Festival of the Visual Arts in Banff and Macduff and visitor surveys have now been analysed - the result? COAST has been a resounding success in its first year.
The Festival - supported by Scottish Enterprise, EventScotland and Aberdeenshire Council – boasted over 30 events and attractions in Banff and Macduff over 4 days at the end of last month and organisers are elated to have beaten their target of a £280,000 impact to local economy with a figure of £300,000+.
After a fantastic start with the launch event on Friday 23 May, attended by over 1500 people and featuring singer Sandi Thom and First Minister Alex Salmond; visitors were out in force again over the weekend, enjoying the extensive programme of events on offer, from:
- exhibitions,
- galleries,
- art fair
- food fair
- sandcastle competition,
- workshops
- sculpture park,
- plus much more in between.
Now in the final stages of evaluation, COAST organisers are looking to develop ideas for the content of festivals 2009 and 2010. Prior to COAST 2008 organisers set up a Festival Committee for members of the community to feed their ideas into the cultivation of COAST in coming years.
Anyone is welcome to join and should contact Danielle Daglan on 01261 833819 or info@coastfestival.org.uk for more details.
