National Ken Muir Award for Exceptional Achievement shines a spotlight on personal development achievements beyond exam results
Eleven Edinburgh pupils receive award out of 2,000 national programme participants
A group of S5 and S6 pupils from Edinburgh have received recognition for developing the skills Scotland’s employers value most – including teamwork, communication and problem-solving – at a national awards ceremony celebrating exceptional achievement this week.
Eleven pupils from Portobello High School, Liberton High School, St Augustine’s RC High School, Craigroyston Community High School and Drummond Community High School were selected as part of a Scotland-wide cohort in recognition of the remarkable personal growth, resilience and workplace-readiness they demonstrated whilst completing the Powering Futures Challenge Programme – a SCQF Level-6 qualification which sees pupils work in teams to tackle real-life challenges set by business and industry partners.
Through the programme, pupils develop practical workplace skills while strengthening links with locally-based mentors working in Scottish businesses.
Millie Williams, Sophie Morrison, Sira Johnston, Michelle Ogheneme and Charlotte Reid (pictured above) were among over 2,000 young people nationwide to take part in the Powering Futures Challenge Programme created to celebrate achievements that go beyond traditional academic attainment.
While over 2,000 pupils nationally undertook the Powering Futures Schools Challenge Qualification, the Edinburgh award winners impressed their teachers with their personal development throughout the programme – with winners recognised for growing in confidence, strengthening their teamwork and communication skills, and taking meaningful steps towards their future careers.
The Ken Muir Awards for Exceptional Achievement were launched in June 2025.
Professor Ken Muir of the University of the West of Scotland – after whom the awards are named – has played a key role in advising the Scottish Government on the future of Scottish education. As a key contributor to the 2023 report, It’s Our Future – Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment, Professor Muir has called for reforms to Scotland’s system of education, including preparing learners better for the world of work.
Professor Muir said:“We need a culture and mindset shift in Scotland’s education system. Of course, examination grades are important – but these Awards, and the ethos of the Powering Futures Schools Challenge Programme overall, is about reimagining what success looks like by valuing and recognising achievement in every sense of the word.
“Whether that is developing communication skills, learning to work in a team, or building confidence in presenting an idea, I am delighted to present these Awards to pupils who demonstrate the immense value of Powering Futures’ exciting and motivating learner-centered approach.”
Jennifer Tempany, Co-Founder of Powering Futures, said: “We are delighted to celebrate this year’s Ken Muir Award winners, recognising the immense personal growth and achievement they have demonstrated this academic year.
“By connecting these young people directly with Scottish business and industry through a hands-on approach, we are not only celebrating their success but actively opening up vital career pathways and empowering them to confidently shape a sustainable and prosperous future for Scotland.”
The Home Secretary gave an oral statement to the House of Commons yesterday (2 June)
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement about the murder of Henry Nowak.
Last December, Henry – aged just 18 – was a first-year university student with his life ahead of him. He was kind, hard-working, loved by his family and friends. His murder – at the hands of Vickrum Digwa – was a horrifying act.
Digwa murdered Henry and then lied about him, as he lay dying, falsely accusing him of racism. It was an evil act and I know the thoughts of the whole House will now be with Henry’s family and his friends just as mine are.
What they have been through is heart-breaking and for most of us, unimaginable. I know nothing can take their pain and loss away, but yesterday, we saw some measure of justice. Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment. He will serve a minimum term of 21 years.
His mother, Kiran Kaur, has been convicted of “assisting an offender”. She is due to be sentenced on 17 July and today, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised further charges against other members of the attackers’ family with further sentencing and possible charges pending. We must be cautious still in what we say about this case so that we do not place any proceedings at risk.
However, I can and must pay tribute today to the dignified and powerful words of the Nowak family, in the statement they gave after yesterday’s sentencing. They deserve answers. They deserve answers, in particular, about what happened on that awful night and the actions of the police officers who arrived on the scene.
I expect many in this House and many more across this country have now seen the police officer’s bodycam footage, released last night. It is, without question, a disturbing and tragic thing to see.
People are rightly asking questions about how the situation was handled and they are shocked, and disquieted, to hear Henry’s words: “I can’t breathe.”
I know that it is difficult to wait any longer for answers but there is a proper process to assess whether there have been incidents of police misconduct led by the Independent Office for Police Conduct – the IOPC. They will determine what could and should have been done differently. They will determine what action may need to be taken against individual officers.
The family yesterday called on me and I quote: “To ensure the IOPC has the resources, authority and independence it needs to conduct a full, fearless and transparent investigation.” I can confirm to you today that we will do so. The IOPC will be equipped and encouraged to act, to find the truth and to ensure, if necessary, that there are consequences.
There have been accusations, I know, of two-tier policing: That one community has been prioritised over another. It will be for the IOPC to determine the facts with regards to this specific case and I cannot and will not comment on them, but let me say this on the question of preferential treatment more widely. The police in this country have a sacred duty: To police without fear or favour.
Everyone in this country is equal before the law. It is the promise upon which our whole justice system rests and the equality of every citizen is the foundation on which the openness, tolerance and generosity of this country rests.
Let me also be clear about one other thing – a dangerous undercurrent that I have seen in the reaction to this awful crime. Threats against police officers are utterly unacceptable. There can be no justification for intimidation, abuse or attempts to take the law into one’s own hands.
A police officer, unrelated to this case, has been misidentified online and subjected to death threats. He has been forced to relocate, to protect himself and his family. Misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse. We must all, together, condemn it and we must allow the facts to be established through the appropriate investigations and the courts. We must do so calmly and responsibly.
The Nowak family, and Henry’s memory, deserve answers. They have also called on us all to take action: action to address the daily tragedy of knife crime in this country. This government is committed to halving knife crime in this decade.
Since the start of this Parliament, we have made progress: knife crime has fallen by 10%, Knife homicides are down 27%, at their lowest level in a decade. Clearly, we must do more, while there are still tragedies like this one. For that reason, we have recently published our Halving Knife Crime Plan. It sets out how we will go further to drive sustained reductions in violence. It brings together action across government and across society to stop people from turning to knife crime and to ensure perpetrators are caught and brought to justice.
Amongst a range of measures, this will see: Schools and families supported to address the root causes of knife crime through the establishment of 50 Young Futures Hubs; police using new crime mapping tools to target enforcement more precisely; and making better use of Stop and Search and cruel and exploitative drug gangs stopped from criminally exploiting children, preventing the knife violence driven by the county lines trade.
In relation to knife controls, there have been calls to limit the right of Sikh’s to carry their ceremonial knife, the kirpan – one of the 5 holy items in their faith. The Offensive Weapons Act of 2019, passed under the previous government, clarified and strengthened existing legal protections in relation to long kirpans. This included extending defences so that kirpans can be lawfully possessed for religious reasons and used in religious and ceremonial contexts.
Let me be clear: carrying a knife for the purpose of religious observance is one thing. Using it, as so tragically occurred in this case, is quite another: it is a vile act. A crime of the utmost severity and it will be met with the severest punishment.
Yesterday, the Nowak family ended their statement with a powerful call to us all. I quote: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.” They quoted the words of the prosecuting lawyer and I quote again: “This is not a case about Sikhism. This is not a case about racism. This is a case about murder.”
I echo those words. We cannot allow this murder to turn communities against one another. We must condemn those who seek personal political profit from tragedy.
Instead, we must show who we really are in this country. This was a murder: a vile and violent crime. The punishment must be reserved for those who are responsible for the act. We do not believe in collective punishment in this country.
Instead, we stand together against an act of pure evil. We condemn those who committed this heinous crime, not all those who share their faith or their ethnicity.
Yesterday, a sentence was handed down in court. I know it will never be enough. The loss felt by Henry Nowak’s family and friends will last forever. A wonderful young man will never enjoy the promise of the life that stretched out before him.
The evil acts of his murderer and accomplice will never be undone. But we can choose to use this moment to pursue positive change. We are still limited in what we can say: there is a sentence to be handed down and further charges may follow and there is an IOPC investigation ongoing.
I call on everyone here to be responsible in this moment, to allow justice to run its full course. However, while we must be limited in what we say, we must not be limited in how we act.
I will end with the words of the Nowak family, once more. Last night, they wrote that “no other family should experience the heartbreak and horror of losing a child to knife crime.”
Let that be the challenge to us all. Across this House, across government and across society.
It is the very least we can do to honour the memory of Henry Nowak.
I commend this statement to the House.
Speaking after the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa, Mark Nowak, Henry’s father, said the family did not want his death “to be used to create further division, hatred or tension”.
Despite this appeal and the Home Secretary’s words there were ugly scenes in Southampton last night when a large crowd gathered to protest over the murder. Missiles were thrown and violence flared as angry demonstrators clashed with riot police on the streets near Digwa’s family home.
Two people have been arrested so far and more are expected to follow as police review drone footage.
Commenting on the incident, Home Secretary said: “The scenes this evening in Portswood are completely unacceptable.
“The Nowak family made a powerful call to us all yesterday to not let Henry’s death be used to create further division, hatred or tension.
“There can be no justification for hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder. Those responsible can expect to face the full force of the law.
“I thank the police who have tonight shown great bravery and calm in the face of disgraceful violence directed at them.”
School learning environments across Scotland will become phone free under measures announced by Education Secretary Màiri McAllan yesterday.
Highlighting the damage phones can cause to pupils’ wellbeing and education, Ms McAllan confirmed forthcoming legislation to restrict their use in all of Scotland’s schools. A consultation will be launched within the new government’s first 100 days, with refreshed guidance published this summer to further encourage schools to bring in their own restrictions in advance of the law change.
A public health campaign will also be developed for young people and their parents, raising awareness of online harms while providing advice on how to stay safe on the internet.
The Scottish Government aims to build on strong foundations, delivering a phased and evidence-based public health approach to tackling online harms, informed by children and young people.
We are helping schools create better environments for learning.
Education Secretary @MairiMcAllan visited James Gillespie’s High School to hear about their phone free policy.
The Education Secretary said: “We will shortly publish a consultation on laws to make our learning environments phone free, meeting our commitment to do so in the first 100 days of this government.
“Legislation is the way for us to mandate phone-free learning, but if head teachers want to take action themselves they do not have to wait, and nor should they.
“While we prepare legislation, we are working with education authorities to refresh the current guidance by the end of June, to support schools to consider their approach from the next term.
“Our schools and learning environments should be safe and nurturing environments for our children and young people, where they can learn free from the distractions of mobile phones.”
In response to the Ministerial Statement on phone-free classrooms made yesterday, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First said: “The strong commitment from the Scottish Government to set clear, consistent limits on mobile phone use in schools as part of a wider public health response to protect children from online harm is a crucial step in tackling the national childhood emergency of our time.
“The proposed guidance for schools must include firm boundaries for working with technology providers, so children’s data is protected and they are never exposed to advertising, addictive design or harmful content.
“Children are experiencing online harm on an unprecedented scale which must be matched by an unprecedented level of leadership and commitment. That’s why we’re calling on the Government to establish an independent online harm reduction unit within the first 100 days of the new Parliament.
“The unit would bring together expertise from across sectors to better understand risk, support parents, carers and professionals and challenge harmful and exploitative practices by tech companies.”
Any parent or carer worried about their child can contact Children First’s support line on 08000 28 22 33 or visit www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline for expert practical and emotional support.
Morven MacKinnon was inspired by loved ones to develop her Degree Show project
An Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) student has drawn inspiration from her gran to design a space for people experiencing hair loss.
Morven MacKinnon’s project, The Wellness Factory, is the concept of a treatment centre based in the Biscuit Factory in Leith.
Her work is on display alongside fellow Interior & Spatial Design students as part of ENU’s 2026 Degree Show – which is currently being held at its Merchiston campus.
A combination of sketches, visual renderings and a scale model, The Wellness Factory imagines a treatment centre specialising in hair loss and regrowth, with a strong focus on nutrition and overall wellbeing of an individual.
It is designed as an inviting, stress-free environment, with an open plan food hall and breakout areas to promote connection and recovery.
The 22-year-old from Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire was inspired by loved ones who have experienced hair loss. She said: “A lot of people close to me have been affected by hair loss – my gran being one of them.
“She went through chemotherapy twice and lost her hair. I understand how difficult it can be, so I wanted to do something which would help people in that situation.
“My gran was a massive help in putting it all together. I interviewed her to ask how she felt about it at the time.
“It is an understandably touchy subject for anyone who has gone through it. I think she was quite moved that I chose this as a project.
“I focussed on three case studies in particular, alopecia, eating disorders and chemotherapy patients.
“It formed a big part of my concept – which is bringing people together. People I interviewed told me how it is such a lonely and daunting prospect.”
For Morven the Degree Show marks a full-circle moment, as it was where she made the decision to study at Edinburgh Napier University.
She added: “I always wanted to do something arty and creative, so I spent time looking at different degree shows around the country.
“The work at Edinburgh Napier stood out as being very impressive. It looked so professional and clean, it really stuck with me.
“I’ve had sleepless nights putting my final project together, but I’m so excited to show it off.
“The lecturers have been amazing. You can tell how passionate they are. I can’t wait to start my career now.”
Showcasing work from across ENU’s School of Arts & Creative Industries, the 2026 Degree Show is being held at the University’s Merchiston campus between 29 May and 5 June.
The Rt Rev Dr Dagmar Winter was installed as the new Bishop of Edinburgh at a joyous service in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral.
Guests from all over Scotland and from as far as Ghana and New Zealand packed the cathedral, including church leaders the Most Rev Dr Leo Cushley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, the Rt Rev Gordon Kennedy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the Most Rev Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York.
Bishop Dagmar, who becomes the 27th Bishop of Edinburgh, described the service of installation and translation (from Bishop of Huntingdon in the Diocese of Ely) as “an amazing and uplifting, hugely encouraging experience”.
After celebrating the Eucharist, she said: “Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a wonderful launch into my new episcopal role.
“In the following weeks and months there will be many to meet and I have much to learn and absorb. I can’t wait to get started! The Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church next week comes early in my time and will be a further opportunity for important encounters.
“The joy of the Lord is our strength! In this spirit I look forward to working with all the charges in the Diocese of Edinburgh and the wider communities and their leaders beyond as we seek the kingdom Jesus proclaimed.”
The installation of Bishop Dagmar takes the College of Bishops to a full complement of seven bishops once more.
The newly re-elected Scottish Government must show that it is serious about tackling overcrowding in Emergency Departments – as A&E waiting time records continue to be broken.
New figures on ED performance from Public Health Scotland covering the month of April 2026 were published today (2 June).
In April, fewer than two thirds (64.2%) of major ED attendances were admitted, discharged or transferred within four hours. The government-mandated target is 95%.
Meanwhile, almost one in eight (12.4%, or 14,846) patients waited more than eight hours.
This made that month the worst April since records began for eight and four-hour waiting time metrics in ED.
A total of 6,196 – or 5.1% of patients – waited more than 12 hours – constituting the second worst April on record.
Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Scotland Vice President, said: “Emergency Department clinicians are working tirelessly to try to provide safe and good care to our patients – but the pressure is overwhelming and relentless.
“We are out of winter. This time of year is supposed to see a break in the clouds. Instead, we are as busy as ever.”
Today’s data also showed that, in April 2026, there were an average of 1,902 beds occupied by patients medically fit to leave each day – also known as delayed discharges.
This constitutes a serious problem and is a driver of ED overcrowding because it means patients in need of admission from A&E cannot get a bed. This can result in extremely long waits for these extremely sick patients.
As RCEM revealed last year, these waits can be deadly: in 2025, there 871 excess deaths associated with long waits for admission in ED.
Dr Hunter said: “At last month’s elections, the incumbent SNP-run Scottish Government retained power. We must see votes repaid with real, concrete action on A&E overcrowding.
“The new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Angela Constance has an uphill battle ahead of her. As today’s numbers show, waiting times are among the worst they’ve ever been for this time of year.
“Enduring such waits in an ED is stressful, undignified and we know it can cause harm to patients.
“Meanwhile, there has been no significant or meaningful improvement in the number of delayed discharges – a key metric of patient flow.
“We call on the government to make tackling hospital overcrowding a priority and refuse to allow the current situation to continue. Just because our waits are better than other UK nations does not mean they should be accepted.”
Discover powerful photographic portraits by groundbreaking American artist Catherine Opie in the National Galleries of Scotland’s showstopping summer exhibition.
Curated in collaboration with the artist, Catherine Opie: To Be Seen is Opie’s first ever solo exhibition in Scotland.
Specially adapted for presentation at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, To Be Seen presents a unique experience of the people, communities and stories in the art of Catherine Opie.
The exhibition comes to Edinburgh from the National Portrait Gallery in London, having already received rave reviews from the likes of The Guardian and the Independent, with Time Out calling it ‘something worth celebrating’.
Tickets are on sale now and for the first time, under 18s can visit the National Galleries of Scotland summer exhibition for free.
Explore nearly 80 vibrant portraits by Opie alongside her selection of works from Scotland’s national art collection. Displayed across seven rooms in the Royal Scottish Academy building, come face to face with Opie’s mentors and collaborators, Queer communities, children, surfers, high school footballers and political crowds as well as self-portraits of the artist.
See Opie’s work alongside a selection of 13 paintings from the national collection in arrangements prompting new narratives around ideas of identity. Join Opie as she questions ‘what is identity right now, and how do we look at it?
Where and how do we belong’. Documenting people brought together by common experiences or a shared sense of identity, Opie celebrates these communities by making them visible and offers us a platform to recognise ourselves in her exquisite and colourful images.
Thought-provoking and visually powerful, her striking work challenges who is represented in art and who remains unseen. Depicting a world made meaningful through connection, the artist says: ‘If you can walk away having a little better understanding about being human, that’s what I care about the most.’
One of the most influential artists of our time, Opie’s work is driven by the urgency to examine the ebb and flow of human culture and communities. Journey through 35 years of the artist’s work as she questions representations of home, intimacy and family, and explores politics, identity and power structures.
At the basis of her practice is her ongoing questioning of evolving ideas of community, identity and belonging. For Opie, portraiture is a radical act of representation – a desire to make the invisible visible and a gesture of belonging and resistance. Opie’s art attests to a great sense of humanity and care.
Whether as a university professor, a mother, a member of the Queer community, an American, or a world citizen, her portraits of fellow artists, friends, children and protestors draw attention to the power of visibility.
From photographs covering Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration, Tea Party rallies, and LGBTQ+ rights protests, to tender family moments and vulnerable self-portraits, Opie’s photographs collapse divisions between the personal and the political.
Experience Opie’s portraits alongside works such as Benedetto Gennari’s Elizabeth Murray, Duchess of Lauderdale and Pablo Picasso’s Mère et enfant and consider how history is recorded through portraiture.
Opie says, ‘What first drew me to photography was the idea that history was being made and language was being made through images.’
The artist has long been influenced by historic portraits, taking early inspiration from Hans Holbein the Younger. Inspired by Holbein’s precise renderings of nobility, Opie sought to give stature to her friends and challenge notions of ‘normality’.
Opie’s first major work, Being and Having (1991) is her own representation of identity challenging gender norms. Comprised of 13 closely cropped portraits of Opie and her friends enacting their masculine personas, Opie considers these her ‘own royal portraits,’ and affirms that ‘without representation, there is no visibility’.
To Be Seen will span the artist’s most famous works, with Opie’s own identity also threaded through the exhibition. Works range from ennobling portraits of the artist’s LGBTQ+ friends, Baroque inspired portraits of artists, images chronicling the likes of 1990s West-Coast leather dyke scene alongside her own experiences of family life and community.
Opie says, ‘I like to think that portraiture literally creates a history of one’s community’. The exhibition’s wide-ranging portraits span intimate studio shots capturing moments of vulnerability, pride and resilience to socially engaged documentary narratives.
Born 1961 in Sandusky, Ohio— the American Midwest—Opie got her first Kodak camera at the age of 9 and remembers, ‘I photographed everything around me’.
Her fascination with photography continued throughout her childhood after she moved to California at the age of 13. She fashioned her teenage years, through friendships forged by taking photographs of school plays. Opie was later encouraged to study photography at the San Francisco Art Institute.
Moving to the city she worked and lodged at the Kenmore Residence Club, coming out as a lesbian and having her first significant relationship.
Later, Opie studied for a master’s at the California Institute of the Arts, where she developed her critical approach and secured her technical knowledge.
Rising to prominence in the early 1990s, Opie has since been at the cutting edge of documentary and portrait photography. She taught at UCLA for 25 years and was the Endowed Chair, Department of Art at UCLA (2021–23), retiring in 2023. Opie currently lives and works in Los Angeles.
Domestic 40×50
Catherine Opie said: ‘After my first visit to Edinburgh it is a deep privilege and honour in bringing To Be Seen to a place that immediately felt like home.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know Scotland in the exchange of ideas and humanity when I return in August.“
Anne Lyden, Director General of National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘One of the most significant artists of our time, Catherine Opie is really not to be missed this summer!
“We are so excited to be working with the National Portrait Gallery, London, to host the artist’s first ever solo exhibition in Scotland. We cannot wait to share these incredibly powerful and human portraits with the people of Edinburgh and beyond.
“Opie’s life’s work resonates with our values to offer our audiences a feeling of community, connection and fun! We hope that our visitors find these moments while they explore this wonderful exhibition by a truly groundbreaking artist.’
Catherine Opie: To Be Seen is a National Galleries Scotland exhibition taking place in the Royal Scottish Academy building, opening on 8 August 2026.
The exhibition also forms part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, the UK’s largest annual festival of visual art, from 14 – 30 August, presenting alternative perspectives across the breadth of the city.
Catherine Opie: To Be Seen is kindly supported by the players of Postcode Lottery and Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Nine in 10 children and young people begin mental health treatment within 18 weeks of referral
The latest figures, published today, show that 91.2% of children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) began treatment within 18 weeks — meeting the national standard for a sustained period.
One in two children referred to CAMHS is now starting treatment within six weeks — compared to one in two starting within 12 weeks before the pandemic.
Waits of over 18 weeks are at their lowest level since 2013, down nearly 20% in the past year.
The longest waits have fallen to their lowest level since 2015, with 12 out of 14 Boards now reporting zero patients waiting over a year.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “These figures reflect the dedication and hard work of CAMHS teams right across Scotland, and I am truly pleased to see these sustained and significant improvements in waiting times.
“We have increased CAMHS staffing by 51.6% over the last decade, and exceeded our commitment to fund 320 additional posts by 2026 — increasing capacity for cases by over 10,000. This investment is making a real difference to children and young people across the country.
“While there is still more to do, and we will not be complacent, today’s figures are genuinely encouraging. Long waits remain unacceptable and we will continue to support every Board to meet the standard.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition responded:“While we welcome the fact that one in two children referred to CAMHS is now starting treatment within six weeks — compared to one in two starting within 12 weeks before the pandemic, this is still in itself too long and there is much work to do to tackle the current mental health emergency.
“We still have just under 300 children and young people who have been waiting for more than nine months for treatment and 23 more than a year.
“Many children and young people are still waiting years for help, which worsens their mental health and is a sure-fire way to add to their pain.
“What we need is not just parity of esteem between mental health and physical health, it’s parity of action and parity of spend.
“Each one of these statistics is an individual, and we would urge the new Scottish Government to ensure the adequate resourcing of mental health services for our children and young people so that they can get the care and support they need, without lengthy waits.”
The highly anticipated Made in Scotland 2026 showcase has officially gone live, unveiling a world-class selection of performances scheduled for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August.
For 18 years, Made in Scotland has provided vital support to Scottish artists, enabling them to forge international partnerships, reach new audiences, and connect with global creative professionals.
Supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, Creative Scotland and the Scottish Music Centre, this year’s talented lineup features work across dance, theatre, interdisciplinary and music. The selected productions demonstrate the remarkable range of Scotland’s performing arts scene, offering work that engages with urgent contemporary issues, caters to audiences of all ages, and draws deeply upon a rich artistic heritage.
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Made in Scotland 2026 showcase marks another exciting chapter for celebrating Scotland’s rich and vibrant arts sector.
“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the world’s most recognised cultural marketplaces, and it offers artists and creative professionals a unique opportunity to build lasting international careers.
“This year’s Made in Scotland selection brings together a mix of artists across dance, theatre, music, and interdisciplinary practice highlighting the talents of Scotland’s artistic industry. We are delighted to support these artists as they connect with audiences and industry from across the world.”
Dance
40/40 is ‘an inspiring and moving celebration of Katherina Radeva’s 40 years as a woman, a migrant and an artist. Claiming space on a dance floor, she dances with joyous abundance and presents stories of her past, present and future’ (DB3 at Assembly @ Dance Base)
‘A poignant dance theatre show by acclaimed disabled artist Marc Brew, reflecting on his lifelong journey defying societal expectations to embrace his love for dance’ is in Boys Don’t Dance (DB1 atAssembly @ Dance Base) ‘combining movement with BMX and wheels, storytelling, lighting and an uplifting 80s soundtrack – alongside visual projections and animation, creating an immersive experience for audiences.’
Brrr at Great Hall at Nicolson Squareis ‘a multi-sensory installation and dance performance for young audiences with complex needs aged 10-18. Set within an inflatable dome, Brrr is an immersive exploration of winter featuring dance, sound, video and lots and lots of snow!’
If I Can’t Dance I’m Not Coming reframes Fritz Lang’s 1927 masterpiece Metropolis, translating silent cinema into a rigorous choreographic score. Performed by an eclectic ensemble of eight, the work rejects virtuosity in favour of dignity, threading humour, rebellion and flashes of tenderness through a democratic creative process’ (DB1 at Assembly @ Dance Base)
Theatre
‘The third child of Gaelic-speaking crofters, William McTaggart became one of Scotland’s most celebrated artists through sheer determination and hard work’ in Elsa McTaggart: Capturing the Light. ‘What is his legacy a century on, for his country and family?’ (Big at theSpaceTriplex)
Mayflies is ‘a site-specific adaptation of Andrew O’Hagan’s best-selling novel (Brown’s of Leith, Rear Warehouse). Everyone has a Tully Dawson: the friend that defines your life. This tale of 80s youth and facing mortality in middle age is a joyous and heart-breaking elegy to the young people we still carry within us.’
Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, Matt Anderson’s Shotgunned is a relatable and intimate piece of theatre about how the people we lose can shape who we become. Described by The Stage as ‘a cleverly composed, superbly performed, achingly moving two-hander’ (Studio Five at Assembly George Square Studios)
In Transmission, ‘Big Jimmy, is here to tell you how to keep yur grannies safe and Make Scotland Cis Again! Hilarious, curious and deeply human, Transmission (Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall) is a darkly comedic, tender-hearted performance by playwright and drag artist Nelly Kelly, exploring Scotland’s shift from world-leading on LGBT+ rights, to fertile ground for the anti-trans movement.’
‘1760: Scottish poet James Macpherson sets the world ablaze with stories of the third-century Scottish bard, Ossian – but is it built on deceit? 2026: Martin O’Connor questions his own relationship with Scottish culture. Sporrans, stags, and shortbread; do these gift-shop images hold us back or bring us forward?’ in Through the Shortbread Tin(Netherbow Theatre at Scottish Storytelling Centre)
Tongue Twister is ‘One man’s attempt to say tongue twisters in as many different languages as possible. Whilst also trying to dance. And make music. And do all the costume changes without leaving the stage. A delight for the eyes and ears, created and performed by award-winning performance artist and musician Greg Sinclair, and featuring dazzling costumes and innovative visual design’ (Cromdale Theatre at Pleasance at EICC)
Music
Explore ‘how a 2cm wildflower changed an artist’s life’ in FLOWERCORE by Siobhan Wilson. ‘Through live music and immersive imagery, songwriter Siobhan Wilson celebrates Scotland’s often overlooked wildflowers, exploring themes of preservation, belonging and resilience through music and immersive imagery featuring flower videography and flower art by Scottish artists (Basement at The Gilded Saloon)
‘Scottish Soul: From the Outer Hebrides to the Deep South, Brian Molley Quartet explore the Celtic roots of jazz. Glasgow’s multi award-winning group perform a ground-breaking suite revealing the deep, often-overlooked influence of Scottish music on the evolution of jazz’ in Tùs/Origin… and Jazz Was Born in Scotland’ (The Jazz Bar)
Interdisciplinary
Arcana is ‘a poetic, music-led journey about finding your voice and the courage to truly listen to yourself. We follow Arcana, an apprentice court composer trapped in a world of fear and obligation, as her search for “music for all” becomes a deeper quest for identity and freedom’ (Central at Assembly Roxy)
Float is ‘a beautiful, calm, immersive world designed especially for babies from birth to 12 months old and their grown-ups. Float invites you to relax with your baby and enjoy a gently interactive performance inspired by the healing powers of water. You and your baby are free to explore, engage with the performers or unwind in Float’s tranquil space.’ (Cromdale Theatre at Pleasance at EICC)
‘A mischievous masquerade lives in Jj’s stomach, uncovering dreams and destinies too affirming to be contained. DJ ladé pulses live from the heart, sending out Afrobeat, revolutionary poetry and future beats. Everything uncovered demands to be seen’ in The Masquerade (Cafe at Fruitmarket.) ‘Club ritual merges with mythic storytelling to explore how indigenous spirituality can be practised in the modern day.’
‘When a crustacean gatecrashes your birthday party and drags you into an odyssey of the mind, recovery becomes anything but ordinary. This striking true story from Ninon Noiret explores her experience with cancer and her journey to recovery. Told through “nasty” puppetry, contemporary dance and gravity-defying stunts on a five-metre Chinese Pole, The Raft of the Crab is a powerful exploration of the individual nature of physical illness and what it really takes to recover’ (Central at Assembly Roxy)
‘Myth and moving image converge in a mesmeric performance reframing Scotland’s darker ballads and folklore’. Sand, Silt, Flint ‘charts an intoxicating journey through place and memory. Unfolding as an invocation of land and lineage, experimental electronica fuses with archive material and traditional instrumentation as live vocals mesh with evocative visuals, drawing audiences into a cinematic landscape of myth, memory and song’ at (Jade Studio at Greenside @ George St)
‘Two timelines collide in this bold fusion of dance and circus, offering a fresh perspective on HIV’. In Tell Me, ‘when Grace receives a diagnosis, she is transported back to the 80s alongside Michael, a gay man navigating a very different reality. Their journeys unfold through striking choreography, Chinese pole and aerial artistry. Sadiq Ali Company, makers of five-star, award-winning The Chosen Haram, return to the Fringe with their new show’ at (Dissection Room at Summerhall)
Alongside the main theatre, dance, and music programme, the highly anticipated Made in Scotland Gigs will also return this year.
Hosted in partnership with Wide Days, this dedicated music strand will take over Edinburgh’s Cowgate on Monday 17 August, spanning three iconic multi-venue spaces: Bannerman’s, La Belle Angele, and Sneaky Pete’s. Offering an essential snapshot of the country’s diverse music scene to a public and international industry audience, this year’s line-up features eight exceptional Scotland-based acts: Azamiah, Bikini Body, Cathal Murphy, Dara Dubh, Fright Years, Haiver, Helicon, and the Tom Campbell Trio.
