Aberdeen’s WORD Festival, through support from CALA Homes, is the first arts organisation in Scotland to receive matching funding under the Scottish Executive New Arts Sponsorship Awards scheme.
The scheme, funded by the Scottish Executive and delivered by Arts & Business Scotland provides match funding for new arts sponsors, allowing them to double their sponsorship benefits.
CALA Homes, who this year are sponsoring the CALA Homes Storytelling Teepee which will be putting on readings by best selling children’s writers including Mairi Hedderwick author of the Katie and Morag series, are to have their cash sponsorship matched £1 for £1 under the new scheme.
Andrea Joyce, CALA’s Sales & Marketing Manager, welcomes the news: “There is nothing nicer than curling up at home with a book – so it was a natural fit for CALA to sponsor the WORD festival. The match funding scheme now means that the money we have provided this year will go even further – a move that I’m sure will encourage many more businesses to consider supporting the arts in Scotland.”
Barclay Price, Director, Arts & Business Scotland, said: “The arts sector in Scotland has been crying out for an incentive scheme such as this to boost its fundraising capabilities and attract new sponsors. These Awards will provide practical opportunities for businesses to discover the many benefits of arts sponsorship, and at the same time support arts organisations in increasing their revenue.”
Elly Rothnie, WORD Festival producer, said: “We are delighted to have received matched funding. The Awards scheme has enabled the WORD Festival to increase the size of its children’s and school’s programme and to include even bigger names this year.”
Tickets to this year’s WORD Festival can be booked by calling 01224 273874 or by emailing word@abdn.ac.uk