VisitScotland - National Events Programme

Details

The National Events Programme is one of VisitScotland's core funding programmes. The fund supports the strategic development of live public-facing sporting and cultural events in line with the aims of the National Events Strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage.

Eligible events take place outwith the local authority areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow and can demonstrate their role in showcasing regions and driving domestic tourism around Scotland.

The Programme is designed to support innovative new projects and activity at events. Events will need to align with the key impact areas outlined in our National Events Strategy and must also have delivery budgets of more than £20,000 and attract over 1,000 in-person attendees. Finally, they must showcase Scotland’s key event and tourism assets.

Events looking to apply to the National Events Funding Programme must:

• Identify relevant strategic development activity for funding support
• Take place in Scotland and outside the local authority areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow
• Drive domestic tourism within Scotland i.e. encourage residents of Scotland to travel and attend your event

Align with the five impact areas:

• economic – tourism and business
• brand, identity and reputation
• media and profile
• social and cultural and environmental sustainability

The ability of events to deliver against these event impacts determines the support VisitScotland can offer.

• Have delivery budgets of more than £20,000
• Attract in total over 1,000 in-person attendees
• Showcase Scotland’s key event and tourism assets: our people; our cultural identity and heritage; our natural environment; our built facilities; our signature events; our academic and sectoral credentials.
• Create positive impacts for the host region and/or Scotland as a whole

Premium information is available exclusively to SCVO members and supporters

Geographical areas funded: Scotland

Fund type

Type of funding:

Grant

Type of cost:

Revenue

Fund award sizes

Minimum:

Premium information

Maximum:

Premium information

Notes on award amounts:

Premium information

Who can apply

Applications must be made by legally constituted organisations. Alternatively, eligible groups will have a management committee, constitution and their own bank account.

See event eligibility criteria in fund guidance for more detail.

When to apply

Currently closed for applications.

Round 57: closed on Monday 5 October at 2pm – for eligible events taking place from June-September (inclusive) 2027

How to apply

If you are interested in applying to this programme, submit an enquiry via the VisitScotland website and a member of the team will contact you.

Contact information

Exclusions

Premium information

Activites funded: Arts and culture Sport and physical activity Recreation and social activities

Beneficiaries funded: General public

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Last reviewed 26 days ago