Tag: Global Ink programme

Edinburgh International Book Festival opens submissions for Global Ink 2026

Call for Festival Directors Worldwide

Submissions for Global Ink 2026, Edinburgh International Book Festival’s flagship international forum for Festival Directors, are now open. Taking place in Edinburgh from 17–19 August 2026, as part of the wider Book Festival programme (15–30 August), Global Ink 2026 will unite leaders from twenty international festivals for three days of dynamic roundtables, networking, and sector-leading events, showcasing the breadth and diversity of Scotland’s cultural sector.

With a core focus on increasing the presence of Scottish writers and artists in festival programmes around the world, Global Ink 2026 builds on the Book Festival’s four decades of commitment to international exchange and collaboration.

Supported by the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland through the Festivals EXPO Fund, the forum is designed to foster new partnerships and enduring connections between Scotland and the global festival community.

EIBF has long pioneered international networks and collaboration between festivals, as a founding member of the Word Alliance, and committee member of the Global Alliance of Literature Festivals. 

Programme Highlights

  • Global Ink Directors’ Sessions: Monday 17 August, featuring closed-door roundtables and sector panels.
  • Scottish Showcase Day: Tuesday 18 August, with curated public events and connection with Scottish talent.
  • Industry Brunch : Wednesday 19 August, open networking with the Scottish and UK literary sector.
  • Closing Night Ceilidh: A celebration of Scottish culture to conclude the forum. 

Delegates arriving earlier in the week can also enjoy an Opening Party & Welcome Reception on Saturday 15 August, and Sunday 16 August’s Scottish Programme Highlight event.    

EIBF is delighted to have support from the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, as the national public body for the arts, with this event being made possible by the Festivals EXPO Fund. 

Underlining the value being placed upon this event, Global Ink 2026 was announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson during the 2025 Book Festival programme.  We are currently working with the Scottish Government to shape joint opportunities involving delegates throughout this global forum. 

Delegate Benefits

International Festival Directors selected for Global Ink 2026 will receive:

  • Guaranteed admission to a number of Book Festival events, with exclusive opportunities to meet leading Scottish writers.
  • Tailored networking sessions with key Scottish stakeholders across culture, policy, and business.
  • Access to a fully-catered Hospitality Area for industry professionals.
  • Invitations to special events, including the opening party, receptions, and partners’ dinner.
  • Confidential closed-door sessions for candid sector discussion and professional exchange.
  • Partner-rate accommodation for the duration of Global Ink 2026.

Who Should Apply

Applications are welcomed from Directors of book, multi-arts, or ideas festivals based outside the UK, particularly those keen to develop long-term partnerships with the Edinburgh International Book Festival and Scotland’s wider cultural sector.

Successful delegates will benefit from special rates at partner hotels for the duration of their stay.

A separate submissions process will open for UK-based Festival Directors in Spring 2026.

Key Dates

Call Opens: 4 December 2025

Application Deadline: 24 January 2026

Forum Dates: 17–19 August 2026 (with additional events on 15 and 16 August 2026 for early attendees)

How to Apply

For more information and to apply, visit https://www.edbookfest.co.uk or contact Project Lead for Global Ink Kate Seiler at globalink@edbookfest.co.uk.

Jenny Niven, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “Since 2024, our Global Ink programme has fostered strong international collaborations between the Edinburgh International Book Festival and other global literary festivals, which has seen new bridges built between countries and organisations, and a host of exciting new overseas opportunities open up to Scottish writers and thinkers. 

“Building on decades of international collaboration at the EIBF, we’re thrilled to be able to expand on this work with our 2026 edition, thanks to the support of Scottish Government and Creative Scotland’s Festivals EXPO Fund, forging new pathways to global audiences for Scotland’s breadth of fantastic writers, both new and established, as well as learning from our many sister Festivals around the world.

“We look forward to welcoming them to Edinburgh next August.”

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The expansion of Global Ink shows how our increased funding for Scottish festivals is creating more lasting connections with leading book festivals around the world. In turn this creates more global opportunities for Scottish writers and publishers. 

“Our commitment to increase culture funding, with an additional £4m a year for Scotland’s festivals, will have an impact in many different ways, including an even more influential role for Edinburgh International Book Festival and a richer experience for its audiences.” 

Edinburgh International Book Festival expands Global Ink programme with EXPO funding

The Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) this week announced an expansion of its acclaimed Global Ink programme for 2026, made possible through EXPO funding from the Scottish Government. 

The announcement was made at this year’s Global Ink event, the Festival’s International Industry Day, with an introduction from Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson.

The announcement comes as part of the Scottish Government’s investment in culture, with an increase of over £34m in 2025/26. The Festival EXPO Fund, established in 2007, is designed to support festival innovation and maximise national and international opportunities for the artists who contribute to them.

The expanded Global Ink programme, running from Monday 17 – Wednesday 19August 2026, and which brings together professionals from Scotland, the UK, and around the world, will now include a new landmark international conference in August 2026. 

The conference, which is supported by £100,000 of existing EXPO funding, will build on the success of the Book Festival’s existing programme. This initiative will position Global Ink as a vital convening platform, promoting new work and supporting writer development. The event will also platform export-ready Scottish writers, creating international and commercial opportunities and strengthening Scotland’s cultural presence on the global stage.

The new three-day conference will bring together up to 20 leading international Festival Directors and a vibrant online audience. Sessions will address key global challenges such as funding sustainability, programming in politicised environments, and cultural collaboration. The initiative responds to growing international demand for in-person collaboration and sector-wide leadership.

The Global Ink programme also includes panel discussions and networking opportunities. This year’s programme included panels such as “Books That Travel” in partnership with Publishing Scotland, and “Born Digital: Web Novels and the Global Reading Revolution”. 

These discussions provide a key platform for authors, publishers, translators, festival organisers, and cultural stakeholders interested in international collaboration.

Jenny Niven, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said:“In Global Ink 2026 we’re creating an expanded opportunity to showcase Scottish writing to the world. Our hope is that as a result many more Scottish writers will have the opportunity to share their work on international festival stages.

“We value enormously our relationships with Festivals around the world, from India to Argentina, allowing us to collaborate creatively, deepen our knowledge of international literature and to connect through culture at a time when international dialogue and exchange is so necessary. 

“We look forward to working with a range of partners to bring this exciting project to fruition.”

Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, said: “The Scottish Government’s EXPO fund has shaped and supported hundreds of commissions, enhanced the ambitions of thousands of Scottish artists and attracted audiences in the millions for EXPO-supported work since its establishment in 2007.

“The expansion of Global Ink 2026, as part of a £200,000 EXPO fund award for the Edinburgh International Book Festival, is a perfect example of its intent to support festival innovation and maximise national and international opportunities for the artists who contribute to them, and I look forward to welcoming attendees next year.”

The initiative continues the EIBF’s long-standing leadership in international festival networks, including founding the Word Alliance and its active membership in the Global Association of Literary Festivals (GoALF) and the British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA).