The Stage

Rising cost forces Aurora Nova out of Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Published Tuesday 6 May 2008 at 15:55 by Matthew Hemley

Edinburgh fringe organisation Aurora Nova has pulled out of this year’s festival, claiming rising costs across the board have made it financially unviable to stage a programme.

Aurora Nova, described by its organisers as a “mini-festival”, has presented physical theatre and dance works from around the world in its regular venue of St Stephen’s Church in Stockbridge since 2001. It has relied on box office takings and self-funding initiatives to operate.

But Aurora Nova founder and director Wolfgang Hoffman said the rising costs of venue hiring, accommodation, artists and equipment, combined with disappointing audiences in 2007, meant the organisation was unable to sustain a programme of “world class international performances” at this year’s festival.

Hoffman is preparing to lobby Arts Council England for funds with a view to reinstating Aurora Nova at the fringe in 2009, but admitted the future of his organisation was uncertain.

“I feel I have personally invested a lot into Aurora Nova in terms of energy and it has come to a point where I can’t grow it any other way without subsidy. I want to rejuvenate it and I have many ideas to make it more interesting, but to do that I need some cash,” he said.

Hoffman also said Aurora’s position raised “difficult questions” for funding of similar operations at the festival, claiming more companies are likely to be forced out of future festivals because of a shortage of money.

He also claimed the festival was at risk of becoming nothing more than a series of comedy shows, describing these as the low risk options compared with innovative theatrical events.

“Edinburgh is more and more a comedy festival. It suits comedy because these shows pose very little risk. You need one man and a mic. But we were bringing in performance groups from far away and that costs money. It is no longer viable for us to do that on self-subsidy,” he said.

Aurora Nova was set up in 2001 in association with Komedia in Brighton. In 2007, the operation was run with Assembly, which Hoffman said he would continue to work with to generate funding for future years.

• Susan Rice, chief executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland, has been appointed chair of the Edinburgh Festivals Forum, the commission set up to oversee the strategic development of Edinburgh’s festivals.

The forum is made up representatives from a range of organisations, including Festivals Edinburgh, the Scottish government and the Scottish Arts Council. It was formed last year following a recommendation in the Scottish Arts Council-commissioned report, Thundering Hooves. 

Rice was the first woman to head a UK clearing bank when she took up the role with Lloyds TSB Scotland in August 2000.

She said: “Edinburgh is a wonderful and unique city. One of the main elements that contribute to its ongoing success and growth are the festivals that it plays host to and their ever-increasing prestige on the global stage. Maintaining the high calibre of the combined festivals is vital and I’m honoured and delighted to have been asked to chair the Edinburgh Festivals Forum.”