This year's Belfast Festival could be the last unless funding can be found to secure its future, the British government was warned yesterday.
As this year's fortnight-long festival drew to a close, Queen's University Belfast said it may have to shut it down because it could no longer afford the costs involved.
At its height, the festival drew some of the biggest names in international entertainment, including the RSC, the National Theatre and Monty Python's Michael Palin. It was once the biggest arts festival in the UK outside Edinburgh.
But in recent years it has had to scale back its programme of music, theatre, art, comedy and literary events as public funding was reduced.
A statement from Queen's said the university had invested £2.5 million (€3.7 million) in culture and the arts over the past three years.
"Without support from other partners who benefit from the delivery of Northern Ireland's only international festival, the university cannot continue to fund deficits," it said.
"The university hopes that festival 2006 will not be the last, but it will be unless additional funding ensures its sustainability." It added that it was "working with other funders to secure festival's future".
The university said that, with investment, the festival could enhance the city's regeneration.
"[ The] festival contributes £6.5 million a year to the Northern Ireland economy, and this year it has reached 100,000 people, breaking all box-office records," the statement said.
"Government must recognise the enormous contribution the arts makes across many of its priority areas and work with arts organisations and the private sector to ensure they are sustainable."