THE Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is drawing up plans to stage "mini Tattoos" in disadvantaged areas.
Bosses of the world-famous event hope the commitment can be "safely recognised" as soon as this year.
The proposal is included in evidence submitted to Holyrood's Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee.
Organisers said it would "ensure inclusivity" and help reach "well beyond Edinburgh and its environs to regions of disadvantage and hardship".
They are also assessing plans to "take the Tattoo to Europe", arguing it could "play a valuable role in cultural diplomacy" and "fortify the currently frayed connections with our European neighbours" following Brexit.
Major-General Buster Howes, chief executive of the Tattoo, has already said he hopes to stage live events in Edinburgh this year if it is safe to do so.
The Tattoo is held on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle each August and boasts a history stretching back decades.
Its spectacular military displays feature an average annual cast of 1,000 performers and draw in audiences of 220,000 over multiple shows. They have sold out for the last 22 years.
However they were cancelled last year due to the coronavirus crisis.
MSPs are examining the ongoing impact of the pandemic on Scotland's culture and tourism sectors.
In evidence to the Holyrood committee, the Tattoo said it "aims to act as a stimulus for tourism, economic growth, and commercial opportunity in the city and beyond".
It said it hopes to deliver a "Covid-safe live Tattoo" in 2021, "presenting Scottish and military tradition while representing a beacon of hope for Edinburgh, Scotland and the UK post-pandemic".
It continued: "If the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council judge that live events can be conducted safely at scale this summer, we will be prepared confidently to execute the Tattoo as a rousing and highly symbolic step toward normality and welcome others to showcase with us."
The evidence also outlined a number of "possible opportunities" in the future.
It said: "With a commitment to communicating hope, inspiration and to surprise and delight, we are assessing scope to mount mobile mini Tattoos, to ensure inclusivity and to deploy nimbly well beyond Edinburgh and its environs to regions of disadvantage and hardship.
"We hope this commitment can be safely recognised in 2021 but endeavour to deliver at the earliest safe moment."
Asked for more details about this scheme, a spokesman for the Tattoo said: "The paper we submitted outlines some potential ideas we’ve had that would allow us to surprise and delight different audiences, raising the spirits of people post pandemic. These are still very much in the ideation phase.”
Elsewhere, bosses said they are assessing the potential to mount "touring Tattoos with greater frequency, efficiency and for more consistent commercial gain".
Their evidence added: "We are currently in discussions with a global promoter and have a place-marker of 2023 (pandemic allowing) to execute such a strategy.
"We assess that there is scope to take the Tattoo to Europe (potentially starting in Basle [in Switzerland]).
"Post Brexit this will enable the Tattoo to play a valuable role in cultural diplomacy and to fortify the currently frayed connections with our European neighbours.
"It would enable us to communicate with fanfare and flourish much of what is great and compelling about Scottish culture and to encourage our audiences to visit the ‘mother country’, driving tourism and the economy."
Tattoo bosses also referenced the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November.
They suggested Festivals Edinburgh - the collective organisation representing the 11 major international Edinburgh festivals - has "the capacity and expertise to support an event of this status or equivalent, enabled by the co-ordination and funding of central government".
The evidence said: "In time, when it is safe to do so, with a little luck this year, we at the Tattoo and more broadly within Festivals Edinburgh can light a beacon to help to re-energise and refocus our nation."
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will set out a timetable for reopening Scotland's economy next week.
The UK Government's plans for England, unveiled last month, could see all limits on social contact lifted by June 21.
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