UK Book Festivals Struggle for Funding

The Baillie Gifford sponsorships, which supported prominent literary festivals such as the Hay Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, have come to an end following a campaign by Fossil Free Books (FFB). The campaign urged the asset manager to divest from fossil fuel companies and those linked to Israel. Annie Ashworth, director of the Stratford Literary Festival, noted that Baillie Gifford's extensive sponsorship portfolio was unique, and its departure raises concerns about the implications for corporate sponsorship in the arts. Festival organizers are now facing a dual challenge, as highlighted by the campaign group Culture Unstained. With authors increasingly vocal about their concerns regarding sponsors, the landscape for funding literary festivals is shifting. Syima Aslam, founder of the Bradford Literature Festival, remarked that the long-standing sponsorship from Baillie Gifford had previously gone unchallenged, but the recent criticism has altered the dynamics of sponsorship. While FFB organizers expressed disappointment that their campaign did not yield the desired outcome, some view the end of Baillie Gifford's sponsorship as a potential turning point for festival funding. Local sponsorships are becoming more difficult to secure, prompting Ashworth to anticipate a need for multiple smaller sponsors rather than one long-term partner. In response to the funding gap, FFB has begun reaching out to publishing houses for support, with Bloomsbury recently donating £100,000 to affected festivals. Although the Scottish government has pledged additional funding for the arts, the specifics remain unclear, leaving many festivals to navigate their financial futures independently.