Joshua Gibson chosen to represent Edinburgh at the Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year
OnMonday 30 March, allschools in Edinburgh were invited to take part in their local final at Portobello High School.
This year’s competition saw an incredible standard of musicianship from young performers across the city. The adjudicators faced the difficult task of selecting winners from an exceptionally talented group of musicians.
Scottish Young Musicians, Scotland’s leading festival of music competitions, has returned for 2026 to give young people across the country the chance to compete for the titles of Solo Performer of the Year, Ensemble of the Year and Brass Ensemble of the Year.
Participation in this career-enhancing competition has been offered to every Local Authority in the country as well as independent schools, in the hope that more young people than ever before will take up the opportunity to perform and take part.
Pianist Joshua Gibson in S5 at Queensferry High School was named the overall winner for their outstanding performance Liszt’s Liebestraume No3.
Their skill and interpretation impressed both audience and judges alike, securing them the top award in the Edinburgh final.
Joshua will now represent Edinburgh at the Scottish Young Musicians National Final at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on Sunday 24 May.
Runner up was singer Liza Aquado, an S6 pupil from St Augustine’s R.C. High School, who performed Times are Hard for Dreamers from Amelie. And the judges named Ivar Mackie, a guitarist from Portobello High School in S6 who played Unholy Confessions (Avenged Sevenfold) as Most Promising Young Musician.
Solo Performer of the Year is open to all young musicians who go to school in Scotland, whatever age or standard. Each local authority selects a regional finalist, with all of them hosting local and regional heats across different schools to decide who will represent their area at the National Final, which will take place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on Sunday 24 May 2026.
In its 4 years, Scottish Young Musicians has become the largest and most important national music competition in schools, with around 99% of the school population taking part.
These competitions give young people a life-changing and unforgettable experience, as well as the confidence to continue to compete at the highest level.
It is open to all, across all socio-economic backgrounds, providing an opportunity which would not have existed otherwise.
105 new shows across comedy, theatre, musicals, cabaret, variety and children’s shows go on sale today from Gilded Balloon, marking its biggest on sale to date, with more programme announcements still to come.
These newly announced shows form part of a wide-ranging 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme, bringing together leading names, rising stars and international artists. From big nights out to thoughtful theatre and side-splittingly clever comedy, August at Gilded Balloon offers something for all ages and tastes.
Karen and Katy Koren, Artistic Directors of Gilded Balloon,said: “We’re delighted to be putting a further 105 brilliant shows on sale as part of this year’s Fringe programme, with even more still to be announced.
“This line-up brings together some of the most exciting talent working today alongside the next generation of performers, and truly reflects the breadth and energy of the Fringe.”
The programme brings together established names including Gregor Fisher, Phil Nichol (returning with two shows), The Guilty Feminist and Rich Hall, alongside a strong wave of new voices making their Fringe debuts. Rising talent includes includes Madeleine Brettingham, Adi Parmar, Fab Goualin, Hannah Byczkowski and Shane Daniel Byrne, while Gilded Balloon continues its commitment to Scottish artists with debut shows from Eva Peroni and Alan Jay, and returning favourites Kim Blythe and Kathleen Hughes. The programme also features new Scottish music and theatre, including Crocodile Rock and a range of bold new productions across the theatre programme.
Gilded Balloon’s legendary shows return for 2026. Late’n’Live is back as the original late-night show, featuring stellar line-ups of your favourite acts from across the festival, hosted by some of the best MCs in the country every night.
Described as “The best late-night show on the Fringe” (Scotsman) and “A Fringe institution for a reason” (TheRecs.co.uk), previous acts have included Johnny Vegas, Bill Bailey, Rich Hall, Jason Byrne, Mawaan Rizwan, John Bishop, Larry Dean, Maisie Adam, Reuben Kaye, Jordan Grey and Viggo Venn. Late’n’Liveremains an essential addition to any Fringe bucket list.
Best Of So You Think You’re Funny? returns with an unmissable line-up of fresh talent, including finalists Reb Day, Joel Walker and Rachel Porter, offering audiences the chance to see the best emerging comedians before they become household names.
So You Think You’re Funny? Heats continue the search for comedy’s next big star, as contestants compete for a place in the final of the UK’s biggest newcomer competition. Previous winners include Peter Kay, Aisling Bea, Sara Pascoe and Lee Mack.
Comedy highlights includeGregor Fisher: An (Early) Evening With Gregor Fisher, where the Scottish stage and screen legend shares stories from his life and career; Madeleine Brettingham: Legend, the debut show from the So You Think You’re Funny? 2025 winner exploring myth, identity and growing up in a world of booze-soaked bad behaviour; and Rich Hall: Chin Music, a typically sharp, improvisational hour from the acclaimed comedian.
The Guilty Feminist, hosted by Deborah Frances-White, brings its Road to Gilead Project to the Fringe, alongside rising Scots comedy star Kim Blythe: Puzzle, following a sold-out 2025 run, and Smack The Pony’s Fiona Allen: White Lies, a sharply observed new show about social anxiety and human interaction.
New additions to the programme include Comedy Night at the Museum, a Gilded Balloon production bringing together top international comedians for a wholly improvised late-night show inspired by real artefacts from the National Museum of Scotland; Shane Daniel Byrne: Baby It’s Time, showcasing one of Ireland’s fastest-rising comedic voices; and Christian Dart: GUMSHOE!, a multi award-nominated, sell-out hit blending noir parody with high-energy character comedy.
Theatre highlights include SLAY, a darkly funny and unflinching exploration of trauma, therapy and modern coping mechanisms, andSilent Disco, an inventive, headphone-led experience blending psychology and music.
Further standout work includes HESS, Michael Burrell’s powerful and timely revival exploring the psychology of extremism and its lasting impact, and Broke & Fabulous in the 21st Century,a riotous, raunchy dramedy celebrating friendship, ambition and modern love.
Other theatre shows on sale today include Ostrich, a sharp look at modern dating and identity; Top Gunchained, a high-energy parody from the team behind Yippee Ki Yay; Boy in a Box, a confronting and urgent piece examining race and identity in America; and Waiting For Wonka, a darkly comic reimagining of childhood nostalgia.
Themed shows bring a mix of interactive and late-night entertainment, includingThe Thinking Drinkers’ Great British Pub Ride, an epic, drink-fuelled journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats; Dreamgun Film Reads, where comedians perform unrehearsed parody versions of classic films; and Not Another Quiz Night, a high-energy, chaotic late-night favourite.
Cabaret and variety sees Fake, a critically acclaimed blend of magic, storytelling and illusion from Chris Cook that explores truth, deception and identity; EIGHT: The One (Wo)Man Drag King Musical Parody, a high-energy, genre-bending musical comedy reimagining Henry VIII through drag, parody and pop and Fungasm: Save or Smash offers up bold, interactive performance.
Also featured is Charlene Kaye: Diversity Shredder, introducing audiences to the unhinged, razor-sharp world of Charlene Kaye — guitar god, internet legend and “breakout comedy star” (Rolling Stone), alongside Siobhan Wilson: Flowercore, an immersive performance celebrating Scotland’s wildflowers through music and visual art.
Children’s and family shows include Max Fulham’s Monkey Business, a lively, family-friendly mix of puppetry, sketches and slapstick comedy andMama G: The Magic Bookmark comes to Teviot. “Everyone’s favourite pantomime dame!” (Metro) and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Mama G discovers the magic of books and the power of being yourself in this hilarious award-winning panto adventure for the whole family!
Bring Yer Bairn Comedy is the adult comedy show where you can bring yer bairn! A selection of our favourite comics from the Scottish scene and beyond, performing to parents, carers and bairns under 15 months old! The perfect morning show!
All shows will take place across Gilded Balloon’s four venues this August, including the welcome return to Teviot, alongside Patter House and Gilded Balloon at the Museum, as well as the newly added Gilded Saloon, GB’s year-round pub and live venue.
It’s set to be a very pink summer!
Further programme announcements will follow in the coming months. For full listings visit www.gildedballoon.co.uk or follow @gildedballoon.
Gilded Balloon is one of Scotland’s leading and best-loved entertainment producers, presenting a cross-genre programme annually at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and touring productions across the UK throughout the year.
Curated and directed by Cora Bissett and Hannah Lavery
With visuals by Lucas Chi-Peng Kao
A one-night-only response to the times we are living through, presented by a host of leading Scottish artistic talent from the fields of theatre, music, poetry, comedy and dance.
On 1 May at Edinburgh Central Hall at 7pm.
Featuring Comedy:Sanjeev Kohli (Still Game) / Tia Rey; Music: Dala by Heir of the Cursed performed by Djana Gabrielle / Cora Bissett, Kathryn Joseph and Joan Clevillé & Kassichana Okene-Jameson of Scottish Dance Theatre/ Kitti / Loud and Proud Choir / Soapbox / Declan Welsh; Poetry: Shasta Hanif Ali / William Letford / Michael Mullen; Theatre & Dance; An artistic response to Talat Yaqoob’s International Women’s Day Speech (2026) – led by Janice Parker / Apphia Campbell / Reuben Joseph / Hannah Lavery / Uma Nada-Rajah / Sara Shaarawi / Dawn Sievewright performing It’s No a Weans Choice
Live band: Isaac Savage (keyboards/vocals) / Adam Scott (bass) / Djana Gabrielle (guitar/vocals) / Signy Jacobsdottir (drums and percussion) / MJ McCarthy (musical direction)
Two of Scotland’s leading artists and theatre-makers, Hannah Lavery and Cora Bissett, join forces to create an urgent multi‐form evening of theatre, music, poetry, comedy, film, dance and collaborative performance at Central Hall, Edinburgh, on 1 May.
Created as a rapid-response theatre project, in direct response to the turbulent social and political climate, they have curated and gathered together a constellation of Scottish artists for a one-night-only flare of short, urgent performances and interventions.
Through new work, unique collaborations and community voices, Mayday meets the “dark times” we are living through with wit, defiance, tenderness and imagination. This collective response honours the theatrical space as a place where audiences can think together, dream together and begin to imagine the futures we are still reaching for.
Co-curators/co-directors Hannah Lavery and Cora Bissett said: “Given the times we are living in—where division is being fuelled by dangerous and deliberately misinformed rhetoric— we feel deeply and personally connected to this Rapid Response Project.
“We are living through an age of fear: extreme racism and anti-migrant sentiment are being normalised, human rights attacked at every level, climate injustice accelerating, and ordinary people struggling to meet even basic needs.
“We’re thrilled to curate an event that will bring together bold, fierce, insightful and creatively galvanising voices from across Scotland – an urgent celebration of our shared humanity that challenges the rising tide of hate, calls upon solidarity, inspires change and imagines a more compassionate future.”
Highlights include:
Original short sharp plays from playwrights Apphia Campbell(The Official Version), Hannah Lavery (Patriotic Renewal), Uma Nada-Rajah (The Proposal) and Sara Shaarawi (Pandora’s Box)
Sanjeev Kohli delivers a short sketch on the cultural impact of his character Navid from Still Game
Live music from Declan Welsh, Soapbox and Djana Gabrielle, who honours Beldina Odenyo’s (Heir of the Cursed) Dala with a powerful, intimate performance that moves between vulnerability and defiance.
Cross-artform collaborations including Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award winner Kathryn Joseph’s powerful new collaboration with dancer Kassichana Okene-Jameson, visuals by Lucas Chi-Peng Kao, choreography by Joan Clevillé, and direction by Cora Bissett. Joseph’s haunting, fragile songs intertwine with movement in a visceral fusion of music and dance. Created in collaboration with Scottish Dance Theatre.
Collaborations between professional artists and community groups:
An Artistic Response to Talat Yaqoob’s International Women’s Day Speech, Edinburgh, March 2026 led by award-winning choreographer and dance maker Janice Parker.
Loud and Proud Choir
Dawn Sievewright (Wild Rose) performs No a Weans Choice, the defiant rallying cry from the Glasgow Girls stage show, composed by Cora Bissett
Reuben Joseph (Orphans – NTS, Hamilton the Musical) performs a new version of Robert Burns’ A Man’s a Man.
Listings information
Friday 1 May 2026, Central Halls, Edinburgh, 7pm (doors from 6.30pm)
Ten young people (aged 14-18) have taken part in a six-month course with Tinderbox Collective and North Edinburgh Community Festival to learn how to organise a festival.
The course, Festival Futures, culminates this weekend (Saturday 28th March) in West Pilton for the launch event for North Edinburgh Community Festival.
The launch event will feature live music from local performers, a games hub, food stalls, community stalls and sports activities.
Local young people are behind the organisation of the launch event for North Edinburgh Community Festival, taking place in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre tomorrow (Saturday 28th March) from 12-2pm.
Festival Futures, a six-month project between Tinderbox Collective and North Edinburgh Community Festival, has allowed ten young people from North Edinburgh to get hands-on experience, workshops and work experience on how to run a live event. This festival launch is the culmination of their work and has given the young people the chance to step behind the scenes and learn how a real community festival comes to life.
The launch event will host live music from local young performers who have been honing their skills and shaping their sound in youth clubs and community spaces delivered by Tinderbox Collective and Granton Youth, including Lotas, Georgia Amery, Abraham Olivier, and Leon Highway.
There will be community stalls from local organisations including Granton Baptist Church, Spartans, Childrens’ Holiday Venture, Project Esperanza and more, as well as sports activities and food stalls. Tinderbox Games Club will also be hosting an escape room they have designed, letting people try out computer games they have designed over the last year.
This weekend’s event marks the launch of the programme for the 2026 North Edinburgh Community Festival, which will take place on 16th May.
Returning for its fifth edition, the much-loved festival continues its mission as a family friendly fun day out for all the residents in North Edinburgh, and a vital community anchor which brings people together, strengthens local pride, and connects thousands with essential services and opportunities.
During the festival itself, Tinderbox Collective will be producing and running the Main Stage, which brings together choirs, youth bands and community performers from across North Edinburgh.
The North Edinburgh Community Choir – a vibrant group of around 100 singers from Pirniehall, St David’s Craigroyston and Forthview Primary Schools and Craigroyston High School – will return to perform, and Tinderbox’s Tuesday Music Club band – made of up thirty young people from across North Edinburgh – will also take to the stage with original tunes and reimagined covers they’ve been developing together.
Tinderbox Collective will also join forces with Granton Youth to produce the North by North West stage which will feature emerging young musicians and new talent still to be announced.
Adele Conn, Festival Director of North Edinburgh Community Festival, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the young people in our Festival Futures programme; their creativity, commitment, and professionalism over the last six months have been nothing short of inspiring.
“Seeing them lead today’s launch with such confidence and pride is a real joy, and they should each feel immensely proud of what they’ve achieved.”
The North Edinburgh Community Festival launch takes place tomorrow – Saturday 28th March, from 12 – 2pm at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre and is free to attend.
The full festival will follow on Saturday 16th May 2026 at West Pilton Park and the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.
Tinderbox Orchestra are set to release their new spoken word EP Outwith Words on Wednesday 25th March 2026. The live EP, which was launched during a co-production with Edinburgh Hogmanay’s First Footin’ Festival, features distinctive collaborations from some of Scotland’s most exciting spoken word artists.
Outwith Words consists of four tracks created with collaborators including poet Hannah McCooke, writer, theatre-maker and performance poet RJ Hunter, and spoken word poet, actor and rapper Ace V!s!on. The connecting theme throughout the collection is of community, connection, and activism.
The EPis the culmination of the Orchestra’s work over the last few years, touring libraries across the UK and Ireland and championing the ‘We Make Music’ Instrument Libraries initiative – an initiative to get musical instruments into public libraries across Scotland.
A partnership between Tinderbox Collective, Music Partnership Education Group, and Edinburgh Libraries, the project now operates in ten local authorities and 30 community libraries across the country – resulting in thousands of people having borrowed instruments.
The project collects donated instruments, restores them, and makes them available to anyone – free of charge – so you can borrow them just like a book.
Bringing together rappers and singers with soaring strings, heavy brass, woodwind and thundering bass and drums, Tinderbox transforms preconceptions of what an orchestra can be.
Over the last few years they have performed at major festivals, events and venues including; Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall (Celtic Connections), Latitude Festival (BBC Introducing Stage), Fuse Festival (London), Hidden Door Festival, Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe by the Sea.
They have also produced multiple sell-out shows at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and have toured across the UK and Ireland.
Claire Docherty, Orchestra Manager, said: “Outwith Words” is the culmination of Tinderbox Orchestra’s work over the last few years, touring libraries across the UK and Ireland and championing the ‘We Make Music’ Instrument Libraries initiative, which now operates in nearly 30 libraries across Scotland.
“This EP features distinctive collaborations with Hannah McCooke, RJ Hunter and Ace V!s!on, with Hannah’s piece telling the story of the Instrument Libraries project.
“Made up of live recordings from our Edinburgh Fringe shows at Edinburgh Central Library — where the project began through a joint effort between Tinderbox Collective and Edinburgh Library Service — this EP celebrates how far the initiative has grown since starting in Edinburgh.”
RJ Hunter, collaborator, said: “It’s a true honour to work with Tinderbox Orchestra every single time and to have this piece immortalised is beyond exciting.
“War Cry is an original track made in collaboration with the orchestra during the Outwith Words project, a piece about using your voice for your community and for others that need it most, written from a trans perspective.”
Ace V!s!on, collaborator, said: “Only Lovers, Guilt Survives is what I call a piece of uplifting melancholy. The title of the piece came from two poems written prior, contextually in a moment of grief at the loss of a loved one.
“To me, the ‘Only Lovers’ section stands out for its actually quite simple but necessary repeated statement, an almost gruelling reminder of the importance of love not just in a romantic sense but as a fundamental human component for relationality, for care and understanding and perseverance in the face of adversity.
“This sets up the transition into ‘Guilt Survives’ a piece that reflects on the loss of said love and the vulnerability required to hold such tenderness especially when it hurts, touching on themes of mental health & loneliness.”
Outwith Words will be released on streaming platforms on Wednesday 25th March.
A pupil at an Edinburgh school has designed an eco-friendly guitar that can switch between acoustic and electric sounds, allowing musicians to change tone without needing multiple instruments.
The design uses interchangeable components to alter the guitar’s sound, removing the need to buy multiple instruments and helping reduce material waste.
Chester, aged 19, from Edinburgh, began developing the idea after noticing how expensive it can be for musicians to own several guitars to achieve different sounds.
He designed a single instrument capable of producing multiple tones while also using more sustainable materials, including FSC-certified wood and water-based finishes. The design also allows parts to be repaired or replaced rather than the whole instrument being discarded, helping reduce waste.
Chester said:“The guitar’s most unique feature is a removable modular block which houses all of the electronics and pickups. Different pickups create different tones, which is why musicians often need several guitars to achieve particular sounds.
“With this design, guitarists can swap components and customise the sound of the instrument, even mid-performance.”
Working on the prototype for more than a year, he experimented with a range of materials, from traditional timber to experimental resin, before refining the final design. The result is a fully functioning guitar that can be adapted for different styles of music.
Florence Chapman, Head of Faculty for Technologies and Creative Arts and Design Technology teacher at Merchiston Castle School, said:“This is a brilliant example of how the disciplines within STEM can work together to complement one another in producing a single creative outcome.
“Chester has used knowledge from subjects like maths and physics alongside design and music to create something genuinely innovative. Projects like this show how pupils can take an idea, test it, refine it and turn it into something real.”
Music lover Chester added:“I’ve played guitar for about six years and realised that musicians often need several guitars to achieve different sounds, which can be really expensive.
“I wanted to see if it was possible to create one instrument that could produce the sound of many guitars while also being more sustainable. It took a lot of trial and error, but seeing the final guitar working has been incredibly rewarding.”
The guitar has already been tested by fellow pupils and teachers performing classic rock tracks in the school’s music department.
Chester added:“I play in a band with my friends at Merchiston called Sleet. We play 80s and 90s rock music, including Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It would be amazing to see John Frusciante play this guitar one day.”
Chester, a senior prefect at the school with a strong interest in both STEM and design, plans to study Design Engineering at university.
He hopes to continue exploring the intersection between design, engineering and music in the future.
To learn more about Merchiston Castle School, please visit:
One of Scotland’s most treasured cultural icons, Eddi Reader, is taking her unmatched musical magic to stages across the country for a ‘perfect’ spring tour this April.
Eddi will be hitting the road once again to play venues across her much-loved home nation, visiting Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh on Sunday 19 April 2026.
For well over four decades, Eddi Reader has had the ability to silence a room with a single note, harnessing insightful storytelling and raw emotion.
Edinburgh audiences can expect to hear show-stopping material from her vast back catalogue, from soul-stirring pop to traditional Scottish ballads, and experience Eddi’s unique charm and on-stage chatter.
Glasgow-born Eddi first captivated the world as the frontwoman of Fairground Attraction in the late 80s, storming the charts with the debut album First of a Million Kisses, and the iconic single Perfect, which topped charts in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The track, which earned Eddi a Brit Award, remains a timeless pop anthem.
The years that followed brought 10 critically acclaimed solo albums, including a stunning interpretation of the songs of Robert Burns. Her four-decade long career has seen her hone an effortless musicianship that moves effortlessly between pop, folk, jazz and traditional works and influences.
Her contribution to Scottish culture has been recognised through the award of an MBE and five honorary degrees. In 2022 Eddi celebrated 40 years in music and this latest run of Scottish appearances will follow on from a huge Irish tour.
Eddi Reader said:“Each time I return to perform on stages at home, it feels like an important moment of connection – that sparkle from being in front of Scottish audiences never dulls!
“Queen’s Hall has a little piece of my heart and I can’t wait to be back in Edinburgh sharing songs and stories with you all this April.”
Eddi will be joined on the road by Hawick-based artist and folk musician Miwa Nagato-Apthorp.
Eddi Reader plays Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh on Sunday 19 April 2026 as part of her spring Scottish tour. For tickets visit https://eddireader.co.uk/gigs.
Mission of Innocents has opened a new Creative Arts Centre at Ocean Terminal in Leith, offering a safe, welcoming space where resettled children and families can come together, express themselves and begin to thrive through creativity.
The centre will be home to Mission of Innocents’ programmes using art, music, movement and storytelling to help children and families who have lived through war, displacement and crisis feel safe again, build confidence and reconnect with childhood.
Last night’s opening was marked by a special event attended by Deputy Lord Provost Lezley Marion Cameron, alongside members of the High Constables of Leith and the Consular Corps. The evening included the unveiling of a commemorative installation and a performance by children supported by Mission of Innocents.
Mission of Innocents was founded in 2022 by Joyce Landry, whose company, Landry & Kling, managed two ships brought to Scotland to accommodate Ukrainian families fleeing conflict. Witnessing first-hand the profound impact that war and resettlement were having on children far from home, Joyce was moved to act.
What began as a small, urgent response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis has since grown into a mission supporting children and families from many different cultures and backgrounds affected by conflict, climate disasters and political crises, including families from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Sudan.
The new centre gives the charity a permanent base in Scotland, allowing it to support more children over a longer period of time, with free classes and programmes running throughout the week.
Among the young people supported by Mission of Innocents is Dmytro Miskova, who arrived in Scotland after fleeing Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Dmytro’s first home in Scotland was onboard the MS Victoria, docked in Govan, where hundreds of Ukrainian families were temporarily housed. Arriving frightened and unsure of what the future would hold, he struggled with the uncertainty of starting again in a new country.
It was through a poetry performance organised for families onboard that Dmytro first connected with Mission of Innocents. The experience became a turning point, helping him rediscover confidence and a sense of identity beyond his circumstances.
Now living in Coatbridge and attending secondary school, Dmytro is thriving and hopes to pursue a career in aircraft engineering. His journey reflects the wider impact of Mission of Innocents’ work, creating safe spaces where children who have experienced resettlement can rebuild confidence, form friendships and begin to look forward again.
Joyce Landry, Founder and CEO of Mission of Innocents, said: “Mission of Innocents started because I saw children who had lost their sense of safety, routine and joy. They had been through things no child should experience, and there was very little support focused on how they were feeling.
“Through simple creative activities, we began to see changes, children opening up, making friends, laughing and smiling again.
“What began with Ukrainian families has grown to support children from many different backgrounds, all carrying their own stories. This centre gives us a place where children and families can feel safe, be themselves and begin to thrive, and that means everything to us.”
Nataliia Pidruchna, Director of Children’s Programmes at Mission of Innocents, said: “Creative arts give children a way to express feelings they don’t yet have words for. Through art, music and movement, we see confidence grow, friendships form and smiles return.
“I’ve worked with children in Ukraine and here in Scotland for years, and I’ve never seen anything break down barriers in the way creativity does. One little girl I worked with barely spoke at all, she had become completely silent. Over time, through dance and movement, she slowly began to find her voice again.
“It’s for children like her that we do this work. This centre will be a place where children feel welcome, supported and free to be themselves, and where families who’ve been through incredibly hard times can begin to thrive together.”
Since 2022, Mission of Innocents programmes have reached over 800 resettled children, providing vital support across Scotland and beyond, with clear improvements seen in confidence, wellbeing and social connection.
***CASE STUDIES***
For many children, the journey with Mission of Innocents began onboard the MS Victoria and the MS Ambition, and continues today on land in Edinburgh and across Scotland – a journey from fear and upheaval to belonging, rebuilt through creativity.
These are children who fled war, left behind homes, loved ones and familiar routines, arrived in a new country without the language, and began again in temporary accommodation. Through art, music, movement and performance, they have found ways to process trauma, rediscover their voices and rebuild confidence.
The stories below show how young people have moved from receiving support to leading, performing and contributing – strengthening wellbeing, restoring cultural identity and forming lasting community connections:
Dmytro Miskova
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, millions of families fled their homes almost overnight. One of them was Dmytro Miskova, then just a schoolboy whose world revolved around theatre rehearsals, poetry clubs and years of dedicated taekwondo training.
Within weeks, everything he knew had gone. Forced to leave his home, his friends and the life he’d built, Dmytro arrived in Scotland not knowing what would happen next. He spoke some English, but he didn’t know a single person. He was scared but he was also quietly determined to make the most of this unexpected new chapter.
His first home in Scotland wasn’t a house or a flat, it was the MS Ambition I, the large cruise ship docked in Govan, Glasgow, which temporarily housed hundreds of Ukrainian families arriving in the UK. It was there, surrounded by other resettled families all trying to adjust to a new reality, that Dmytro first came across Mission of Innocents.
At the time, Dmytro was just 10-years old. He arrived in Scotland with his mum, Mariia, leaving behind a family in Ukraine.
Life on the ship was safe, but it was uncertain and everyone was adjusting. Everyone was waiting to find out what came next. Not long after arriving, Dmytro signed up to take part in a poetry performance organised for families onboard. He has been engaged with poetry since around the age of six or seven, reciting and performing in Ukraine, and has continued to develop this talent and interest in Scotland. Standing up in front of a room full of strangers in a new country, speaking in a different language, felt completely different to Dmytro. He was nervous, but he did it anyway.
That moment, on a ship docked in Leith, far from home, changed everything. Through Mission of Innocents, Dmytro began getting involved in theatre sessions, creative workshops and volunteering opportunities. It wasn’t just about keeping busy for him, it was about rebuilding confidence, feeling seen and being known for his talent and not just his circumstances.
Slowly, he found his feet, like many other children on the ship. He made friends with other young people he had first met on the ship – friendships that have lasted well beyond those early days, and he embraced life in Scotland.
Now 14 years-old, and living in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Dmytro is in his third year at Coatbridge High School. He’s settled, focused and ambitious for his future.
His dream is to become an aircraft engineer, inspired by a lifelong fascination with aviation and how planes work. He is determined to build a future here, not just for himself, but to give back to the country that gave him safety when he needed it most.
From a frightened young person arriving in an unfamiliar country to a confident young man with big plans for the future, Dmytro’s story shows what can happen when resettled children are given the right support, creative outlets and belief.
Mariana Aleksandrova
Mariana was 13-years-old when she joined Mission of Innocents onboard the ship, having taken on caring responsibilities for her younger sister during a period of upheaval.
When invited to join the Harmony Choir, she said simply, “I love to sing.”
She is now a soloist and event host at major performances, a powerful example of how creativity can help a young person rediscover confidence and identity.
Nadiia
Arriving in Scotland at 17-years-old with a strong musical background, Nadiia’s artistic journey was disrupted by displacement.
Through fundraising support, Mission of Innocents helped secure her traditional Ukrainian instrument, the Tsymbaly, enabling her to perform again.
She now contributes live music to community and cultural events, restoring both her artistic identity and cultural continuity.
Platon
Platon joined the programme aged seven while living onboard the accommodation ship. Initially a participant in arts sessions, he began proposing ideas and, with staff support, leading short creative workshops himself.
Today, he mentors peers in craft activities, demonstrating early leadership, creative confidence and a progression from participant to co-creator.
Diana
Diana, a trained ballroom dancer, joined the programme in 2023 and established new dance and cheerleading groups for teenage girls, later expanding sessions to younger children and mothers. Her work has strengthened peer networks, supported wellbeing and created sustainable, community-led activity beyond the initial resettlement phase.
Daniil Yudin
Daniil, a talented young performer with an operatic voice, has returned to the stage and resumed playing piano through Mission of Innocents, continuing to build his musical future in a new country.
Lena and Vika Chernovy
Twin sisters Lena and Vika were 10-years-old when they joined the programme after arriving in Edinburgh. They discovered a passion for dance through groups including Flowers of Ukraine and MyWay. Today, they perform at a high level and hope to pursue dance professionally.
Kateryna
Kateryna was five-years-old when her family relocated to Edinburgh. Now nine-years-old, she is active in the Harmony Choir, dance groups and creative workshops. Her mother says she has grown into a confident child with strong friendships and a renewed sense of joy.
To learn more about Mission of Innocents, please visit:
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