26 commissioners, producers and arts leaders from 13 countries will travel to Edinburgh to discover UK theatre and dance with the potential to reach audiences in their countries
- 26 leading international commissioners, producers and arts leaders will explore UK work at the Edinburgh Fringe and Edinburgh International festival.
- The visit forms part of the British Council’s Edinburgh International Performing Arts Delegation.
- More than four in five delegates from last year’s programme said they were likely to programme a UK production.
Organised by the British Council, the Edinburgh International Performing Arts Delegation (IPAD) will connect delegates directly with UK artists and performing companies.
Running from 19 to 26 August, the programme will give delegates access to performances across the festivals, alongside curated showcases, industry briefing and networking events.
Journalist Lyn Gardner, who briefed last year’s delegation, said UK companies can be disadvantaged in comparison to international counterparts who have more funding and time to develop their work.
Edinburgh IPAD helps address this imbalance by connecting UK artists and companies with international decision-makers, creating opportunities for new commissions, touring partnerships, re-stagings and other international collaborations.
Previous editions have already helped UK work reach audiences worldwide. Recent outcomes include a Japanese tour for Ramesh Meyyappan’s Love Beyond, performances of Emma Frankland’s No Apologies across the Western Balkans and in Brazil, and a Spanish-language production of Karis Kelly’s Consumed in Venezuela.
This year’s delegation includes representatives from Australia, China, Egypt, India, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, the Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Ukraine and Venezuela.
Among them are three delegates from Ukraine, including Kyrylo Beskorovainyi, co-composer and writer of multi-award-winning musical, The Tiger Hunters.
A full list of the delegates and biographies can be found here.
The programme builds on the success of Edinburgh IPAD 2025, which in just six days saw 24 delegates from 15 countries make 448 new connections with UK artists, companies and industry professionals, and generate 124 expressions of interest in programming 27 UK productions internationally.
More than four in five delegates said they were likely or very likely to programme a UK show following their visit, and more than half also expressed an interest in restaging productions or directing translated versions, creating long-term routes for UK work to reach international audiences without the financial and environmental costs of touring an entire company.
Every delegate surveyed said the programme had strengthened their understanding of contemporary UK performing arts, created new opportunities to connect with UK artists and made them more likely to pursue future collaborations. Delegates’ confidence in working with UK partners increased by 45%, while their understanding of the current UK theatre landscape rose by 53%.
Seung Mee Kim of South Korean performing arts company ARTIGO described the programme as “the most productive time in Edinburgh I’ve ever had”, adding that it had helped her understand the arts scenes across all four UK nations and connect with the right people.
Edinburgh IPAD coincides with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival, as well as three curated national showcases: Made in Scotland, Cymru Wales in Edinburgh and Spotlight on Theatre and Dance from Northern Ireland.
Together, these events give delegates direct access to the breadth of contemporary performance being created across the whole of the UK and enable international commissioners to discover, connect with and champion work for audiences around the world.
Neil Webb, British Council Director of Theatre and Dance, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival showcase some of the UK’s most exciting new performances.
“Edinburgh IPAD ensures their impact extends beyond August by connecting UK artists with international commissioners, creating lasting opportunities for their work to reach audiences around the world.”
PICTURE: Emma Frankland’s “No Apologies” was performed in Brazil and across the Western Balkans following connections made through previous IPAD programmes. Photo: Matt Crockett
