Celebrating its 20th anniversary as the world’s first purpose-built home for live storytelling, the Scottish Storytelling Centre (SSC) is marking Fringe 2026 with one of its most ambitious programmes to date – presenting 33 shows spanning storytelling, theatre, music and spoken word and becoming the first venue on the Craigmillar Tapestry’s city-wide exhibition tour.
This year for Fringe, audiences can journey from Shetland to Ancient Greece and beyond through contemporary retellings of myths, legends and traditional tales while acclaimed theatre explores Scottish language, identity, history and culture with exciting new work from home-grown and international artists.
The community-created Craigmillar Tapestry will take pride of place in the SSC’s exhibition space from 24 July to 31 August before continuing its tour across Edinburgh to Portobello, Craigmillar, Newcraighall and The Inch.
The Craigmillar Tapestry has been stitched by over 500 residents of Craigmillar and Niddrie, documenting the rich history of the area with makers weaving in elements of their own experience and cultures into the work – including traditional Syrian stitching, names of local activists and important landmarks around the area.
Each panel has been designed by Craigmillar-born artist Andrew Crummy MBE in consultation with communities around the Greater Craigmillar area. Crummy has also worked on the Great Tapestry of Scotland, now housed in a purpose-built venue in Galashiels, and several other community-stitched tapestries.
The Craigmillar Tapestry is a particularly personal project, as the artist returns to his roots in Craigmillar and honours the legacy of his mother, the extraordinary activist and founding leader of the pioneering Craigmillar Festival Society, Helen Crummy MBE.
Andrew Crummy said: “All the tapestries I am involved with, like The Great Tapestry of Scotland are based on Community Arts ethos developed by The Craigmillar Festival Society.
“A way of using the Arts that has inspired and travelled the world. It is an honour to be involved in developing this Tapestry, with many involved, telling fantastic stories from an amazing community.
“It was originally an idea from my mother, the late Helen Crummy in 2010, who wanted to celebrate not only the history of Craigmillar, but all those who helped Craigmillar become a vibrant and rich community. As Helen’s favourite song says “History will be made, when the people play their part.”
The twenty tapestry panels celebrate the area’s history – with many illustrating historic sites that can be visited today such as the Neolithic ‘Niddrie Standing Stone’ on Greendykes Road, the remarkable, Medieval Craigmillar Castle.
Other highlight pivotal historic contributions local people have made to Scottish life over the centuries, such as a panel dedicated to Agnes Moffat, a child coal-bearer who gave evidence to a national inquiry into child labour practices by the ‘Children’s Employment Commission’ in 1842.
Local stitcher Heather Henderson said: “I have been involved with the Craigmillar Tapestry since the start. I have enjoyed watching, taking part & teaching in helping to bring Andrew’s drawings for every panel, come alive with the stitches.
“I am so proud when I see every panel finished. It’s such an honour to see them. It’s done leaps and bounds with my mental health and it gives me a purpose to go out.”
Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Interim Head of Programming, Lauren Paterson says: ‘Our Fringe 2026 programme explores the connections and common ground we share across time, language and culture and it is therefore fitting that for Fringe 2026 and for the Centre’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, we can house this wonderful piece of art that champions community connection and collective local history.
“We’re so looking forward to welcoming the Tapestry and all those who will come to see it. The Tapestry will be displayed in the Storytelling Court, where every single audience member attending a show will get to see and engage with it, making it the real heart of our programme this year.”
