South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has questioned EventScotland and the Scottish Government’s commitment to funding culture in Dumfries and Galloway, following the announcement that organisers of the Big Burns Supper (BBS) festival have been forced to cancel the event for 2024.

They said they made the move after failing to secure funding from the Scottish Government’s national agency EventScotland. The group had already faced a funding blow when the Scottish Government axed the Winter Festival Fund which had previously backed the Big Burns Supper.

Support from other organisations is set to be “rolled over” to 2025 when BBS hopes to return.

Colin Smyth said: “It is disappointing that the Big Burns Supper has gone from being part of a government-backed Winter Festivals event to not actually qualifying for any national funding at all.

“When you look at the paltry level of funding from Scottish Government and their Agencies such as EventScotland to the culture sector in our region, you do have to question their commitment to having an inclusive approach where every part of Scotland, not just the central belt, is supported.

“This is not the only event in our region that has been rejected by EventScotland this year.

“Agencies appear to have put all their eggs in one basket recently through the UCI cycling world championships.

“That was a great national event for Glasgow and it was nice that our region hosted the paracycling event with the boost it brought to local hotels through competitors and their teams. But I’m not sure plastering Dumfries with signs saying ‘People Make Glasgow’ was what we had in mind in terms of promoting the region and I think that illustrates the central belt bias we see from agencies.

“I have written to the Culture Secretary asking why so few events in the region secure Government support given how important they are to communities and the local economy.”