Gala night explores this year’s theme Changing Your Mind
The 2026 Edinburgh International Book Festival opened last night with a special Opening Gala exploring this year’s theme, Changing Your Mind, which explores how ideas, beliefs and identities shift, and what it takes to change them.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, Màiri McAllan, opened the Book Festival, welcoming guests to more than two weeks of public events, conversations and cultural exchange in Edinburgh.
Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic said: “As the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, Edinburgh has long demonstrated the importance the city places on ideas, creativity and international exchange. The Book Festival is one of the clearest expressions of that ambition.
“The Scottish Government is delighted to be supporting, and enhancing, the Book Festival’s ambitions through Creative Scotland’s Multi Year Funding programme, Expo Funding and the Expanded Festivals Fund.
“We are especially excited to be working closely with the festival to support the Global Ink industry programme – bringing literary festival leaders from four continents to Scotland’s capital for a three-day international forum.
“With this year’s Book Festival theme a call to us all, I am delighted to open a programme that puts curiosity and open-mindedness at its heart.”
The gala, hosted by Jenny Niven, CEO and Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, featured newly commissioned writing, music and reflection from acclaimed writers including Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Graeme Armstrong, Anne Enright, Gavin Francis, Naomi Ishiguro and Jackie Kay, with original music from Aidan O’Rourke and Harben Kay.
Jenny Niven, Director of Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “Changing Your Mind isn’t just this year’s theme, it’s an invitation.
“Every one of these writers has, in their own way, made a case for staying curious and willing to be moved by a story, an argument, or a piece of music. That’s what tonight was about, and it’s what the next two weeks hold for our audiences.”
Running from 15 – 30 August, this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival features more than 600 events with writers from 41 countries, creating one of the world’s most international gatherings of books, ideas and stories.
Through the theme Changing Your Mind, audiences will be invited to engage with new perspectives, challenge assumptions and take part in conversations that matter, while also getting a chance to hear their favourite authors live on stage.
PICTURES: Chris Scott