The Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festival Expo Fund, which provides funding to all 12 Festivals in Edinburgh to support the development of Scottish-based work is to provide £215,000 towards Edinburgh's Hogmanay Feet First event.

The new project aims to showcase a wide range of outdoor entertainment from the best local and national Scottish artists. Free to the public, Feet First - derived from the Scottish tradition of first footing at New Year - will take place in the Capital's George Street on Thursday January 1st 2009.

Culture Minister Linda Fabiani said: “I am enormously proud of all of Edinburgh's Festivals and of the energy and commitment of all those involved.  The Scottish Government's Expo Fund, launched last month, will help to support Scottish based artists and ensure that the global competitive edge of the Festivals is maintained.

“Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations are internationally renowned for their creativity and excitement and I am delighted that the Scottish Government is providing Expo Funding of £215,000 to develop and deliver this new bespoke production. 

“This will be a major, free and accessible event in the centre of the world's home of Hogmanay, showcasing the best of Scottish street theatre talent and delighting audiences from home and around the world."

The work to be presented is currently being created and is a collaboration between the Edinburgh Winter Festival and two Edinburgh based award-winning theatre and outdoor event companies, Boilerhouse and Iron-Oxide.

Winter Festivals Marketing & Communications Manager, John-Paul Murphy, said: “Edinburgh's Hogmanay is always looking to improve its programme and we're excited about the potential of Feet First and working with Boilerhouse and Iron-Oxide. It wouldn't be possible to bring Feet First to public attention without the Festivals Expo Funding from the Scottish Government, which is a welcome initiative. It doesn't just add to the four days of the Hogmanay programme but provides a platform for Scottish creative arts companies to showcase their talent to the Edinburgh's Hogmanay international audience, and hopefully, take that work around the world.”

The funding for Feet First marks the third successful project from the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festival Expo Fund. The planned expenditure for the Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund is £6m over three years, 2008-2009 to 2011-2012.  

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