Organisers of a popular book and arts festival in Nairn still need to find £2,000 by the end of the month to save the event.
More than £13,000 has been raised in a bid to plug the £15,000 funding gap needed to ensure the Nairn Book and Arts Festival goes ahead for its 14th consecutive year.
Yesterday, festival organisers said they were “overwhelmed” with support they had received in just 16 days since launching the urgent appeal.
The funding target must be met by May 1 or the festival will be cancelled.
The fundraising appeal began after national arts development agency Creative Scotland confirmed that it would not be offering the festival a grant this year.
At the time, a Creative Scotland spokeswoman said its open project fund, to which the Nairn festival applied, is only able to support about 30% of applications.
But festival organisers have since been deluged with offers of help and support from the public, business and arts groups across the Highlands and Moray and beyond.
Festival chairman David Godden said: “We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed with the extraordinary level of support from the public – the crowdfunding site has had donations from people from Kent to Caithness – and businesses across the region have been extremely generous.
“Local arts groups have organised fundraising events raising hundreds of pounds. Offers of help have come from across the country, not just locally – reinforcing just how well regarded the festival is.
“We still have a fair amount to raise but I’m feeling very optimistic now that we can achieve our target and that the festival will take place, thanks to the hundreds of people who have given so generously.”
Donations can be made online at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/nairn-book-and-arts-festival
Cheques can be made payable to ‘Nairn Book and Arts Festival,’ to Nairn Book and Arts Festival, Nairn Community and Arts Centre, King St. Nairn IV12 4BQ, or donate in person at Nairn Community and Arts Centre and Nairn Bookshop.