Pitlochry Festival Theatre (PFT) learned today that the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) intends to convene a series of meetings with current and potential funders to discuss an entirely new funding arrangement for PFT in the future.

PFT is currently in the second year of a two year Flexible Funding agreement with SAC, which provides PFT with a grant of £300,000 per year. PFT had applied for a further two years of Flexible Funding for 2009-11, but as the Flexible Funding system was never intended to fund major producing companies requiring revenue support, SAC has decided that it would be preferable to establish an entirely new funding package for PFT for 2009 onwards.

David Pighills, Chairman of PFT`s Board of Governors, commented: “We have always felt that PFT was not a good fit with the Arts Council`s Flexible Funding system – the company is simply too big and sustains too large a national audience for short term funding of this kind, which is far better suited to supporting smaller companies and developing new kinds of activity. The Arts Council`s recognition of the need to develop a tailor-made funding agreement for PFT is therefore most welcome, and we look forward to discussing this with the Arts Council and our other major funder, Perth & Kinross Council, in the near future.”

John Durnin, PFT`s Chief Executive & Artistic Director, added: “SAC has made it clear to us that while they recognise the national importance of PFT to Scotland`s arts infrastructure, this unique organisation doesn`t sit comfortably within any of SAC`s current funding streams. The creation of a new funding arrangement specific to PFT for 2009 onwards will recognise this fact and allow PFT to implement a number of initiatives that will help deliver our longer-term artistic ambitions.

PFT plays a vital part in Scotland`s creative economy and is a major production centre for the industry. PFT offers theatre-goers from across Scotland and beyond large scale, large cast productions of high quality, drawn from all areas of the repertoire throughout its six month summer season. This makes a major contribution to the cultural life of Scotland and we look forward with great interest to discussions with all our funders about how best to ensure that such a contribution continues for many years to come.”

PFT was founded by John Stewart as a summer repertoire theatre in 1951. It moved into the current building on the banks of the River Tummel in 1981. Following a number of capital improvements to the building in 2000-1, it began opening year-round in 2003, programming a Winter presenting season in addition to the summer producing season. PFT has a turnover of approximately £2.2m p.a. and earns approximately 75% of its own income through the Box Office and associated trading activities. It makes an annual contribution of between £8m and £10m to the Scottish economy.