THE GAZA TRIBUNAL: BRITAIN’S COMPLICITY IN GENOCIDE
Join @jeremycorbyn, Neve Gordon and Shahd Hammouri for a very special event at University of Edinburgh for The Gaza Tribunal on Thursday 29 October.
With the National Health Service under intense financial pressure, leading healthcare directors and academics debate over whether access to medical care should depend on personal lifestyle choices.
TONIGHT – Monday, 12th of October, the Edinburgh Union will host its next debate of the term on one of Britain’s most urgent healthcare and ethical questions with the motion: This House Would Prioritise NHS Patients With Healthy Lifestyles.
Under increasing financial strain, the National Health Service faces pressure concerning resource allocation. The proposition that patients should take accountability for their health, such as losing weight or quitting smoking, has raised concerns over medical ethics.
However, the widening gaps in health outcomes and equality make the question of healthcare rationing and patient responsibility more urgent than ever.
The debate brings together a panel of healthcare leaders and academic experts.
Arguing for the proposition to prioritise patients with healthy lifestyles is Dr Shaun O’Connell, Former Joint Medical Director at the Vale of York CCG, who implemented a controversial 2016 policy asking obese patients and smokers to lose weight or quit cigarettes at the risk of delays to routine operations.
On the opposition, he will face Jonathan Pugh, Deputy Director of the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, and Richard Cookson Professor for the Centre for Health Economics at the University of York.
This event will take place in Rainy Hall at New College, with doors opening at 6:30 pm and the debate commencing at 7 pm. Continuing with Edinburgh Union tradition, audience members will have the opportunity to challenge guest speakers and deliver speeches during the debate.
Euan Morgan, President of the Edinburgh Union, said: “The question of NHS resource allocation is central to the future of the United Kingdom’s healthcare system.
“By bringing the architect of one of the UK’s most controversial health policies face-to-face with medical ethicists, we are providing the rigorous debate the Edinburgh Union was built for.
“We are pleased to offer students the floor to challenge these experts in order to engage with a policy issue that impacts every citizen.”
Securing a future for the arts at Summerhall
Summerhall is far more than a building. It is a distinctive cultural and community asset in Edinburgh, a home for artists and audiences, and a place where creativity, innovation and collaboration thrive.
Its contribution to Edinburgh and Scotland’s cultural identity, creative economy and international reputation must be fully understood and recognised in any plans for its future.
Summerhall Arts wants to remain at Summerhall and will support a viable proposal that secures our future and enables us to continue delivering our year-round programme of arts and cultural activity.
Our ambition is to see Summerhall continue as a thriving cultural destination, protecting the building’s unique character while enabling its artistic contribution to grow. We recognise that any future proposal must be financially realistic and operationally sustainable.
For Summerhall Arts, viability also means having sufficient affordable, appropriate and usable space to continue supporting and nurturing the wider community, artists, presenting work and engaging audiences throughout the year.
Why Summerhall Arts matters
Supported by Creative Scotland multi-year funding, Summerhall Arts has established itself as a leading supporter of the arts in Scotland, both locally and nationally. Building on Summerhall’s legacy of diverse performance and exhibitions, Summerhall Arts has developed new and exciting professional artist development opportunities for emerging and established artists.
Our work extends beyond presenting performances and exhibitions. We provide opportunities for artists to develop their practice, support new creative work and contribute to a wider ecosystem of festivals, theatres and cultural organisations across Scotland and beyond.
The 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe showcased Summerhall Arts’ international significance, featuring work from 24 countries and a record-breaking number of award-winning shows and audience numbers. This reflects the importance of Summerhall as a cultural destination that connects Edinburgh with artists, audiences and creative communities from around the world.
The spaces within Summerhall are central to this work. Their individual character, facilities and flexibility enable a diverse programme of artistic activity that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere. Any plans for the future must fully recognise the relationship between the building, its spaces and the cultural activity they make possible.
What does a viable future look like?
We want to work constructively with AMA to help establish a viable, sustainable future for the arts at Summerhall.
For Summerhall Arts, this means securing enough affordable, appropriate and usable space to continue delivering our year-round programme successfully. It means ensuring that the practical needs of artists, performances, exhibitions and professional development are properly understood and reflected in future plans.
We believe there is an opportunity to develop a model that combines appropriate investment in the building with a sustainable programme of arts and cultural activity and community spaces. Achieving this requires a full understanding of the existing spaces, their cultural significance and their role in supporting the site’s activity.
Summerhall Arts is ready to contribute its experience and knowledge to this conversation. We want to be part of a constructive process that recognises the realities of developing a viable proposal while protecting the cultural purpose that makes Summerhall so important.
Repair, not demolish
We are concerned that the current plans appear to earmark some of Summerhall’s most distinctive spaces for demolition. These spaces are not simply parts of a building. They are integral to Summerhall’s identity, character and cultural offer. Their loss would have implications for the arts activity that takes place across the site and for the wider experience of artists, community and audiences.
We believe the potential for repair, renovation and continued cultural use deserves serious consideration as part of the search for a viable long-term solution.
Preserving Summerhall does not mean preventing change. It means recognising what makes the site special, understanding the value of its existing spaces and exploring how they can be maintained, adapted and used sustainably for the future.
Edinburgh’s reputation as the world’s festival city rests in part on distinctive cultural spaces such as Summerhall. Protecting these places helps sustain the city’s cultural identity and its ability to attract artists, audiences and visitors from across the world.
Have your say: help shape Summerhall’s future
The consultation is an important opportunity to ensure that the cultural significance of Summerhall and the needs of Summerhall Arts are properly understood by AMA as it develops its plans.
We encourage artists, audiences, cultural organisations, supporters and everyone who values Summerhall to participate. Please explain what the site means to you, why its spaces matter and why retaining an established thriving arts presence should be central to its future.
Your feedback can help demonstrate that Summerhall’s value extends far beyond the property itself. It is a cultural and community asset that supports artists, engages audiences and contributes to Scotland’s artistic life, locally, nationally and internationally.
We want to be able to count on your support not only during this consultation, but throughout the future stages of the process. A strong collective voice can help ensure that the search for viability fully considers the cultural activity the site supports and the space required to sustain it.
To view the current plans and submit your feedback, visit the consultation website:
https://summerhallconsultation.co.uk/index.php
Looking to the future
We believe Summerhall can continue to be a place where artists create, audiences discover new work and Scotland’s cultural reputation flourishes.
With a shared commitment to finding a workable solution, there is an opportunity to protect the site’s distinctive character while securing its continued contribution to cultural and community life.
Sam Gough, CEO of Summerhall Arts, says: “Whilst our intention is to remain here and work with AMA to continue the provision of arts within Summerhall, the future space needs to be viable, and we are hopeful that the plans will provide that.
“We are encouraging all those who love Summerhall and its spaces to contribute to the consultation, to help the developers understand how important they are to what makes this already thriving arts centre what it is.
“At the moment, I have not seen anything that demonstrates this.
“So many of the beautiful, special parts of Summerhall, such as the historic Anatomy Lecture Theatre, the unique Dissection Room, Tech Cube 0 and the ever-so-wonderful Royal Dick pub, are earmarked for demolition.
Our message is ‘repair, not demolish’. Edinburgh’s name as the world’s festival city rests partly on places like Summerhall. Developers, like arts organisations, are remembered for what they leave behind, and I would much rather AMA be remembered as the owner who protected it.”
Summerhall is an asset to Edinburgh and to Scotland.
We want to work towards a future that protects its cultural and community spaces, sustains the arts, health and wellbeing and enables Summerhall Arts to continue its work for generations to come.
PLUS ‘MUCKLE BE THE LIGHT’ RETURNS FEATURING CHARLOTTE CHURCH AND AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER GORDON BUCHANAN
SCOTS TRAD MUSIC FEATURING BLAZIN’ FIDDLES, KAREN MATHESON and JULIE FOWLIS TAKE OVER MCEWAN HALL
Tickets via www.edinburghshogmanay.com
On sale 12pm tomorrow – Friday 9 October
Producers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, todayannounced a feast of spectacular events taking place across the 4-day festival, including the return of the iconic Torchlight Procession to welcome the arrival of 2027.
Plus, new for 2026, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will present a programme of music, comedy and events in McEwan Hall including Scots trad stars Blazin’ Fiddles, Julie Fowlis and Karen Matheson, as well as the return of ‘Muckle Be The Light’ with Michael Pedersen welcoming Charlotte Church, Gordon Buchanan and more for a special in-conversation and music New Year’s Day event.
Torchlight Procession plus Edinburgh Hogmanay Festival Club shows at McEwan Hall on sale from 12pm Friday 9 October – via www.edinburghshogmanay.com.
On Tuesday 29 December, the Torchlight Procession, supported by presenting partner VisitScotland, will once again light up the capital to kick start New Year celebrations around the world, whilst raising over £25,000 for charity.
An annual sell-out which welcomes 15,000 participants and 10,000 spectators to Edinburgh’s historic Old Town, £2 from each torch and £1 from every procession ticket sold is donated directly to the charities making a difference across Edinburgh and Scotland, this year including: One City Trust, When You Wish Upon A Star, My Name’5 Doddie & Street Assist.
Renowned for kicking off New Year celebrations around the world, the Torchlight Procession supported by presenting partner VisitScotland, marks the start of four days of festivities in Scotland as a river of fire is weaved through Edinburgh, with torches carried by residents and tourists alike.
Gathering in The Meadows, guests will enjoy a host of entertainment from live street theatre to fire performers and drummers and music, with Shetland’s South Mainland Up Helly Aa’ Jarl Squad Vikings and pipe bands guiding the crowds throughout the city.
Rob Dickson, Director of Industry and Events at VisitScotland, said: “The Torchlight Procession is such a special event, and we’re thrilled to support it once again. Hogmanay is a defining moment in Edinburgh’s winter calendar, bringing communities and visitors together to celebrate the new year while showcasing the city’s rich culture and traditions.
“Edinburgh’s Hogmanay forms part of a wider portfolio of events and festivals aimed to attract visitors across the winter season, helping to support Scotland’s development as a year-round destination.”
Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “The Torchlight Procession is always a striking sight as thousands of people make their way through the city’s streets – it’s a real highlight of the festive period.
“It also raised vital funds for four wonderful charities and has become a firm favourite with residents and visitors alike. I’m sure it will once again be a great way to star Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations.”
Plus, new for 2026’s celebrations, Edinburgh venue McEwan Hall will transform into the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival Club to host a range of live Scottish music, comedy, ceilidh and in-conversation events across the festival.
The iconic Old Town venue will host celebrations including a new Torchlight Procession Opening Event on 29 December, featuring a showcase of Scotland: award-winning Scottish fiddle band Blazin’ Fiddles, Pipe Bands, and the South Mainland Up Helly Aa’ Vikings warming-up audiences ahead of the Procession.
Following the Torchlight Procession revellers can return to McEwan Hall for a rousing Opening Night Concert where one of the most celebrated and best-loved acts of the Scottish music scene Blazin’ Fiddles host a night of high-energy music along with special guest vocalist Karen Matheson; lead singer of Capercaillie and one of Scotland’s foremost Gaelic singers, who will join the fiddle band for a storming night of music.
On Wednesday 30 December at McEwan Hall, multi-award-winning singer and musician Julie Fowlis & Band will be visiting Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, comprising of musicians Éamon Doorley,Michael McGoldrick, Tony Byrne and Duncan Chisholm. 2026 has seen Julie celebrate 25 years as a professional musician, and look back on 21 years since her first album Mar a Tha Mo Chridhe (As My Heart Is). Deeply influenced by her upbringing in the Hebrides and Highlands, Julie has become one of Scotland’s most celebrated cultural voices.
Julie Fowlis said: “It’s always a joy to be in our capital city, but it’s particularly special to be performing as part of our world-famous Hogmanay celebrations. Come along and join us!”
Closing the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations in McEwan Hall is the return of last year’s sell-out event ‘Muckle Be The Light’ on New Year’s Day.
Join Edinburgh’s Makar (Poet Laureate) Michael Pedersen and an all-star cast of guests for a cultural chat show come performance extravaganza. This lustrous mix includes: multi-million selling musical artist, activist, Welsh icon, and steward of the land, Charlotte Church. Plus double Sunday Times bestselling author and poetry superstar, Hollie McNish. With a serving of wildlife royalty, care of prize-winning TV presenter and camera man extraordinaire, Gordon Buchanan MBE.
Expect an exceptional evening of blether, songs & brawness to start 2027!
In addition to the Torchlight Procession, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will host The Fratellis and special guests at the Night Afore Party on 30 December in West Princes Street Gardens.
In a first for the ‘Home of Hogmanay’, a special Midnight Moment will be designed to a live soundtrack by Underworld from West Princes Street Gardens on 31 December, featuring the world-famous fireworks from Edinburgh Castle, spectacular lights and projections to create an unmissable moment for 50,000 partygoers as they welcome in the New Year.
Produced by Unique Assembly on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay culminates on New Year’s Day with a free and ticketed programme of music across the city at First Footin’. Amidst the celebrations are outdoor concerts, indoor ceilidhs, comedy shows and traditional Scottish celebrations for kids and families.
Tickets for Torchlight Procession priced from £22 including torches, booking fees and charity donation, Hogmanay Festival Club @ McEwan Hall tickets priced from £27.50 including booking fees and Muckle Be The Light priced from £27.50 including booking fees – available at www.edinburghshogmanay.com from Friday 9 October.
Tickets for Hogmanay in the Gardens, headlined by Underworld, the world-famous Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party and more are on sale via www.edinburghshogmanay.com.
Hogmanay in the Gardens tickets priced from £79.00 including booking fees & £1.00 charity donation.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2026/7 is supported by Principal Funding Partners City of Edinburgh Council and Major Event Partners the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund through Creative Scotland, and VisitScotland, all working together to create spectacular Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations for Scotland.
Follow Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on social media – Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
PUBLIC DROP-IN TOMORROW 3pm to 7.30pm
A public consultation is now underway on proposals to secure the future of Summerhall, Edinburgh’s landmark arts venue, as developer AMA sets out an emerging vision to secure the site’s future.
Residents, businesses, artists and community groups can review the proposals and provide feedback on plans for Summerhall from Tuesday 29 September until Friday 23 October.
A public drop-in event will be held at Summerhall tomorrow – Wednesday 7th October, from 3pm to 7.30pm, where visitors can view the plans, meet the project team and ask questions.
Since the Royal Dick Veterinary College left in 2011, Summerhall has become a home for artists, performers, creative organisations and small businesses. The site now faces significant financial and physical challenges, and needs substantial investment to secure its long-term future.
Having entered into a contract to acquire Summerhall from Oesselmann Estate Limited in April 2025, Edinburgh-based AMA is developing a vision together with Kettle Collective architects for an Arts Quarter at Summerhall. The plans seek to retain the site’s cultural role while bringing new activity and investment to the wider complex.
The emerging proposals include retaining and sensitively adapting key heritage buildings, improving pedestrian access through the site and enhancing its public spaces. A wider mix of uses is also being explored to help support Summerhall’s long-term sustainability.
The proposals have been informed by pre-application discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council. Its advice recognises the potential for a mixed-use development that retains arts and community uses, and welcomes the proposed retention and use of the majority of the site’s listed buildings.
It also identifies improved accessibility and energy efficiency as potential benefits, while stressing the need for sensitive design within Summerhall’s heritage and conservation setting.
A January 2026 review by the Edinburgh Urban Design Panel also recognised the site’s complex history. Once home to a brewery and two churches, Summerhall became the Royal Dick Veterinary College in the early 20th century.
Later additions include modernist buildings constructed between 1967 and 1971, among them its distinctive tower. The site sits within the South Side Conservation Area, close to The Meadows.
Dr Ali Afshar, co-founder and managing director of AMA, said: “Summerhall is an important part of Edinburgh’s cultural life. We know how much it means to the people who work here, visit and live nearby. We also know that significant investment is needed to address the challenges facing its buildings and secure its future.
“Our vision for an Arts Quarter builds on what makes Summerhall special. Art and culture will remain at its heart, alongside sensitive work to its heritage buildings, better access through the site and a mix of uses that can support it for the long term.
“Summerhall’s character comes from the many different chapters of its history. We want to respect that history while making the site more welcoming and accessible. This consultation is a chance for people to tell us what matters to them, and their feedback will help inform the proposals before we submit a planning application at the start of 2027.
“We hope the existing management team will continue its stewardship and day-to-day running of the Arts Quarter and associated commercial spaces following redevelopment, within modernised buildings offering greater flexibility.”
The consultation is open until Friday 23 October. Plans can be viewed and feedback submitted at www.summerhallconsultation.co.uk.
A further public engagement event will be held in due course, with details announced ahead of time.
From early-stage development and residencies to award wins, national tours, festivals and international collaborations, Summerhall Arts’ year-round support is helping artists build the work that drives Scotland’s cultural life
Following a hugely successful Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with eight Scotsman Fringe First Award wins, more than 65 five-star reviews, over 180 four-star reviews and increased visitor numbers across its performance and visual arts programme, Summerhall Arts is highlighting the vital year-round artist development work taking place at its Edinburgh base.
While August provides a high-profile showcase for the work developed at Summerhall, the organisation’s support for artists continues throughout the year. To date, Summerhall Arts has supported more than 400 artists, delivered 48 Summerhall Surgeries, provided 35 paid development spaces, held 40 Exhibitions and supported artists through its Studio programme, residencies, commissions and partnerships.
This work provides artists with space, financial support, rehearsal and development opportunities, creative feedback and connections with audiences and industry professionals, helping early ideas develop into work that can go on to Scotland’s festivals, theatres ,venues and galleries as well as national and international stages.
Imogen Stirling, Development & Producing Lead at Summerhall Arts, said: “Having a year-round base in Edinburgh is vital.
“The development work we do here doesn’t simply fuel our Fringe programme, it supports artists to create work that goes on to venues and festivals across the city and beyond.
“It gives artists space to experiment, develop ideas and build new work throughout the year, making it an important part of Scotland’s cultural infrastructure.”
FROM SUMMERHALL SURGERIES TO FRINGE FIRSTS, FESTIVALS AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
At the heart of Summerhall Arts’ artist development work are its Summerhall Arts Surgeries, a live works-in-progress platform giving artists the opportunity to test early-stage ideas in front of supportive audiences, peers and industry professionals.
The programme has now supported 48 projects, providing artists with vital feedback, creative exchange and the opportunity to build relationships that can continue long after the initial presentation.
Increasingly, the Surgeries are becoming the beginning of a longer development journey, with artists moving into further development space, residencies, Summerhall’s own performance programme and opportunities elsewhere in Scotland and beyond.
Recent examples include F-Bomb Theatre’s Float, which progressed through the Summerhall Arts Surgeries before being selected for Made in Scotland at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, followed by a presentation at Gilded Balloon and a London tour.
Corinne Salisbury’s Slayers developed through the Summerhall Arts Surgeries before progressing to Assembly at the 2026 Fringe, where it won a Fringe First Award.
Hey Thanks! Theatre Collective’s BearGirl similarly progressed from a Summerhall Surgery to Assembly at the 2026 Fringe, where it was an Assembly ART Award runner-up.
Wonder Fools’ Tether received development space at Summerhall before becoming a Fringe First-winning Summerhall show at the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe. Development of the work also helped initiate a significant international collaboration with Korea, a relationship that was formed at Summerhall in 2025..
Sadiq Ali Company’s Tell Me received development space at Summerhall before going on to Manipulate Festival and a sell-out 2026 Edinburgh Fringe run.
The longer-term impact of Summerhall’s support can also be seen in the development of Biff Smith’s Dance With The Silence, which progressed through Summerhall’s Surgeries and Studio opportunities before Biff went on to become world champion of spoken word.
Summerhall’s residency and development programme has also supported artists whose work has gone on to significant national opportunities, including Emma Howlett, who was selected for The Stage’s Fringe Five following her residency at Summerhall with the work Aether that awarded her with the National Theatre Studio Directors Course and the Royal Court Writers’ Group in 2025. and then her fourth Summerhall show, a successful five star run of her new show The Plot in the Main Hall at this years’ Fringe.
Looking ahead, Babyplay by Amber Charlie Conroy represents another developing Summerhall pathway. The work was selected for the Summerhall Arts and the Hugo Burge Foundation New Writing Commission, has been written and shared, and took part in the Summerhall Arts Surgeries. It will continue its development at Summerhall as part of the organisation’s 2027 Edinburgh Fringe programme.
MORE SPACE, MORE TIME AND MORE SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS
Summerhall Arts is now expanding its artist development offer, providing opportunities at different stages of the creative process.
The organisation will offer 11 free space weeks, 12 supported weeks with £500 bursaries and eight enhanced residencies offering £1,000 of support, allowing artists to access everything from essential rehearsal space to more substantial financial support for projects requiring dedicated development time.
The Summerhall Arts Studios programme provides further intensive development opportunities, with support worth up to £3,100 per week.
The first Studio artists of Year Two, Delululand, have already demonstrated this longer-term pathway. Following participation in the March Summerhall Arts Surgeries, the company is now continuing its development through a supported Studio week.
Summerhall Arts will also deliver two editions of the Surgeries each year. A winter edition will support six companies whose work could progress towards presentation at the 2027 Fringe, connecting directly with the new Recovery Room initiative.
Recovery Room will give selected artists a further week of dedicated rehearsal and development space following their Surgery, allowing them to respond to audience and industry feedback and adapt their work towards presentation at Summerhall.
A spring edition will focus on earlier-stage work with potential to develop towards the 2028 Fringe and beyond, creating a clearer pathway from initial experimentation through to production and presentation.
Summerhall Arts has also selected Cat MacLeod and Raymond Wilson for its First Draft Commissions, supporting both artists to develop new pieces of writing from their earliest stages towards completed first drafts. Alongside the financial commission, the programme provides an ongoing relationship with each artist, including opportunities for conversation, creative feedback and development.
YEAR-ROUND PERFORMANCE, VISUAL ARTS AND CINEMA
Summerhall Arts’ commitment to artists extends across its year-round programme of performance, visual arts, cinema and creative learning.
The second half of 2026 will see Summerhall Arts present and support Concerned Others by Tortoise in A Nutshell, The Rhinestone Cowboy, Imaginate Festival, Tom Molineaux with Andy Arnold, Junk Ensemble and Kate Taylor, Accidents of the Soul from Shotput, Not For Glory by Charlotte Mclean, Jack Anderson and Malin Lewis. and Offspring by Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir.
The visual arts programme continues with current exhibition Forming Space with Garvald Edinburgh and the upcoming Conversation with our Ocean by Elizabeth Ogilvie and Robert Page, Didar, Out of Sight Out of Mind with CAPS Advocacy, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, Colour in Silence: Memorial Exhibition by David Peacock, Rosita Mackenzie’s Touching Light, Ruth Dafnis’ Second Hand Smoke, two Winter Market Exhibitions and the next season of Multi-Year Funding exhibitions featuring Jules Bradbury and Johanna Flanigan, with a third artist to be announced.
Also continuing are the Reconfigure Life Drawing Exhibition, and the third annual Group Show, for which applications will open in December.
The In Vitro Residency programme, in partnership with the Hugo Burge Foundation will include residencies and exhibitions from Flore Gardner and Juliana Capes, while Summerhall’s creative learning programme will offer a programme of workshops, running Wednesday to Sunday between 11am to 5pm from November through April in the Histology lab.
Summerhall Arts will also continue its work with screen culture through the Edinburgh Short Film Festival.
Sam Chapman, Head of Visual Arts and Cinema at Summerhall Arts, said: “Our visual arts and cinema programme is an essential part of Summerhall Arts’ year-round commitment to artists.
“It is about much more than presenting exhibitions and films – it is about creating opportunities for artists to develop their practice, experiment with new ideas, make connections and reach audiences.
“Through our exhibitions, commissions, residencies, partnerships and moving image programme, we are able to support artists at different stages of their careers and give them a platform within a genuinely interdisciplinary environment.
“That sense of connection is particularly important in Scotland, where artists and arts organisations are often working across different disciplines and sectors.
“We want Summerhall to be a place where artists can come to develop an idea, take a creative risk, meet other artists and audiences, and build something that can continue beyond these walls.
“The strength of Scotland’s visual arts and wider cultural ecology depends on having spaces where that work can happen throughout the year.”
A CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM THAT DOESN’T STOP IN AUGUST
The work audiences see at the Edinburgh Fringe, Scotland’s festivals and on stages around the country often begins months or years earlier, with artists needing somewhere to experiment, develop ideas, rehearse, receive feedback and take creative risks.
Sam Gough, Chief Executive of Summerhall Arts, said: “The success of August is only one part of the story. What audiences see at the Fringe is often the result of months or years of development, experimentation, rehearsal and support.
“The Surgeries are particularly important because they give artists somewhere to take those first risks, but the real value comes from what happens afterwards – the relationships that continue, the work that develops and the opportunities that open up.
“We have seen artists come through our many development programmes and go on to win Fringe Firsts, be part of the Made in Scotland showcase, national tours, major festivals and international collaborations. That is why year-round support matters.
“The Fringe and Scotland’s festivals do not exist in isolation; they are part of a wider cultural ecosystem that depends on artists having places to develop work throughout the year.
“At a time when that ecosystem is under enormous pressure, with organisations including The Skinny and the CCA among those lost or facing significant challenges in recent years, protecting year-round cultural infrastructure and the spaces where artists can take risks is vital. The future of our festivals depends on the artists and organisations that create and develop the work long before it reaches August.
“As Edinburgh considers the future of the Tourist Levy, it is important that the income generated by visitors is recognised as an opportunity to invest in the cultural infrastructure that makes the city what it is. Supporting year-round venues, artists and risk-takers helps sustain the whole ecosystem, not simply the festival period.”
REMOVING BARRIERS FOR AUDIENCES
Alongside its support for artists, Summerhall Arts is also looking at how audiences can access work.
While the exhibitions programme is always free to attend, the organisation is now introducing a new Pay What You Want approach to the performance programme, removing the requirement for audiences to qualify for a concession.
Rather than asking audiences to prove that they are unemployed, a student or eligible for another concession, audiences can simply choose the price they want to pay to support the performance and Summerhall Arts.
The approach forms part of Summerhall Arts’ wider commitment to removing barriers and creating a more open relationship between artists, audiences and the organisation.
From a first experiment in a Surgery to a Fringe First-winning production; from a residency to a national tour; from a development week to an international collaboration, Summerhall Arts’ year-round work is helping artists build sustainable creative journeys.
As Edinburgh’s cultural calendar moves beyond the intensity of August, Summerhall Arts continues to invest in the artists, ideas and organisations that will shape Scotland’s future cultural landscape.
Unique Assembly has announced the addition of world-renowned sexy circus cabaret La Clique to this year’s Edinburgh’s Christmas line-up as the city’s festivities cross the bridge into the historic Old Town, marking the first time a Spiegeltent will take residence in Bristo Square.
Providing a glamorous cabaret option for the festive season, La Clique Noël will light up the stage in the Palais du Variété’s new home of Bristo Square, for seven weeks of Sexy, Funny and Dangerous Christmas Kabaret.
Tickets for La Clique Noël on sale now via www.edwinterfest.com
Brand new for 2026’s season, La Clique Noël joins a packed line-up for Edinburgh’s Christmas with Santa’s Stories, LNER Big Wheel and the Around the World Starflyer already on sale. The world-famous traditional Christmas markets will once again pop up in Princes Street Gardens in the capital’s New Town from 14 November 2026 – 3 January 2027, hosting beautifully decorated chalets selling gifts, decor and festive food.
Born at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004, La Clique has gained international acclaim as the original trailblazing Spiegeltent cabaret show performing all over the world from Edinburgh to London, Melbourne, Sydney, Singapore, New York, Paris and more.
The Olivier Award winning show will take over its new home in Bristo Square for six nights a week, with matinees on weekends, kicking off on Friday 20 November at 7.30pm. Plus, a host of more festive announcements to come from Edinburgh’s Christmas.
La Clique Noël will once again host the best of the best boundary pushing performers set to entertain Christmas crowds with dazzling acrobatics, razor-sharp wit, sights and sounds you will never forget in the intimate setting of the Palais du Variété fusing cabaret, circus, and sideshow burlesque for a specially curated festive show.
This year’s cast includes Heather Holliday, renowned sword swallower and firebreather; David Pereira, award-winning ‘shaving cream’ acrobat and sublime aerialist; Mario Queen of the Circus, a showman comic known for his crowd surfing, juggling and much more.
With sold out seasons and critical acclaim from around the world under its belt, La Clique’s Christmas edition is sure to add an extra touch of magic to Edinburgh’s Christmas this year under the warm glow of the Spiegeltent. The perfect festive night-out for party-goers and groups looking for the perfect Christmas Cabaret experience.
La Clique’s David Bates said: “Christmas and Hogmanay feel like the perfect time for La Clique to return to its birthplace in Edinburgh. This very special cast are delighted to be in town for 7 weeks – resident in the perfect environment which itself is the star of the show – the Palais du Variété Spiegeltent in Bristo Square.
” La Clique has played to millions of folk in its 22 years but none more special than the audiences in its Auld home toon! Fresh, New, Cutting Edge – La Clique is a reinvention of itself and this year will be no exception. Strap yourself in, leave your troubles at the door and escape with us!”
Directors of Unique Assembly who create and produce Edinburgh’s Christmas said: “Unique Assembly are delighted to welcome back ‘La Clique’ to Edinburgh for festive fun guaranteed to get you on Santa’s naughty list. “
“La Clique was born in Edinburgh and has grown into an international smash-hit, celebrated around the world as well as the city we pride ourselves on representing.
“Unique Assembly has made Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay some of the most celebrated events in the world, which last year welcoming over 3M visitors to world-class attractions, making both events accessible to local and international audiences.’’
La Clique Noël takes place from Friday 20 November until Sunday 3 January.
Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations spread across the city for seven weeks of festive fun, with more events still to be announced.
For tickets, visit www.edwinterfest.com
Abacus at The Scholar is celebrating being named among the top 10% of restaurants worldwide in the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2026 – with 10% off dining throughout September.
In Edinburgh’s Southside, Abacus is a relaxed, sociable restaurant bringing together hotel guests, locals and visitors throughout the day. Its menu offers something for every occasion, from long lunches and coffee catch-ups to dinner and drinks with friends.
The menu includes Scottish hot-smoked salmon rillette and locally sourced dry-aged steak to heritage roast carrots with burrata and dukkha, complemented by a selection of cocktails, European wines and low- and no-alcohol serves.
Following a refreshment in 2025, Abacus combines calm, natural interiors with splashes of colour and artwork inspired by the vibrancy of the menu. Booth seating and relaxed dining spaces create a setting that works throughout the day, while a private dining space for up to 10 guests also offers a more intimate setting.
Gavin MacLennan, Group General Manager at University of Edinburgh Hospitality Collection, said: “To be recognised in the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice top 10% of restaurants in the world is a huge achievement for the whole Abacus team.
“It’s particularly special because the recognition comes from the people who have visited us and taken the time to share their experiences. We have worked hard to create a restaurant that feels welcoming and relaxed where people enjoy delicious food and want to spend time together.
“Offering 10% off throughout September is our way of saying thank you, and hopefully giving even more people a reason to join us around the table.”
Guests can quote “Tripadvisor” when dining at Abacus until 30th September 2026 to enjoy 10% off their meal.*
Abacus at The Scholar Hotel is open seven days a week, serving breakfast and an all-day menu from 12 noon until 9.30pm.
Councillors have agreed to proceed with seven additional Visitor Levy-funded projects to protect and enhance heritage and cultural spaces across the city.
Following approval at Thursday’s Full Council meeting, transformative projects involving Leith Customs House, the Tron Kirk and the Portobello Kilns will be funded through the Levy’s Culture, Heritage and Events investment programme.
Meanwhile The Causey, Access to the Lost Shore and Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, City Centre Public Realm (including George Street and Princes Street), and developing a network of nature footpaths and walkways across the city will proceed under the Visitor Levy’s City Operations and Infrastructure programme.
Together, these projects are set to strengthen Edinburgh’s cultural offering, protect and revitalise nationally significant heritage buildings and public spaces, and improve access to natural and historic destinations across the city.
The seven projects were originally proposed at the special Visitor Levy budget meeting of the Council in February, where councillors agreed an overall funding package worth over £90 million over the next three years to sustain and enhance Edinburgh’s reputation as one of the most beautiful and enjoyable destinations in the world.
As with all of the other projects agreed under the Visitor Levy’s investment programmes, the proposals have been developed by Council officers, informed by feedback from public consultation and industry engagement, elected members and other stakeholders.
The independent Edinburgh Visitor Levy Advisory Forum has also been consulted and provided feedback on the projects.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “Our Visitor Levy is already beginning to strengthen the services and spaces that make our city so special and supporting these additional initiatives shows how we can continue to invest in projects that support a safer, more accessible and more welcoming Edinburgh for residents and visitors alike.
“Feedback from our partners and community groups across Edinburgh has played a central part in shaping these new proposals. From restoring the Portobello Kilns to improving public transport access to the Lost Shore and EICA, we’re confident these investments in our culture and heritage will deliver lasting benefits, encouraging visitors to see more of Edinburgh beyond our city centre.
“The projects reflect our ambition that the levy is a city-wide fund and spending decisions must be taken with the whole city in mind. We’re making sure Edinburgh continues to thrive and that the Visitor Levy delivers visible improvements for everyone who lives and works here all year round.”
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS OVERVIEW
Leith Customs House
Funding will support the development phase of restoring Leith Customs House, Scotland’s oldest Custom House and a Category A‑listed building.
The investment will enable essential preparatory work to progress the building’s transformation into an accessible community and creative hub, including delivering a proof‑of‑concept exhibition and an economic impact assessment to support future funding.
Tron Kirk
Investment has been approved towards the major restoration of the Tron Kirk, a landmark 17th‑century building on the Royal Mile that has been on the Buildings at Risk Register since 2023.
The funding will support a coordinated programme delivered by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, linking the restoration of the Tron Kirk with the redevelopment of Hunter Square.
The combined programme will repair and future‑proof the building, improve accessibility, protect vulnerable historic features and create new opportunities to develop local heritage skills and enhance visitor experiences.
Portobello Kilns
Investment has been approved to rebuild the 1906 Portobello Kiln, one of the last surviving industrial pottery kilns in Scotland and a key feature of the Portobello Conservation Area.
The project will restore the kiln to its original form alongside the previously conserved 1914 kiln, fulfilling the Council’s statutory obligations under scheduled monument consent and preventing further deterioration of this nationally significant heritage asset.
The project will be delivered in partnership with Portobello Heritage Trust and will be developed alongside wider proposed improvements to the Portobello Promenade through the Visitor Levy’s City Transformation Fund investment programme.
Nature Footpaths and Walkways
Funding has been approved to develop and improve nature footpaths and walkways across Edinburgh, encouraging visitors to explore destinations beyond the city centre such as the Pentland Hills, Cramond Foreshore and the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena at Ratho.
The investment will support with developing designs, community engagement and works to create accessible, inclusive routes that enhance biodiversity, improve visitor experiences and deliver benefits for local communities.
The Causey
The Causey will transform West Cross Causeway into a people‑first public square with wider pavements, traffic calming measures and segregated cycling routes. Once complete, it will host performances, markets, art installations and community events.
The first phase will deliver core infrastructure improvements, while the second phase will extend upgrades towards Nicolson Street to improve connections with the wider area and improve public spaces.
Lost Shore & EICA Bus Services
A new six‑month trial bus service is providing direct links between the city centre, Lost Shore, EICA and Ratho. The trial will gather data on who uses the service to inform future decisions on a permanent service.
The amount of Visitor Levy funding supporting the service will be reviewed following the trial stage, reflecting the results of the data showing the proportion of visitors using the service.
City Centre Public Realm (Princes Street / George Street)
Funding will support potential work on major public realm upgrades across Princes Street and George Street to create more accessible, attractive and pedestrian‑friendly streets.
A report on the overall project will be brought to the Transport and Environment Committee outlining the need for public realm investment within the city centre, including both Princes Street and George Street.
These projects sit alongside those previously agreed in February to be delivered over the next three years, including (but not limited to):
In accordance with the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act (2024), funds raised by the levy must be reinvested in local facilities and services substantially used by business and leisure visitors. All investment streams will be formally reviewed alongside the overall scheme in 2029.
Council backing will unlock the permanent transformation of the historic Southside space into a greener, safer and more welcoming place for residents and visitors.
A 19-year community campaign to transform The Causey in Edinburgh’s Southside is set to become reality following approval of £1.86 million from the city’s Visitor Levy programme.
The investment will enable the permanent transformation of West Crosscauseway and its traffic island into a vibrant, people-focused public place, with widened pavements, traffic-calming measures, segregated cycling facilities and a new accessible public space.
Combined with £300,000 already being provided through the Council’s core budget, the funding will support delivery of the project’s two phases over the next two years. The published Visitor Levy recommendation comprises £462,000 towards key infrastructure improvements at the Causey Triangle and £1.4 million for the second phase, extending the work towards Nicolson Street to improve connectivity and the wider public realm.
The decision represents a defining moment for a project first conceived in 2007, when the late Edinburgh architect Alison Blamire transformed the neglected traffic island into a temporary “tropical island”, allowing local people to experience its potential as a place for people rather than vehicles.
Alison Blamire also gave the space its name: “The Causey” derives from the “cassies” or “causeys” – the cobbled setts that paved Edinburgh’s earliest streets, likely quarried from nearby Salisbury Crags. Since then, The Causey has grown into one of Edinburgh’s longest-running community placemaking campaigns.
Local residents have sustained the vision through workshops, exhibitions, consultations, creative events, street activations and regular “Sit Oots”, building support for a permanent transformation of the space. Previous coverage has highlighted the project’s long community history and the persistence required to overcome funding delays and other setbacks.
The project has previously been hailed as an exemplary community initiative and has been developed through collaboration between Causey Development Trust, local residents, City of Edinburgh Council officers, the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, Edinburgh World Heritage and landscape architects Ironside Farrar. The current council papers formally describe it as a community-led project and recognise that it originated as a community initiative.
Sarah Drummond, Chair of Causey Development Trust, said: “This is a transformational moment for The Causey and the culmination of 19 years of extraordinary determination by local people.
“What began with local architect Alison Blamire’s inspired transformation of a traffic island into a tropical island can now become the permanent, welcoming and people-focused space that the community has always known was possible.
“This is a powerful example of what community-led action can achieve. Local people have shaped the vision, sustained it through years of setbacks and continued to demonstrate how this neglected space could bring people together.
“The Causey also shows exactly how Visitor Levy investment can work for Edinburgh. It will improve everyday life for residents while creating a greener, safer and more welcoming experience for visitors moving through the city’s Southside and festival footprint.
“We are enormously grateful to everyone who has kept faith with this project, including our volunteers, local residents and businesses, councillors from across the political spectrum, council officers and the many partner organisations who have helped us reach this point. This investment means that, after nearly two decades, the community’s full vision can finally be delivered.”
Located on the edge of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site and within the Southside Conservation Area, The Causey sits on a busy route connecting residential communities with major cultural, educational and visitor destinations.
It is within walking distance of Assembly Roxy, Festival Theatre, Summerhall, George Square and Edinburgh Futures Institute, home of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. The Council’s Visitor Levy assessment specifically identifies the site’s location within Edinburgh’s festival footprint and the benefits it can offer festivalgoers as well as residents.
The transformed space will be designed to support informal gatherings and community-led activity, as well as potential outdoor performances, pop-up markets, art installations and exhibitions. New public-realm and active-travel infrastructure will create a safer, more attractive environment for people walking, wheeling and cycling.
The project builds on the implementation of the Traffic Regulation Order in July 2026, which introduced the first physical changes at the site following the long-running campaign.
The permanent capital works will complete the wider vision for The Causey as a civic space for culture, connection and community life.
