When it's over, it's really over! - Lammermuir Festival

Having harangued my colleagues into writing their blogs I have of course failed myself.  The trouble with the aftermath of festivals is, if they have been good, there is a sense of loss and, if they have been bad, one is depressed anyway.  Richard Jarman who now runs the Britten Pears Foundation in Aldeburgh thought that the answer was ferociously to redecorate one’s house in order to remove that almost Chekhovian sense of ennui and futility that descends once the adrenaline rush has gone.

Even the weather has broken after a festival period in which East Lothian looked magical, particularly the views of the Bass Rock, The Isle of May and Tantallon on our musical journey

Actually the only solution is to move onto planning the next one and Hugh and I had a wonderful session on Friday afternoon at Creative Scotland dreaming up all sorts of fantastic ideas which we will never be able to afford but are certainly part of the process!

More calmly what do we think we need to do for next year?

One of the really successful innovations this year was our meal deal with the Waterside Bistro.  We will look to broaden our links with the food industry throughout both the county and the festival next year.

Also, with the opening of the John Gray building in Haddington and the return of the county archives to East Lothian there is a real opportunity to examine our fascinating heritage as part of the Year of Creative Scotland.

Finding someone to follow Emily Hoile

and Philip Higham as artists in residence will be hard, but I somehow think we will crack it.

The most encouraging feature of the last week as been the reading of feedback forms.  The feedback has been quite staggeringly positive although you do wish we would be consistent on programme prices (noted!).  Equally exciting is the geographical spread of those who have responded.

To conclude with a story which shows how exciting things can come to the surface.  I was doing a round up on East Coast FM and, while off air, was discussing our need for  a 300 seat venue for a particular project.  My interlocutor immediately mentioned one near Dunbar and I am off to see it in the next few days!

James Waters – Director