culture – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

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.

The Skinny to continue operations

Charity Outer Spaces to secure future for Radge Media CIC

Outer Spaces will acquire the shares in Radge Media CIC to stabilise operations and secure a future for the Scottish publisher, who is responsible for crucial Scottish independent cultural journalism monthly print magazine The Skinny as well as the titles GNAW and FEST.

This will enable The Skinny to continue to document and support Scotland’s art ecosystem, providing a vital platform for Writers and Editors in Scotland, as well as supporting artists and organisations through the continuation of 20 years of independent cultural journalism.

Both Outer Spaces and Radge Media CIC are committed to empowering our creative communities, supporting the people creating art and building culture across Scotland in the ways which matter to them. T

his agreement is a product of synergy and mutual admiration, as well as our shared belief in the power and importance of art, a shared desire to remove barriers to access, and a joint aim of building a resilient, ambitious and confident arts ecosystem for Scotland.

Rosamund West, Editor-in-Chief, Radge Media CIC, said: “The Skinny has worked for nearly 21 years to shine a light on Scottish arts and culture, support emerging talent and connect people to the creative lives of their cities.

“The last month has been incredibly challenging, but the outpouring of support from contributors and collaborators reaffirmed the importance of a space for local, independent, cultural journalism.

“We’re excited to become part of the Outer Spaces family, and to have this opportunity to continue our work within an organisation whose values align so closely with our own. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone for their support and to Outer Spaces for creating this opportunity to secure our future.”

Shân Edwards, Director, Outer Spaces, said: “Outer Spaces supports a sustainable, resilient arts ecosystem for Scotland by responding to needs in the arts community, and we recognise the vital importance of art criticism and writing that places focus on Scotland’s vibrant art scene.

“Alongside many peers in the arts community in Scotland and beyond, we were shocked by the news of The Skinny’s closure, we recognise the importance of strong, consistent and critical journalism as part of the arts infrastructure we operate within – which The Skinny has provided for the past 20 years – and were pleased to be in the position to intervene with a solution to allow continued operations in for The Skinny as well as Radge Media CIC’s other titles, GNAW and FEST.”

Radge Media CIC is the Edinburgh-based publisher behind The Skinny, Fest and GNAW magazines, providing year-round coverage of Scotland’s arts and culture scenes through free print magazines and online platforms.

Radge Media also offers vital work opportunities to emerging journalists, photographers, illustrators and editorial staff. Radge Media CIC will retain full editorial control over its publications.

Outer Spaces is a contemporary visual arts organisation and charity established in 2021, supporting a network of over 1200 artists across Scotland through studio provision, professional development, production support and a growing public programme.

Outer Spaces will stabilise operations by acquiring the shares in the publisher Radge Media CIC, this financial intervention will allow Radge Media CIC to continue to publish The Skinny, an important part of Scotland’s cultural landscape.

Also, Radge Media will continue to be based in an Outer Spaces building, allowing their operations to have a creative base and office for the delivery of their work.

Since October 2025, Radge Media has operated from the Exchange Place building in Fountainbridge, which also houses a studio community of over 155 artists, art graduates and creatives.

Council support for Edinburgh’s festivals and cultural sector

City councillors have voted to support cultural partners across the city – including the opportunity to apply for funding from a pot of over £2.6 million.

A one-off 25 percent increase in funding, totalling approximately £1.12 million, was agreed for existing Third Party Cultural Grants partners, including the Edinburgh International Festival, Book Festival, and the Fringe Society as well as community organisations.

The funding extension runs until March 2028, with a fully redesigned cultural funding programme for subsequent years to be agreed next year.

Extra support for all eligible cultural and arts organisations, including those operating at a local community level, will be available via the new £2.62m Innovate fund, supported by the Visitor Levy, which will open for applications next week.

The aim of the Fund is to improve resilience, support programming innovation and enhance cultural output for successful applicants, who will also need to demonstrate how the project will benefit visitors to the city.

It was agreed that eligibility criteria for applications, which were agreed by Culture and Communities Committee in May, should be viewed in the broadest way possible while still meeting legislative rules, and that organisations not currently funded by the Third Party Cultural Grants should be encouraged to apply.

This will enable a wider variety of groups and organisations to make the most of funds on offer.

The funding agreed on Thursday is part of a broader transformational allocation of Visitor Levy funding for Culture, Heritage and Events worth over £25m over the next three years.

This combination of sustained investment and focus on innovation is ‘creating an ambitious programme of growth that will benefit, visitors, residents and the city’s cultural organisations’.

Cllr Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener said: “I have listened and heard the views and feedback of our cultural partners in recent weeks and the 25% uplift they have secured will provide certainty for the next year.

“I was absolutely clear, however, that this agreement could not be at the expense of our smaller cultural organisations across the city – many of which receive no funding at all. I have been a long time advocate of young people and communities and I know first-hand the value of local arts groups across the city.

“The funding package we agreed today will see all our cultural partners benefit, whatever their size or stature, but we need to find a fairer and more sustainable way of doing business in future – something that will high on the agenda at the round table discussion I will be calling in the coming weeks.”

The Skinny to fold

SEPTEMBER ISSUE WILL BE THE LAST

After 20 years of independent cultural journalism and with a very heavy heart, we have to tell you that September’s edition of The Skinny is our final issue as Radge Media CIC, the company which publishes The Skinny as well as Fest and GNAW magazines, has ceased operations.

Firstly, we would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who has been involved with The Skinny over these two decades. The dedication, skill and care of every writer, editor, photographer, illustrator, proofreader, designer, salesperson and member of the team has made this magazine what it is. Thank you all for everything you’ve done to create an incredible legacy.

We have always drawn motivation from the energy and talent of Scotland’s creative community, even when the work has been hard and we have faced struggles, difficulties and real challenges. To Scotland’s artists, musicians, authors, theatremakers, actors, DJs, filmmakers, party-throwers and creatives, thank you all for sharing your work with us and for letting us share it with the world.

We are devastated that our work has come to such a sudden end. We have not been immune to the economic difficulties in the Scottish arts and despite our very best efforts, funding pressures across the sector, rising costs and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis have contributed to an increasingly challenging situation.

The Skinny is a key asset to Scottish cultural life, but it was produced by a small team with all the challenges that entails. We did the best we could with the resources at our disposal, and we can only apologise to our readers, colleagues and advertisers for making such a sudden exit, but we have been unable to find a way to continue the work at this time.

This may be the end for The Skinny, but it’s not the end of what we believe in: the power of independent journalism, the value of art and creativity, and the importance of print media.

The Skinny has offered something very important and valuable to Scotland’s cultural scene and none of us wanted or expected things to end this way. The closure of this business does nothing to change our belief in the need for a vibrant Scottish media that connects with our communities, and our faith in print as a vehicle to share new stories with audiences.

Finally, thank you to all of our readers, whether you have been here from the start or are seeing our work for the very first time. If you have ever picked up a copy in a bar or read it on the bus, pored over our reviews, found a new favourite night out in the listings, shared our work online or fired up our newsletter, we really do appreciate it.

Even in dark times, there is still a wealth of vibrant, creative and exciting art being created across Scotland, and dozens of scenes and movements worth championing. That drive and spirit has inspired and invigorated us at The Skinny so many times over the years – let’s all do what we can to help that continue.

Feel free to share this statement far and wide; we only ask that you attribute the words to ‘The Skinny’ and repeat what we’re saying in good faith. For any further media enquiries, please contact Peter on peter@theskinny.co.uk

Support for Scottish Traditional Music

Next steps announced for National Performing Company

A new National Performing Company will be set up to champion Scotland’s traditional music sector.

A public consultation has now been launched seeking views on how such a flagship organisation will raise the profile of Scottish folk music around the world.

Early feedback is being sought from the traditional music community and wider audiences to understand priorities for future support of the sector and what a national performing company might look like.

First Minister John Swinney held a reception for the trad music sector at Bute House this week and attended the Sound of Scotland folk music showcase at Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall.

The Scottish Government has also launched an online survey to gather views and Culture Secretary Mairi McAllan will chair a roundtable with leaders in trad music.

A National Performing Company for traditional music will be the sixth to be formed in Scotland, joining the National Theatre of Scotland, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

The First Minister said: “Traditional Scottish music has a unique, rich sound reflecting our history and regional diversity. It connects our past to our present and is loved across Scotland and around the world.

“That is why I pledged that in the first 100 days of this government we would make progress on forming a National Performing Company to protect the legacy of trad music and help it to thrive. Giving it the same platform to other performing arts will support established and emerging talents to grow.

“If you are a local performer, group or organisation from anywhere in Scotland, please let us know how this can work best for you, representing and supporting traditional music.”

According to a VisitScotland survey in 2024, almost four in five Scots (79%) said Scottish traditional music gave them a sense of cultural connection, while 88% believed it is important that it is preserved for future generations. Music businesses in Scotland reported a turnover of £27.4 million in 2023.

The consultation on a National Performing Company for Traditional Music is available to complete online.

Glowing Tribute to KT Tunstall!

Music Venue transformed by The National Lottery as Part of Everywhere At Once Festival

The National Lottery has transformed Carnegie Hall with a striking projection of Katie Tunstall’s iconic song lyrics – Suddenly I See – onto the side of the building where she performed early in her career, celebrating hometown pride as many venues face closure due to growing financial pressures.
This projection joins a nationwide activation that marks the launch of Everywhere At Once, shining a spotlight on the vital role independent venues play in nurturing emerging talent and shaping local cultural identity.
National Lottery players have been the biggest supporters of grassroots music, with over £1 billion raised for music related projects.
Full listings and ticket details for Everywhere at Once can be found here: www.everywherefest.com

Lyrics from KT Tunstall’s anthem ‘Suddenly I See’ were illuminated onto Carnegie Hall in Fife, close to where she grew up, and recipient of £77,000 in funding from The National Lottery. Members of the public were stopped in their tracks upon seeing the iconic song lyrics projected onto this iconic music venue to mark the Everywhere At Once festival.

Taking place on what would have been the Glastonbury Festival weekend of June 26 to 28, 2026, more than 400 grassroots music venues will stage hundreds of live music events under the banner of Everywhere At Once, making it the UK’s biggest festival.

The initiative, brought to life by a partnership between Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery, will create a national moment to celebrate the grassroots music ecosystem.

More than £1 billion has been raised for music related projects across the UK, helping support venues, festivals, emerging artists and community organisations – all made possible because of National Lottery players. This funding continues to play a vital role in protecting grassroots venues at a time when many face increasing financial pressure despite their enormous cultural importance.

Additional projections across the UK, include lyrics lighting up venues including 229 in London where Tinie Tempah performed the night his breakout single ‘Pass Out’ went to number 1 in the charts; Worcester’s The Marrs Bar, an early-stage venue for Becky Hill; and Empire Music Hall in Belfast where The Divine Comedy performed in their early days.

People feel a strong sense of pride and connection to artists from their local area, with hometown success stories becoming an important source of identity and celebration across the UK.

Music has long played a central role in shaping this cultural pride, including the connection of Katie Tunstall to Carnegie Hall in Fife. Grassroots venues are at the heart of these stories, providing essential spaces where emerging talent can develop while bringing communities together through shared live music experiences.

The projections capture this spirit, transforming the venues that helped launch careers into glowing symbols of local pride.

Alastair Ruxton, Chief Impact Office at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: “Across the UK, people feel a strong sense of connection to artists from their local area, with hometown success stories becoming an important source of identity and celebration.

“Grassroots venues are at the heart of these stories, providing essential spaces where emerging talent can develop while bringing communities together through shared live music experiences.

“These projections capture that spirit, they celebrate not just iconic artists and lyrics, but the grassroots venues and local communities that supported them from the very beginning. Because of National Lottery players, more than £1 billion has been raised for music related projects across the UK, helping these vital venues continue to nurture the next generation of talent.”

Everywhere At Once will take place across hundreds of venues nationwide, with more than 2,000 artists performing across a diverse range of genres.

As one of the biggest supporters of grassroots music, The National Lottery is helping power this unprecedented weekend championing independent venues, supporting emerging talent, and shining a light on the foundations of the UK music scene.

PICTURES: Sandy Young

Audiences up at this year’s Tradfest

A CELEBRATION OF THE PAST, THE PRESENT & THE FUTURE OF TRAD IN EDINBURGH

Multi-award winning Scottish folk band Session A9 closed this year’s Edinburgh Tradfest with a standout live performance, and multiple encores at the Traverse Theatre on Monday 11 May.

The festival ran from (1-11 May) and included 11 days of live music, talks, workshops, folk film screenings and storytelling, thanks to continued support from Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.

This year’s programme of over 60 events, was a tremendous success, with organisers enjoying:

● A 9% increase in ticket sales to music events at the Traverse Theatre.

● Multiple sell-outs including award-winning Connemara singing sensations Séamus and Caoimhe, Kim Carnie, Eilidh Shaw and Ian Carr, The Onlies, Deiseil: Dancing in Time, Nexus Project, Dick Gaughan in conversation and Session A9.

● Standing ovations for multiple performers including: Rajasthani folk trio SAZ; and Ukrainian folk musician and live-looping artist GANNA.

● Free pop up performances from Astro Bloc at Edinburgh Airport, SAZ at the Aroma Restaurant and Bar in Broxburn, and Dauntless at Nobles Bar in Leith.

● An increase in audiences aged under 26 thanks to the festival’s £9 ticket offer for younger audiences. Under 35s up from 21% to 25%

● A more international audience than ever before with 21% of the audience from outside the UK, whilst still being popular in the local area – 73% from Scotland (55% from Edinburgh).

This year’s music commission A’Chiad Litir, (The First Letter) also received 5-star reviews.The piece, inspired by the life of sixteenth-century lesbian love poet Marie Maitland, touched on questions of language, identity and the notion of queerness and was created and performed by renowned singer songwriter and composer Josie Duncan.

Joining Josie was a stellar line-up of musicians including; Charlotte Printer (bass and vocals), Chloë Bryce (fiddle), Eilidh Rogers (percussion), Jenny Clifford (guitar) and Ashley Douglas (spoken word) who read one of Marie Maitland’s poems addressed to another woman she loved.

Other stand-out highlights from this year included trad powerhouse RURA and newcomers Astro Bloc who played to a lively crowd on opening night at Potterrow; The Complete Recordings of Hezekiah Procter – a live vaudeville act, featuring old-time music performed on fiddles, banjos and sousaphone; Isla Ratcliff’s Scottish trad reinterpretation of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons; and award-winning folk singer Fiona Hunter taming toddlers with her interactive music session for under 5s and above.

Further afield, the hugely successful Folk Film Gathering supported by Screen Scotland, drew in the crowds with its popular programme of Scottish and international films, many accompanied by live scores or introductory talks.

In particular, the launch of Faodail | Found Outer Hebrides Film Archive website which featured live music from acclaimed accordionist and composer Pàdruig Morrison with fiddler and Gaelic singer Claire Frances MacNeil; the world premiere of a new documentary exploring the life and work of tradition bearer Jimmy Hutchison; Celtic Utopia which celebrates Ireland’s current folk renaissance and features many bold, funny, and politically outspoken young Irish folk musicians including Lankum and The Mary Wallopers; the UK premiere of Italian documentary Canone Effimero which showcases the raw energy and some of the vibrant folk traditions of Italy; and a curated selection of early, rarely-seen silent films by Scottish legendary film maker Bill Douglas.

Over at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, crowds gathered on Living Heritage Discovery Day to hear Ireland’s folklore aficionado Michael Fortune talk about Intangible Cultural Heritage and tradition-bearing.

Plus, throughout the festival, the Centre’s popular ‘What is…’ series of talks explaining what makes traditional dance, music,crafts, Gaelic, and Scots, truly traditional, drew audiences from all over, keen to hear from the experts about what makes each artform unique.

Lauren Paterson, Head of Programming at the Scottish Storytelling Centre said: “During the year of the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s 20th birthday, it’s been a joy to welcome audiences, performers and tradition-bearers alike to celebrate the richness, liveliness and variety of Scotland’s living heritage as part of Edinburgh Tradfest.

“From hands-on Come and Try sessions and workshops to explorations of traditional culture and identity through conversation and performance, it’s been inspiring to see so many people engaging with traditions and making connections with their own experience.”

Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest said: “We are delighted and encouraged with how Edinburgh Tradfest went this year. To have audiences up by 9% is a real achievement especially in tough economic times.

“We are also extremely happy to see the numbers rising amongst the younger age groups. One of the many highlights for 2026 was the move into other areas of the city with some entertaining (and free) pop up performances.

“We hit Broxburn, Turnhouse and Leith this year, and are already planning to pop up in some other unusual locations for 2027.”

Edinburgh Tradfest will return from 30 April to 10 May 2027.

www.edinburghtradfest.com

Royal Ballet and Opera announces 2026/27 Cinema Season

Cinema Season shares the very best of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet with audiences around the world
Programme includes new productions of Götterdämmerung from Barrie Kosky and Così fan tutte from Netia Jones
Beloved favourites return, including The Royal Ballet’s Manon and Swan Lake, and The Royal Opera’s Carmen and Tosca
UK audiences can also enjoy Macbeth and La Fanciulla del West from The Metropolitan Opera
Tickets on sale from 27 May at rbo.org.uk

The Royal Ballet and Opera has announced an exciting programme of cinema screenings throughout the 2026/27 Season.

The two companies present a range of works across the Season. The Royal Ballet performs beloved favourites including Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon and Romeo and Juliet, and Liam Scarlett’s Swan Lake. Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland will be specially broadcast over the Easter period, an ideal ballet for all the family, and The Royal Ballet celebrate Christmas with Peter Wright’s enduring classic The Nutcracker.

The Royal Opera present a mixture of revivals and new works. There will be two new opera productions, including the final installment of Barrie Kosky’s acclaimed Ring cycle, Götterdämmerung. Associate Director of The Royal Opera Netia Jones makes her Main Stage debut with a new staging of Così fan tutte, screened live in February. Two celebrated productions will also return to cinemas: the first revival of Director of The Royal Opera Oliver Mears’ Tosca, and a revival of Damiano Michieletto’s Carmen.

The UK cinema season also includes two new productions from The Metropolitan Opera, New York. In October, opera fans will be treated to a brand-new production of Macbeth from director Louisa Proske, who makes her debut with the company.

UK audiences will also be able to enjoy The Metropolitan Opera’s La Fanciulla del West in a new staging by British director Richard Jones.

Offering audiences a view from the best seat in the house, the RBO cinema Season shares the joy of live performance and the beauty of world-class ballet and opera with audiences in more than 1,500 cinemas and 50 countries around the world.

Cinema audiences can enjoy exclusive extra rehearsal and behind the scenes films during the intervals with specialist presenters offering an insight into the workings of the Royal Ballet and Opera.

Director of The Royal Opera, Oliver Mears said: “It is fantastic to be able to share our exhilarating productions with our cinema audiences and this season there is much to enjoy.

“Barrie Kosky’s Ring cycle continues to thrill and excite audiences, and I have no doubt that Götterdämmerung will complete the cycle with breathtaking wonder.

“Our Associate Director Netia Jones makes her Main Stage debut with a contemporary spin on Mozart’s Così fan tutte whilst enduring classics such as Tosca and Carmen also demonstrate why opera is the most captivating and visceral artform out there.”

Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare said: “Sharing The Royal Ballet’s live cinema relays with audiences across the globe is always incredibly special, and this Season we are delighted to bring you a wonderful selection of ballets to delight and entertain.

“Our magical productions of The Nutcracker and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland will enchant families and audiences of all ages, while the dramatic tension of Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet contrasted with the pure classicism of Swan Lake make for a brilliant showcase of the artistry and virtuosity of our dancers. I very much look forward to sharing these special moments with you all.”

2026/27 Cinema Season

Macbeth | The Metropolitan Opera
In cinemas: Tuesday 20 October 2026
UK only

With hair-raising drama and spectacular singing, two of opera’s most extraordinary artists star in Macbeth, Verdi’s thrilling take on the immortal Shakespearean tale of the scheming couple determined to seize power at any cost.

Following past triumphs in many of Verdi’s signature baritone roles, Quinn Kelsey is the Scottish king haunted by the ghosts of his murderous ascent to the throne, opposite Lise Davidsen—the world’s reigning dramatic soprano—as the power-mad Lady Macbeth, whose ruinous ambition damns them both.

Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium for a penetrating production by Louisa Proske, a brilliant young director making waves around the world. Rounding out the all-star cast are tenor Freddie De Tommaso as the heroic Macduff and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green as Macbeth’s friend-turned-victim Banquo.

Manon | The Royal Ballet
Live in cinemas: Tuesday 27 October 2026

In the seedy underbelly of 18th-century Paris, money is king. Nothing is sacred – even love itself can be bought for the right price. A native of this hedonistic underworld, Manon is caught between twin desires when she falls in love with the student Des Grieux. Steadfast and devoted, he offers the possibility of an honourable life. Yet, the riches promised by the world of Parisian society remain tempting…

In this signature work of The Royal Ballet, Kenneth MacMillan’s nuanced understanding of human psychology makes for an unflinching look into the moral degradation of Manon’s Paris, while all its decadence and decay are brought to life through Jules Massenet’s score and Nicholas Georgiadis’ designs.

Carmen | The Royal Opera
Live in cinemas: Tuesday 10 November 2026

Damiano Michieletto’s searing production returns, casting scorching light on the lust, violence and destructive desire of Bizet’s ever-popular opera.

An all-star cast brings this white-hot drama to life, with Ginger Costa-Jackson in the fiery title role, alongside Russell Thomas as the jealous and despairing Don José.

The Nutcracker | The Royal Ballet
In cinemas: Tuesday 1 December 2026

Nothing says Christmas quite like The Nutcracker, and this year, The Royal Ballet celebrates the festive season with Peter Wright’s beloved ballet. Since its premiere in 1984, this much-loved production has become a Christmas classic. With Tchaikovsky’s stunning score and Julia Trevelyan Oman’s sumptuous designs, this festive favourite is a treat for the whole family, bringing the spirit of the original fairy-tale to life.

La Fanciulla del West | The Metropolitan Opera
In cinemas: Tuesday 26 January 2027
UK only

Puccini’s exhilarating drama of the Wild West returns in a new staging by celebrated British director Richard Jones, marking the company’s first new production of La Fanciulla del West in more than 30 years. Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky adds to her already remarkable Met repertoire, making her role debut as the larger-than-life Minnie, the tough tavern owner with a heart of gold who finds love when she least expects it. Tenor SeokJong Baek is the dashing bandit who rambles into the remote California mining town to steal her heart, opposite baritone Christopher Maltman as the lawman determined to deliver rough justice—and win Minnie for himself. Maestro Keri-Lynn Wilson takes the podium to conduct one of opera’s most action-packed adventures.

Götterdämmerung | The Royal Opera
Live in cinemas: Wednesday 3 February 2027

For the long-awaited finale of Wagner’s epic saga, director Barrie Kosky situates the rich apocalyptic drama in a contemporary world of dream-like turmoil. Antonio Pappano, Conductor Laureate of The Royal Opera, returns to take on the impassioned, otherworldly music – including Siegfried’s transporting Funeral March and Brünnhilde’s electrifying Immolation Scene.

The brilliant cast is led by Elisabet Strid, Andreas Schager and Mika Kares, who together with the full forces of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the Royal Opera Chorus bring opera’s greatest journey to its shattering end.

Così fan tutte | The Royal Opera
Live in cinemas: Tuesday 23 February 2027

In her Main Stage debut, Netia Jones, Associate Director of The Royal Opera, reimagines Mozart’s comedy of manners through a sharp contemporary lens, where 18th-century romantic trickery meets deeply satirical high-tech deceit. Taking on the roles of the lovers is an exciting young cast led by Louise Alder, Simone McIntosh, Mingjie Lei and Huw Montague Rendall, with Gerald Finley as their manipulative game-master Don Alfonso and Emily Pogorelc as Despina. Thomas Hengelbrock conducts, bringing out the exquisite melodies that underpin the provocative, and resolutely modern, themes at the heart of the opera.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland | The Royal Ballet
In cinemas: Tuesday 23 March 2027

Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland bursts onto the stage in an explosion of colour, stage magic and inventive, sophisticated choreography.

Joby Talbot’s score combines contemporary soundworlds with sweeping melodies that gesture to ballet scores of the 19th century. Bob Crowley’s wildly imaginative, eye-popping designs draw on everything from puppetry to projections to make Wonderland wonderfully real. The result shows The Royal Ballet at its best, bringing together world-class dance with enchanting family entertainment and ingenious music and design.

Swan Lake | The Royal Ballet
Live in cinemas: Thursday 22 April 2027

Princess Odette is bound by a curse, turned into a swan by the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart. The spell can only be broken by a pledge of eternal love. When she meets Prince Siegfried, he is immediately enamoured by her fragile beauty and pledges to free her. but freedom is not promised for Odette as Von Rothbart conspires to thwart the lovers’ plans.

Liam Scarlett’s production for The Royal Ballet brings together Tchaikovsky’s towering score and John Macfarlane’s picturesque designs to create an enduring ballet spectacle of love, treachery and forgiveness.

Tosca | The Royal Opera
Live in cinemas: Wednesday 5 May 2027

Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi live for each other and for their art. But when Cavaradossi helps an escaped prisoner, the lovers make a deadly enemy in the form of Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police.

Oliver Mears’ acclaimed production returns, setting Puccini’s operatic thriller in a contemporary, war-torn Rome. Daniel Oren conducts Aleksandra Kurzak, who returns to the title role, joined by Saimir Pirgu as Cavaradossi and Christopher Maltman as Baron Scarpia.

Romeo and Juliet | The Royal Ballet
In cinemas: Tuesday 25 May 2027

Shakespeare’s great love story is brilliantly retold through this modern ballet classic. The fervent longing of the star-crossed lovers is perfectly captured by Kenneth MacMillan’s impassioned choreography.

The flourishing of young love is just as present in Romeo and Juliet’s meeting on the balcony as in their final moments when they desperately cling to life in the tomb.

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026 to open with International Premiere of Louis Paxton’s debut feature The Income

Uniquely inventive, darkly funny Scottish debut features stars Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin and Grant O’Rourke

EIFF will run from 13 – 19 August 2026

Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has announced today that Edinburgh-born filmmaker Louis Paxton’s spirited and witty debut film, The Incomer will open its 79th edition, running from 13 – 19 August 2026.

The Focus Features and Universal Pictures International film, stars Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina, The Paper), Gayle Rankin (House of The Dragon, Glow) and Grant O’Rourke (Outlander) with ensemble cast including John Hannah (Sliding Doors, The Last of Us) Michelle Gomez (Green Wing, Doom Patrol) and Emun Elliott (The Gold Sexy Beast).

The Incomer is set on a remote Scottish island and follows siblings Isla (Rankin) and Sandy (O’Rourke) who have lived in peaceful isolation for decades, hunting seabirds, chatting to mythic creatures and defending their isle from dreaded Incomers. Their world is upended with the arrival of Daniel (Gleeson), an awkward council worker, tasked with uprooting them to the mainland.

Written and directed by bold new filmmaking talent Louis Paxton, the film won the NEXT Innovator Award at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

Produced by Bafta winner Shirley O’Connor and Emily Gotto and co-produced by Wendy Griffin, The Incomer has been praised by critics and audiences for its wit, heart and independent spirit.

The film is supported by the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Screen Scotland with additional support from musician Moby and Lindsay Hicks’ U.S. production company Little Walnut, Trevor Noah’s Day Zero Productions, UK’s Head Gear Films and Ireland’s Inevitable Pictures.

The Incomer will be released by Universal Pictures International in the UK and Ireland later this year.

EIFF CEO and Festival Director, Paul Ridd has said: “With wit, grace and intelligence, this striking, unpredictable and beautifully acted Scottish debut dazzled, moved and amused us immensely when we first saw it back in January.

“We are thrilled to open this year’s edition with a film which embodies such a stirring and inspiring spirit of creativity, empathy and invention in filmmaking. This is precisely the kind of film that EIFF is all about.”

Film Producers, Shirley O’Connor and Emily Gotto said: “It’s such an honour to open Edinburgh with this film. Shooting in Scotland with this exceptional cast and crew was a genuinely special experience and bringing that work home to a Scottish audience means everything to us.

“Huge thanks to EIFF, and all our partners, including Screen Scotland, who helped get us here.”

Director Louis Paxton said: “Opening the Edinburgh International Film Festival with my debut feature is a dream come true.

“Screening in my beloved hometown, and the festival where I started as a teenage usher, sharing this story with a Scottish audience, is nothing short of mind-blowing. I couldn’t ask for a more meaningful premiere.”

Kezia Williams, Managing Director UK & Ireland, at Universal Pictures International commented: “We’re delighted to see The Incomer open this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival. Louis Paxton has made a wonderfully distinctive film, firmly rooted in Scotland, full of character and heart.

“We’re proud to be bringing it to audiences across the UK and Ireland.”

Isabel Davis, Executive Director of Screen Scotland said: “Louis is bringing it home following The Incomer’s triumph at Sundance earlier this year.

“It marks an extraordinarily assured debut feature. This singular story of a remote community on Scotland’s Far North coast feels truly distinctive, something that could only have come from here.”

Mia Bays, Director of the BFI Filmmaking Fund, said: “Opening the 2026 Edinburgh Film Festival with The Incomer means a great deal to us.

“It’s a terrific film made by Louis, Emily, Shirley and team that looks at Scottish island life, sibling relationships and the quiet forms of loneliness that shape people — but it does so with such generosity and bright humour.

“Watching Daniel (Domhnall Gleeson) reassess the world he’s taken for granted when he meets Isla and Sandy (the peerless Gayle Rankin and Grant O’Rourke) is both moving and gloriously funny.

“We are grateful to Paul Ridd and team for centring such bold, character driven storytelling and cannot wait to experience the response to it from a homegrown and internationally blended crowd.”

EIFF’s invigorated vision under leadership from CEO and Festival Director Paul Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa continues to accelerate the discovery of new film talent and engage with audiences, industry members and local, national and international media.

More information will be released on the shape of the 2026 Festival, venues and key strategic partners in the coming months.

EIFF 2026 is supported by Screen Scotland.

The EIFF team continues to create a world-class showcase for independent film and filmmaking talent.

The Festival is supported by a Board chaired by Andrew Macdonald of DNA Films, producer of the iconic Edinburgh-based film Trainspotting, including Vice Chair Amy Jackson, producer of BAFTA award-winning indie, Aftersun; Peter Rice, former Chairman of General Entertainment at Disney and President of 21st Century Fox; Teresa Moneo, producer and former Director of UK Film, Netflix; Isla Macgillivray, Partner at Saffery; and gaming executive Romana Ramzan.

Folk Film Gathering: Amussu film screening at North Edurgh Arts

Join us next Wednesday (29th April) for a special evening of film, discussion and live performance at NEA, as part of the 2026 Folk Film Gathering!

For more info and to book your FREE ticket, visit:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/amussu-film-screening…