Summerhall Arts supports artists all year round and fuels Scotland’s wider arts ecosystem

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.

Veterans’ Foundation launches Britain’s biggest thank you to veterans in Edinburgh

The Armed Forces Pledge will unite people across Britain to stand with millions who have served, as Mark Ormrod warns his generation of veterans is disappearing from public view

The Veterans’ Foundation is calling on people across Britain to show veterans they have not been forgotten, as it launches The Armed Forces Pledge – Britain’s biggest thank you to veterans.

People across Britain can add their name to The Armed Forces Pledge and leave a message of support, creating Britain’s biggest thank you to the more than 1.8 million veterans living in the UK today.

Veterans’ Foundation Ambassador and former Royal Marine Mark Ormrod MBE will formally launch the Pledge at Merchants Hall in Edinburgh on the evening of 30 September, at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Veterans’ Foundation, which was founded in the city in 2016.

Earlier that day, Mark  Veterans’ Foundation Trustee Guy Cartwright and representatives from Scottish grant recipient organisations including Scottish Veterans Residences, Vector24 and Housing Options Scotland for a media photocall at Whitefoord House, 53 Canongate, Edinburgh, a Scottish Veterans Residences site.

“My generation of veterans is disappearing from view,” Mark said. “When I was injured, Afghanistan was everywhere. You turned on the television and you saw it. You saw young men and women coming home with life-changing injuries.

“You saw families waiting at bedsides, families grieving, families suddenly having to rebuild their lives around someone who had come home completely changed – or who wasn’t coming home at all.

“People knew what was happening. But, nearly 19 years later, Afghanistan isn’t on the news. War isn’t sexy anymore – but we’re still here. I’m still here, and my legs aren’t going to grow back.”

The Armed Forces Pledge is intended to show that, however much time has passed, the service and sacrifice of those who served continue to be recognised and valued.

Today’s veterans span generations. They include those who served during National Service and in Northern Ireland, the Falklands and the Balkans, alongside a generation who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and men and women who have left the Armed Forces much more recently.

They are living and working in communities across the country, raising families, building careers, and running businesses. Most make a successful transition into civilian life and will never need specialist support.

But leaving the Armed Forces does not always mean leaving the consequences of service behind. For some veterans and their families, the need for support is immediate. For others, it can emerge years or even decades later, through physical or mental health problems, difficulties with housing or employment, isolation, financial hardship or pressures on family life.

Don’t forget about us

Mark Ormrod MBE was 24 and serving with 40 Commando Royal Marines in Afghanistan when, on Christmas Eve 2007, he knelt on an improvised explosive device, losing both legs and his right arm. Three weeks later, the previously six-foot-two Royal Marine was told he would never walk again.

With the support of his family, the military community and charities, Mark rebuilt his life and went on to become a multiple-medal-winning Invictus Games competitor and build a successful new career.

“I had my family, the military community and charities that gave me opportunities, and I know how lucky that makes me,” Mark said. “I’ve had an incredible life. I’ve competed at the Invictus Games, won medals, travelled the world and built a career. People know my story, but there are thousands of veterans whose stories we never hear.

“They’re not at the Invictus Games and they’re not being interviewed, but what they gave matters just as much. They still served our nation, they’re still living with whatever their service left them with, and they’re part of my military family.”

This year marks 20 years since British forces deployed to Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, where Mark would be catastrophically injured. More than 150,000 UK military personnel would serve in Afghanistan during the campaign.

“Some people needed help straight away, while others built careers, raised families and got on with their lives before, ten or twenty years later, something catches up with them,” Mark said. “For some of us, when the uniform comes off, the battle continues.

“That’s what worries me – the veterans you don’t see. The ones who aren’t in the news or at Invictus, whose families might be quietly trying to hold things together. They served this country and then simply disappeared back into everyday life. Don’t forget about them.”

Britain’s biggest thank you to veterans

The Veterans’ Foundation has created the Armed Forces Pledge to give people across Britain a simple way to show that the Armed Forces community has not been forgotten. By adding their name and leaving a message of support for veterans, serving personnel and their families, they will become part of Britain’s biggest thank you to veterans – recognising the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community long after a conflict has disappeared from the headlines or someone has taken off their uniform.

Jane Gurney, Chief Executive of the Veterans’ Foundation, said: “The Armed Forces community is enormously diverse. Behind the word ‘veteran’ are people of different ages, backgrounds and experiences, most of whom are simply getting on with their lives and making an enormous contribution to the communities around them.

“But sometimes service can leave a legacy, and when somebody does need support – whether that is during service, immediately after leaving the Armed Forces or many years later – we want to ensure the right help is there.

“For ten years, the Veterans’ Foundation has backed the organisations closest to those people and their families. We have awarded more than £40 million, but we know there is much more to do.

“The Armed Forces Pledge is an opportunity for the whole country to stand alongside our community. It is a thank you for what they have given, but it is also a very simple way of saying: we remember you, we value your service and we are still with you.”

Mark Ormrod OBE; Ambassador Veterans’ Foundation

The Veterans’ Foundation was founded in Edinburgh ten years ago. Since 2016, the Foundation has awarded more than £40 million through more than 1,500 grants to over 600 organisations supporting veterans, serving personnel and their families across the UK, and has set an ambition to invest £200 million in the Armed Forces community by its twentieth anniversary.

To make the Armed Forces Pledge, add your name and leave a message at: veteransfoundation.org.uk/signthepledge.

Saturday: Strollers up for the Cup

THE Civil Service Strollers who play in the Lowland League East, the 5th tier of football in Scotland, are playing Formartine United  from the Highland League in the 1st round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup this Saturday. 

We are hoping for a good crowd at Christie Gillies Park at Marine Drive to cheer us on to a win and hopefully play one of the top SPFL teams in the next round.

Kick Off is 3.00pm  Admission is £15 and Concessions are £8. Tickets can also be purchased on the Fanbase App

For more information about The Strollers see our website:

https://www.csstrollers.com/

New Vaping Products Duty comes into effect from today

  • New Vaping Products Duty and Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme come into effect from 1 October 2026.
  • All vaping liquids manufactured in, or imported into, the UK from 1 October are now subject to excise duty.
  • New vaping duty stamps to start appearing on retail packaging, which will support the high street by helping to combat illicit trade.

A new excise duty on vaping products has come into force in the UK today (1 October 2026) to reduce the affordability and appeal of vaping, especially to young people and non-smokers.

Vaping Products Duty is charged at £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid and will be paid by manufacturers, importers and warehousekeepers approved by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It is a commercial decision whether the duty cost is passed on to retailers and consumers.

HMRC has also launched the Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme. Once fully rolled out, vaping duty stamps will provide digital traceability throughout the supply chain, enhancing consumer protection, and helping the high street by strengthening the fight against illicit trade.

This will also support the government’s commitment to back legitimate businesses, crack down on rogue operators and create fairer, safer high streets.

To support businesses, HMRC has introduced a six-month grace period meaning wholesalers and retailers can sell any existing eligible unstamped, non-duty liable, stock until 31 March 2027.

But from 1 April 2027, all vaping products sold in the UK must carry a valid vaping duty stamp and consumers should only buy duty-stamped vaping products. Anyone who suspects a vaping product may be illicit can report it to HMRC.

Tobacco duty rates have increased today to maintain the financial incentive for current tobacco smokers to switch to vaping. This is a one-off (pro-rata) increase of £2.20 per 100 cigarettes or per 50 grams of tobacco, in addition to the standard tobacco duty escalator. 

James Murray, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General, said: Our new measures will help get illicit vapes off high streets across the country.

“We’re backing all those retailers who play by the rules by making it easier for law enforcement agencies to take action against those who don’t.”

Karin Smyth, Minister of State for Health, said: “Our public heath advice is clear: while vaping is less harmful than smoking and can help adult smokers to quit, children and non-smokers should never vape.

“These measures are an important step in our ambition to tackle youth vaping by reducing the affordability of vaping products, which goes hand-in-hand with the work we are already doing to tackle the appeal and availability of vapes on our high streets.”

Further changes to vaping and tobacco-related products that come into effect today are:

  • vaping duty stamps will start to appear on retail packaging
  • new personal allowance rules for travellers bringing vaping products into the UK

Winter heating help for over 1 million people in Scotland

Scotland’s unique package of winter heating support will begin this month

An estimated 1.4 million payments will be made to people across Scotland to help with heating their homes this winter, with payments set to begin from October.

The Scottish Government’s unique package of winter heating benefits provides guaranteed support to pensioners, low-income households and families with disabled children and young people.  

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment has replaced Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland, providing people of State Pension age with a payment between £105.55 and £316.70 depending on their age and household circumstances. Payments are issued to all eligible pensioners but are recovered from those with an individual income of over £35,000 by HMRC. Payments will begin from November and continue throughout the winter.

Child Winter Heating Payment supports households with disabled children and young people who have the highest care needs in the winter months. This type of assistance is not available anywhere else in the UK. This year payments will start from week commencing 5 October.

Winter Heating Payment is a guaranteed, annual payment for low-income households in receipt of certain benefits. This is paid irrespective of how cold the temperature gets outside, unlike the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment which is only paid if the average temperature reaches, or is forecast to reach, freezing or below for a full week. Payments will begin from December.

For the majority of eligible people, the winter heating benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland are paid automatically with no need to apply.

Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Over a million people are set to benefit from the Scottish Government’s package of winter heating support – which is stronger than anywhere else in the UK.

“With energy costs predicted to rise again, this could be a valuable lifeline for older people, families on low incomes, disabled children and young people.

“We are committed to treating people with the dignity, fairness and respect they deserve. Our approach supports those most in need. The Scottish Government will continue to ensure vulnerable people get the financial help they need this winter.”

In winter 2025/26, over 1.57 million payments were issued for Child Winter Heating Payment, Winter Heating Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.

More than 1.46 million clients received at least one of the three winter heating benefits.

Read last year’s winter heating benefit statistics: Winter Heating Benefits: Statistics for Winter 2025/2026 – Social Security Scotland

Energy bill tax cut starts today ‘to give families breathing space’

  • Tax cut will help households with their energy bills by taking around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap.
  • Part of Prime Minister’s wider plan for ‘everyday fixes’ to give families some breathing space.

Households will be better protected from rising global energy costs this winter after the Government cuts tax on household electricity bills from today.

The action keeps the Energy Price Cap £45 a year less than it would have been, giving people a bit of breathing space on their energy bills between October and December.

Around a third of households are on fixed tariffs and therefore will not be affected by the Energy Price Cap rise. The Government expects suppliers to pass on the VAT cut to these customers too, meaning they could be in line for their energy bills to fall overall. The Government encourages people to shop around for the best deal for their home.

This is the latest measure in the Prime Minister’s series of ‘everyday fixes’ to give families room to breathe. It follows action to cap bus fares at £2, ban fake discounts and end subscription traps, as well as cracking down on school uniform-rip offs and cut business-rates for the pubs, social clubs and high-street businesses that hold communities together.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “For many families, the energy bill is the one they dread the most. I don’t accept that it has to be this way, and I am determined to bring down costs for good.

“But I know people can’t wait. Families need breathing space now.

“That’s why, from today, VAT is gone from your electricity bill. And we’re going further, capping bus fares at £2 from January and cutting business rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues”.

While the Government is giving people short term relief on their energy bills, it is also taking action to fix Britain’s energy problems for the long term.

This week the Prime Minister committed to reduce energy costs so that they are in line with other countries in Europe within ten years by introducing greater public control in the system. He announced a new publicly owned body within Great British Energy – Great British Grid (GB Grid) – alongside other reforms to help improve competition, speed up grid connections for businesses, and lower costs.

It will help to reform the broken energy market so it better serves the public interest. Other measures include the delivery of Sizewell C to kickstart a golden era of nuclear, and investment in homegrown, clean energy production.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey MP, said: “This tax cut will help keep energy bills down a bit as we head into the winter.

“We are acting on cost of living pressures to give people some breathing space for the next few months while we make long-term changes to better shield the country from global shocks like those we face today.”

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, said: “I know energy price rises weigh heavily on homes across the UK this winter.

“From today, our VAT cut will give households some much needed breathing space, making the energy price cap £45 a year less than it would have been. This follows the £150 of costs we removed from bills earlier this year.

“Alongside this, we continue to look at what more we can do to protect families from unaffordable bills, as we drive down bills for good through clean power.”

Savings for households depends on how much energy they use, but the cut will help families keep more money in their pockets as temperatures fall and energy use typically increases.

The move follows a rise in global energy costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East and reflects the Government’s commitment to give people some breathing space, taking practical action where it can make the biggest difference.

This builds on the £150 of costs taken off energy bills in the Budget last year and expansion of the £150 Warm Home Discount to around six million households.  Our Warm Homes Plan will also lower bills for millions of households and help lift households out of fuel poverty.

Police: Theft from vulnerable family members – warning signs

Here are some practical steps you can take to protect vulnerable family members or friends against financial abuse by someone in a position of trust:

  • Reviewing financial statement
  • Watch for warning sign
  • Act quickly if something feels wrong

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: Bedtime Checklist

A fire starting at night while you’re asleep means less warning to escape.

Your smoke alarms should wake you if a fire does break out but you can further reduce your risk by carrying out these simple checks before you go to bed.

More info: https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/at-home/bedtime-checks/

Invest in Edinburgh?

Earn up to 4.84% annual return by investing in nature-based projects and flood prevention in Edinburgh.

By investing you will help us to reduce emissions, improve access to nature, offer cooler spaces during heatwaves, reduce flood risk during heavy rainstorms, and boost biodiversity.

🔗 Learn more about the Edinburgh Green Investment, including full terms and risk information https://www.abundanceinvestment.com/council/edinburgh