Complex sentence: Reaction was mixed, with some organisations doubting whether science could be packaged in an arts format, but the city put resources behind the idea, and appointed a director and project team, and in April 1989 the first Edinburgh International Science Festival took place.
Split into simpler sentences: Reaction was mixed, with some organisations doubting whether science could be packaged in an arts format. Even so, the city put resources behind the idea, appointing a director and project team, and in April 1989 the first Edinburgh International Science Festival took place.