Tinderbox Collective and Granton Youth new launch youth-powered festival, showcasing the city’s most exciting emerging artists at The Pitt Granton on World Music Day.
The Tinderbox Collective and Granton Youth come together to ignite Granton with the NxNW All-Dayer at The Pitt – a festival-style celebration of Edinburgh’s thriving youth music scene.
Taking place on World Music Day, 21st June 2025, this packed one-day event will showcase nine exceptional young acts, all aged between 15-21, across indie rock, folk, alt-pop and more, all united by their development through Tinderbox and Granton Youth’s transformative Mixtape programme.
Following multiple sold-out NxNW nights at Leith Depot and The Mash House, this All-Dayer version expands the format to meet overwhelming demand, offering both established followers and new audiences the chance to discover Scotland’s most exciting emerging artists in one electrifying location.
The Lineup: A Showcase of Edinburgh’s Rising Stars
The lineup features an electrifying mix of emerging talent, each with their own unique story. Kicking off the day at 3:15 PM is Kieran Crosbie, a singer-songwriter whose journey into music began through Tinderbox’s hospital outreach programme. Later in the day, The Citrines take the stage, led by 16-year-old Abi, whose band are fast becoming a staple of Edinburgh’s grassroots scene.
The evening crescendos with two acts fresh from Hit The Road, Scotland’s national youth music tour: Ace & All The Other Animals and Low Tide, whose recent tour together has cemented their reputation as ones to watch. Edinburgh-born singer songwriter Lewis McLaughlin and psychedelic pop duo Logan’s Close also join the bill in support of the day.
The lineup for the day spans alt-rock to intimate folk, with the following performances:
For some, like Kieran, getting involved with Tinderbox has been hugely impactful, offering opportunities they would not have found elsewhere: “I started playing guitar at 12 years old and got involved with Tinderbox through my guitar teacher.
“From that I joined Tinderbox’s ‘Sparks’ project and played at Dynamic Earth performing a collaborative piece of music we had been working on.
“I’m really looking forward to playing the NxNW All Dayer because its such a nice venue and the atmosphere at NxNW is always amazing!”
For others, like The Citrines, working with Tinderbox has provided the launchpad for their first major gigs and recordings.
Reflecting on her experience with Tinderbox, Lead singer of The Citrines, Abi said: “The first gig we played that I was really properly proud of was the NxNW at the Mash House last year.
“I was buzzing when I got off that stage. It’s helped us branch out, meet other musicians, and build our confidence performing.
Discussing the Pitt All Dayer further, Abi added: “This line-up is amazing – rock music, folk music, rap – and so many talented people I know through Mixtape and Tinderbox. It’s going to be such a good day in such a cool venue.”
The event builds on the growing success of Tinderbox’s NxNW (North by Northwest) series, a community-rooted platform for young artists that champions creativity, collaboration and the power of live performance.
The NxNW All Dayer is a rare chance to experience the future of Scottish music in its rawest, most exciting form.
Dance Base and Assembly announce 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Programme
31 July – 24 August, Edinburgh
Dance Base Festival 2025 in partnership with Assembly Festival will present the landmark venue’s 24th Festival programme, welcoming dance companies from across the globe to Edinburgh, as well as showcasing Scottish talent.
Prepare to be moved by movement at Dance Base this summer, as Scotland’s National Centre for Dance announces its 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Programme.
Delivered in partnership with Assembly Festival, a collaboration now in its third year, the 2025 programme will present 29 shows from 13 countries, forging connections and new narratives in the home of dance at the Fringe.
As well as continuing to celebrate and nurture Scottish artists, including Tess Letham and Malcolm Sutherland, Dance Base is yet again set to become a microcosm of international culture this summer.
2025’s diverse, multi-genre programme explores connection in its many forms; to home, across cultures, self-identity, nationality, history and technology – with Isaiah Wilson’s pioneering work score pushing physicality to the limit with the latter.
The programme brings choreographers from leading European companies in Luxembourg and Denmark together with artists from as far afield as Brazil, Hong Kong and the USA.
This summer’s Festival also strengthens relationships between year-round dance organisations in Scotland, providing a platform for the likes of award-winning youth dancers YDance and contemporary company Barrowland Ballet.
Fringe Fragments returns for its second year with a flavour of fresh tour-ready works set to take flight around the globe. This is complemented by showcases including Made in Scotland, Hong Kong Showcase, Kultur LX, Basque Showcase, Here & Now, São Paulo Showcase, Taiwan Season, #DANISH and Culture Ireland.
Artistic Director of Dance Base, Tony Mills said: “This year’s programme presents the variety, diversity and complexity of dance that exists both right here in Scotland and around the world.
“Witness late-night curiosities and concerts. Calls to action and invitations to reflect. Find that age is only a number and that any body can dance. In short – we invite our audiences to be moved by movement.
“It is a privilege to be able to curate, host and share so many different perspectives under one roof, celebrating dance and its unique ability to move you through feeling, imagination and action.
“We can’t wait to share our programme with the world this August.”
William Burdett-Coutts of Assembly Festival affirmed: “We are delighted to be working again with Dance Base, which is such an important flagship for the wonderful, varied world of Dance.
“The range of work on offer is inspirational and a hugely important part of the festival that is the Fringe. As part of the wider dance programme, look out for Barrowland Ballet’s second Assembly Festival offering Chunky Jewellery at the Assembly Rooms. For our audiences, have fun with this feast”.
Programme Highlights
Celebrating their 10th anniversary year in 2025, PRIME, Dance Base’s in-house company for over 60s, presents PRIME at 10(1 – 3 August).
They will showcase new commissions by Robbie Synge, alongside a revival of sections of Steinvör Palsson’s Carry on Dancing which premiered in 2016. PRIME will once again be teaming up with Lothian Youth Dance Company (LYDC), Dance Base’s in-house company for young dancers, for a double-bill performance DOUBLE TAKE (5 – 10 August) which showcases new works from both companies including Dance Base’s own Artistic Director Tony Mills.
Another intriguing collaboration to catch is Evolution (5 – 10 August), a celebration of dance that unites Scotland and Estonia’s next generation of talent. Presented by YDance, this international collaboration features the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland, Estonia’s ETA Kompanii, and the 2025 Project Y Evolution Company. Don’t miss this vibrant fusion of movement and culture in an unforgettable performance of innovation, energy, and global collaboration.
Following a successful limited run at the 2024 Festival, Christine Thynne, aged 82, and Robbie Synge return to Dance Base this August to present These Mechanisms (1 – 20 August), as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase. These Mechanisms is a performance of persistence and joy, celebrating the beautiful functions and limits of a human body and the desire to make things happen. Proving, once again, that age can neither limit nor defy us.
Also crossing generational divides is Wee Man (5 – 17 August) by Barrowland Ballet, created by the company’s award-winning choreographer Natasha Gilmore. A highly physical and dynamic dance-theatre performance by an all male cast of men and teenagers, this candid and compelling work explores the shifting, and unshifting, rules of masculinity across the ages. Inspired by Gilmore’s experience of being a mother of teenage boys, it combines raw movement with evocative sound by Luke Sutherland and poetry by Kevin P Gilday, to unpack the ‘rulebook’ of accepted male behaviour, from the seemingly benign to the dangerous.
A frequent collaborator with Dance Base, Edinburgh-based artist Tess Letham returns to the Fringe with the World Premiere of What ever happened to Harmony Banks? (5 – 10 August). Tracing her story from media darling to public downfall, this playful and poignant new show portrays the rise and fall of a fictional icon, Harmony Banks, through a vibrant blend of dance-theatre and live documentary. In a similar vein, Norwegian company, 71BODIES’, NORMAL ∞ (31 July – 3 August), is an interdisciplinary production merging dance, storytelling and film. NORMAL∞ is about people, bodies and stories that do not belong to mainstream society.
Also fusing text with movement and situational absurdity, Malcolm Sutherland’s evocative work Solitude Without Loneliness (2 – 10 August) delves into the, often misunderstood, distinction between solitude and loneliness. Meanwhile, Lithuanian artist Vilma Pitrinaite presents similar themes in When you’re alone in your forest always remember you’re not alone (31 July – 10 August). This solo performance is a raw cry against the brutality of our times. With indignant voices rising one after another, fragmented movements evolve into a ritual against helplessness.
In an increasingly tech-driven world, Isaiah Wilson’s thought-provoking piece, score (12 – 24 August) examines the relationship between the human body and technology, questioning how advancements meant to simplify life may disconnect us from free will and cognitive abilities. Using electric muscle stimulation (EMS), three performers’ muscles are involuntarily activated, allowing choreography to be driven by computational code.
Set against a backdrop of flowing white sheets, dancers move through ever-changing spaces, exploring new states of being and new homes in Kathryn Gordon: A Journey of Flight (12 – 17 August). Created in Shetland, this visually stunning piece, inspired by the migration of birds, invites audiences to reflect on the delicate balance between nature, movement and our emotional ties to place and each other. Meanwhile, playful and poetic Fields (Extract) by In the Fields Project (5 – 24 August), draws the audience into a textured landscape of stone, where patterns of dwelling are made and unmade, shaped by land, time and human hands. Supported by Dance Base, City Moves, and Tramway.
Exploring the power of nature, caring for ourselves, and reconnecting with the body, through warm temperatures (12 – 24 August) – Mele Broomes’ latest work, affirms castor oil’s legacy as a natural remedy, an elixir, and a historic source that transcends boundaries. Presented as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase, Mele Broomes’ choreography and vocals combine with Simone Seales’ live cello and electronic soundscapes, as performers shift between solos, duos and collective movements; building towards a place of warmth, self-acceptance, release and renewal.
Fresh from his recent residency at Dance Base, Mark Bleakley’s Stepping in… Spilling out… (12 – 17 August), a collaboration with French percussionist Rémy Gouffault, takes a walk back through Mark’s personal history of dance practice. A stroll through the foundational act of stepping; the different people, communities, histories, places and politics that Mark encounters through these movements. Presented as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase.
The merging of cultures and ancient traditions with contemporary innovation is also showcased in Dance Ihayami’s Dansa Rickshaw’s (31 July – 10 August), which invites audiences to experience the universal language of movement and music. Choreographer Priya Shrikumar’s artistry reflects her dual heritage creating a dialogue between cultures in this vibrant performance which weaves Bharatanatyam’s intricate footwork and expressive storytelling with the soul-stirring melodies of bagpipes and the lively pulse of traditional reels.
Energetic movement inspired by music is further exemplified in Blue Violin’s Candlelight: Classic Rock in the Round (31 July – 24 August), a realm in which candlelight dances with defiance. Among 1,000 flames, Blue Violin shatters musical boundaries, breathing fierce new life into rock’s greatest anthems.
Watch as contemporary dancers emerge from shadows and smoke, their movements painting emotional landscapes through AC/DC’s Thunderstruck and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird.
Wakati is a Swahili word for time. Shelmith Øseth’s Wakati (31 July – 3 August) explores how past, present, and future affect the development of a culture and the life of a human. By using her own experience of immigrating to Norway from Kenya, Shelmith examines the expectations, ideas and limits that come with being an immigrant and multicultural in Norway.
Presented as part of #DANISH, AVIAJA Dance’s Soil (1 – 17 August) is a powerful dance performance about identity, language, and belonging. Through movement and the rhythms of the Greenlandic language it explores how we connect to culture – without words, across borders, and beyond expectations.
This August, Dance Base is set to welcome two performances as part of the Basque Showcase. Created by DAB Company, NOEUD (19 – 24 August) is a proposal, in which we delve into the working methodologies shared by Eduardo Chillida and Cristobal Balenciaga.
The creation of spaces and curvilinear figures are the concepts of both artists that guide the movement of their time towards freedom. Née (19 – 24 August), by Cielo rasO is a work that; moves us, gives roots to the human, caresses loneliness, stratifies loss, accompanies disillusionment, emancipates disenchantment, energises absence, fights for love, virtualises the nearby, sustains magic, frightens off demons, humanises the inanimate, returns from the dark, attacks the imagination, separates fears and puts them in order, crosses the air and strives.
Inspired by Romulus and Remus’ legend and the symbolic meaning of Rome’s city walls, Hani Dance’s Inlet (1 – 23 August) explores the significance of borders throughout history. Raising thought-provoking questions about walls and their timely relevance, Inlet examines their role as boundaries, fortifications and barriers that influence human interactions and perceptions. Presented as part of Kultur LX.
Presented as part of Hong Kong Soul, artists Blue Ka Wing, Justyne Li, and Panda Waack team up for a triple bill, each exploring different approaches to navigate conflict, similarity, vulnerability and beauty in Hong Kong Soul – Triple Bill (12 – 24 August). Blue Ka Wing’s re-do re-do questions; how can we create changes in repetitions, and can we find certain routines in a series of change?
Beautiful Chaos sees Panda Waack trying to anchor herself in different cultural and social contexts through exploring the beauty in disorder and confusion. Justyne Li’s Does My Body Represent My Whole Self is a work of exploration and whispered secrets, unfolding in a delicate collaboration with the choreographer.
Choreographer Hsieh Yi-Chun makes an impressive international debut with a brand-new ensemble dance about collective ritual and individual will in Chun Dance’s Taiwan Season: Trace of Belief (31 July – 24 August). Inspired by temple processions and childhood memories, her mesmerizing sextet uses a flow of dynamic movement to pose a key question: ‘What anchors our faith in an ever-changing world?’
Ireland’s dance theatre vanguards CoisCéim Dance Theatre are back in Edinburgh this Fringe with Co-Founder and Artistic Director, David Bolger’s latest hit, Dancehall Blues (12 – 24 August). Presented as part of Culture Ireland’s Edinburgh Showcase this August, the show captivated audiences and critics alike during its premiere at Dublin Fringe 2024. This bold, gripping, and unmissable duet unfolds in a surreal dancehall at dusk, blurring the lines between reality and imagination.
Part of the São Paulo Showcase, Brazilian company, São José dos Campos Dance Company present Voyeur/ Samba and Love (31 July – 24 August), a double-bill by choreographer Lili de Grammont, which explores vulnerability, control, tenderness and tension.
Voyeur opens the evening, inviting the audience into a charged, intimate space where private gestures unfold under the weight of being watched. Samba and Love closes with intensity – a visceral response to the burnout of modern life, where samba rhythms become a physical expression of exhaustion, desire, and resistance in a world that demands too much.
Also from Brazil, choreographer Alice Ripoll and dancer Hiltinho Fantástico present the premiere Puff (19 – 24 August). Puff explores disguise in African Diaspora dances, where silenced cultures, messages, and traditions are transmitted. Samba, capoeira, and passinho showcase speedy footwork and body dissociation, creating illusions that suggest something is being concealed. Presented as part of the São Paulo Showcase.
Two dancers specialized in acrobatics and floor technique have become tools of the classical artist’s genius, but inspiration is running low, and the choreography is not progressing in Kinetic Orchestra’s Bolero (12 – 23 August). The pressure is high, and emotions are heating up as they struggle to create something final. This duet is a combination of black comedy and skilled fast-paced dance, full of techniques from different acrobatic disciplines.
Presented as part of the Here & Now Showcase, SERAFINE1369’s IV (19 – 24 August) considers cycles, time, divination and decomposition. A quartet that fractures and unfolds from calm tranquillity into moments of blissed out dancing, four dancers engage in a detailed and expansive practice of constant movement, energetic tuning and impossible stillness. SERAFINE1369 is a dancer, choreographer and body-focused researcher. Cycles, time and haunting are recurring themes in their work.
Dance Base’s unique pitching platform showcaseFringe Fragments returns for the second year on 18 –19 August. Designed as both a public event and industry showcase, audiences can see excerpts from tour-ready performances from artists from Scotland and abroad.
Whether you’re an industry professional or simply a lover of dance, this is not one to be missed! This year’s showcase features a line-up of all-female creators from across the world including Luxembourg and Quebec.
The return of the showcase also affirms Dance Base’s commitment to working towards a more sustainable Festival for both artists and venues alike, helping to strengthen bonds and facilitate new connections.
Continuing Dance Base’s commitment to providing a home for Edinburgh’s thriving dance community throughout the Festival, the venue will also host a vibrant programme of public dance classes from 28 July – 24 August.
Members of Edinburgh’s professional and public dance communities can also dance alongside several artists from the programme including Kinetic Orchestra and Alice Ripoll Company in a series of Masterclasses running from 2 – 23 August.
The Return of Gordon to The Corstorphine Astoria Centre.
This time, Gordon will be joined on stage by his wife, professional singer Cherly Forbes, for a truly special evening!
For the very first time, the last remaining 2/4 Ingram in the world will be paired with a voice.
Enjoy an entertaining evening of music, Broadway hits, light hearted character songs and favourite melodies on instruments both conventional and less so…, as well as tales and reminiscences from two fascinating careers.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced they will be touring the Show The Heroes Who Made Us in Australia and New Zealand in 2026.
The dazzling spectacle, a key part of the Scottish events calendar, will be performed in Brisbane and Auckland in February next year, and will include performances by national military forces from Australia and New Zealand as well as from the UK.
2025 marks the 75th Anniversary of the organisation and these events further extend the international reach of the Tattoo that traditionally takes place on the stunning Edinburgh Castle Esplanade every August with a global cast.
The Shows will take place 12 and 14 February at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and in Auckland’s Eden Park, home of the All Blacks national rugby team, on 19 and 21 February. The Australian Defence Force will play a key role at the Brisbane Show, and the New Zealand Defence Force will do the same in Auckland.
The Shows will incorporate elements of this year’s Tattoo theme, The Heroes Who Made Us, spotlighting the individuals who have shaped and supported the iconic performances over the past 75 years. Top Secret Drum Corps will join the line-up, alongside other performer groups from New Zealand, Australia, the UK and from throughout the globe.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has previously travelled down under to delight audiences with performances in Wellington, Syndey and Melbourne in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2016 and most recently in 2019 at the ANZ Stadium in Syndey. This tour will be the first time the spectacular event has been performed to Brisbane and Auckland audiences.
While The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Show has been screened at more than 150 cinemas across Australia and New Zealand in recent years, in 2026 people across the countries have the opportunity to once again truly experience the iconic spectacle in person.
If down under is too far to travel, tickets for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2025 75th Anniversary Show at Edinburgh Castle Esplanade are available at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or by calling 0131 225 1188. For the Australia and New Zealand 2026 Show, tickets can be purchased tickets can be purchased from 21 May 2025 from Ticketek.
Jason Barrett, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing The Royal Edinburgh Military to Australia and New Zealand once again in 2026.
“Throughout the 75-year history, the Tattoo has proudly crossed oceans, continually reaching new audiences and connecting Tattoo fans in the unique Tattoo spirit. This upcoming tour will blend our Scottish traditions with the distinctive military heritage of Australia and New Zealand all set against the backdrop of two spectacular venues.
“We eagerly anticipate hosting new audiences and welcoming back Tattoo fans to witness a truly remarkable spectacle.”
Join us for an unforgettable evening of music with the incredibly talented Carla Coste -a renowned cellist who has performed as soloist and chamber musician at prestigious festivals across Europe, England and Asia.
On the day, Carla will be performing Suite numbers three and four by Johann Sebastian Bach, and a contemporary French piece by Graciane Finzi entitled “A strange Dream”
Don’t miss this chance to experience her captivating performance live at Stockbridge library on Wednesday 4th June at 6 pm!
Assembly Festival have today announced the expansion of the Edinburgh Food Festival, which takes place in George Square Gardens, to include live folk music.
The newly expanded Folk & Food Festival runs from 18 – 28 July and will include a host of delicious food and drinks from local traders, and a jam-packed programme of free and ticketed events and live folk music.
With performances from Duncan Chisholm, The Unthanks, The East Pointers and more, this is an exciting new addition to the Edinburgh festival scene.
On expanding the Folk & Food Festival, Assembly Festival Managing Director Dani Rae said; “We’re really excited for the Edinburgh Folk & Food Festival this year, having built an incredible programme of tasty treats over the years, it’s brilliant to add some of the best folk music in the business.
“We hope foodies and folkers come and join us for what is set to be our best one yet.”
On being part of the Folk & Food Festival, Duncan Chisholm said; ‘I am delighted to be a part of the Edinburgh Folk & Food Festival this year. The beautiful Spiegeltent Palais du Variété is an incredible venue, located in the heart of Edinburgh, at a time of year when everywhere in the city is buzzing.
“I will have a great band with me, performing on the opening night of the festival and we’re all looking forward to it very much.”
Tickets for the first Folk & Food Fest events are on sale 10am TODAY Friday 16 May at edfoodfest.com
Future faces of stage and screen will dazzle audiences with a live theatrical performance at The Traverse Theatre this month in Queen Margaret University’s Acting and Performance Showcase.
Produced at the end of every academic year, the showcase is an opportunity for family, friends, industry experts and the general public to witness the emerging and versatile talent of the BA (Hons) Acting and Performance graduating cohort at QMU, just before they step out into the working world of the creative industries.
This year’s showcase promises an imaginative and high-energy performance, featuring a diverse selection of scenes directed by Bruce Strachan, Lecturer in Acting and Performance at QMU.
It’s a true celebration of collaboration — a core value within QMU’s Performing Arts department. Students will work together to bring the production to life, from stage management and technical support to costume and wardrobe design.
Marion Scott, Programme Leader for Acting and Performance at QMU, said: “The Acting Showcase is always an exciting pinnacle that marks the end of the academic year – not just for our graduates, but for everyone who has supported their journey.
“For the Tuesday evening show on 29 April, our talented 3rd year students will be joining us to perform some devised pieces, followed by songs and some award presentations. After the interval, our 4th year students will present a selection of scenes and songs, interwoven with showreel-style monologue and duologue film clips displaying the versatility of their talents. These clips were produced by Roddy Walker— a QMU graduate who is now an award-winning documentary filmmaker and Company Director of RWP.media.
“What audiences will see is the result of rigorous practice, risk-taking, the honing of their craft and a genuine commitment to exploring what performance can be. It’s also a reminder of the importance of new voices and perspectives in the arts – and these students have plenty to say!”
The QMU Acting and Performance Showcase is also an invaluable opportunity to introduce the graduating cohort to the industry — particularly the agents, casting directors, and artistic directors invited to the show.
Marion continued: “For the Wednesday matinee on 30 April, we will be joined by an array of creative professionals. After the showcase, students will have the chance to network with these experts – a fantastic opportunity which could offer them a real springboard for their acting careers.
“We’re also delighted to be partnering once again with the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh — a perfect stage for our new emerging talent to take their first steps into the professional world.”
QMU’s BA (Hons) Acting and Performance Showcase will take place at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh on Tuesday 29 April at 7.30pm and Wednesday 30th April at 1.30pm.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness the bundles of creativity and acting prowess of tomorrow’s talent as they take centre stage in Scotland’s capital city.
The Aga Khan Music Programme (AKMP), one of the most extensive music preservation and education programmes in the world, and the Edinburgh International Festival will collaborate once again in 2025, presenting an inspiring programme that brings together fresh perspectives on devotional Quranic recitation; a groundbreaking melding of visual art, music, movement and improvisation; and a pioneering collaboration between Asian, Middle Eastern and European musicians.
Following its hugely popular series of concerts at the festival last year, audiences in Edinburgh once again have the rare opportunity to hear first-hand from some of the best musicians in the world.
The trio of distinctive performances reflect the fundamental cultural aims described by His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV: ‘To transcend old boundaries of time and place, reminding the world that every individual can respond to art and music, whether it emanates from a different culture or not. For, after all, art is a matter of humanity, just as much as it is a matter of identity.’
Tanzanian singer and composer Yahya Hussein Abdallah, winner of the 2022 Aga Khan Music Award, and Tunisian-born viola d’amore player Jasser Haj Youssef together weave a rich tapestry of meditative music with Sufi poetry and Eastern literature exploring faith, belief and spirituality. Inspired by the historic meeting between two legendary figures of the Arab musical tradition – Sheikh Mohammad Omran and the violinist Abdo Dagher – this interpretation offers listeners both a devotional experience and a healing ritual (19th August, The Hub).
Visual artist Tazeen Qayyum, accompanied by Aga Khan Master Musicians Feras Charestan (qanun) and Basel Rajoub (saxophone, duclar and percussion), presents a unique live performance titled بھی “here and now”. Tazeen Qayyum creates an intricate calligraphic drawing in real time, inspired by the expressive power of Urdu, Arabic and Farsi, with musical accompaniment blending Middle Eastern rhythms and jazz. This contemplative performance – which acts as a counterforce to the tragedies of our times – invites audiences to slow down, observe and reflect to find a state of harmony and mindfulness (21st August, The Hub).
Ancient traditions meet musical innovation as the Aga Khan Master Musicians join forces with two European musical visionaries, accordionist and vocalist Vincent Peirani and cellist Vincent Ségal. The Aga Khan Master Musicians – a collective of exceptional performers immersed in their individual traditions – include pipa pioneer and International Festival favourite Wu Man, Syrian-born saxophonist Basel Rajoub, qanun master Feras Charestan, and Turkish oud player Yurdal Tokan. This vibrant fusion of ideas and cultures promises a rich blend of sounds and traditions (22nd August, The Hub).
Fairouz Nishanova, Director of the Aga Khan Music Programme, said: “We are delighted to continue and extend our deep-rooted partnership with the Edinburgh International Festival, a rich relationship that is based on our shared values of connecting global audiences through the power of music, and thereby fostering cross-cultural understanding and broad social cohesion.
“We are particularly excited this year to be working with the Festival’s Discovery and Participation team, broadening our reach into Edinburgh’s own local communities and demonstrating our core values of education and enrichment.”
The AKMP and EIF’s Discovery and Participation team will join together for two significant projects during the 2025 Festival. A Culture Club, devised jointly by EIF and participants from the Edinburgh neighbourhood of Broomhouse, will welcome AKMP artists to the district for a performance, a shared meal and a conversation.
In addition, young musicians aged 8 to 18 who hold one of the Festival’s Young Musician’s Passes will be invited to talk and improvise informally to AKMP musicians and discover more about their traditions and their instruments following the performance on 22 August. Both of these projects encourage direct connections between visiting performers and members of the Edinburgh community, and embody the values of education and connection shared strongly by both organisations.
Since its founding in 2000, the Aga Khan Music Programme, part of the wider Aga Khan Development Network, exists to champion and preserve the diverse musical traditions in regions where Muslims have a significant presence, including Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and East Africa.
As well as bringing exceptional musicians to a global stage, the Music Programme also works within a network of schools and development centres to pass the baton to the next generation of young musicians learning the often ancient musical heritage of their community. The Music Programme is also the home of the Aga Khan Music Awards, founded by His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV in 2018 to recognise exceptional creativity, promise and enterprise in music across the world.
Nicola Benedetti, Edinburgh International Festival Festival Director said: “The Edinburgh International Festival is thrilled to welcome back the Aga Khan Music Programme, whose extraordinary musicians bring a rich tapestry of traditions to our stage.
“Their performances not only celebrate musical excellence but also foster cross-cultural dialogue, aligning perfectly with this year’s International Festival theme, The Truth We Seek. We can’t wait for audiences to experience these powerful and transformative performances in The Hub this August.”
Listings
19th August 2025, The Hub – Yahya Hussein Abdallah & Jasser Haj Youssef
21st August 2025, The Hub – Canvas of Sound with Tazeen Qayyum
22nd August 2025, The Hub – Master Musicians with Peirani and Segal.
Tickets for all three concerts go on sale on Thursday 27th March at www.eif.co.uk
Edinburgh International Festival’s 2025 programme offers opportunities to experience world-class artists in thought-provoking and unconventional ways – including an eight-hour choral extravaganza, a distinctive outdoor promedande dance piece and a circus infused opera. Audiences can also get involved in many Festival performances, from an outdoor mass-singlaong to interactive concerts where the audience chooses the repertoire.
The Truth We Seek is the timely theme underpinning the 2025 International Festival, as contemporary reflections on the world are presented alongside time-honoured tales, a place where fact meets faith and fiction.
The International Festival is the ultimate destination to experience world-class performances, with an exciting lineup of 133 performances, bringing 7 world premieres, 8 UK and Scottish premieres and 2 European premieres to Edinburgh this year. Programme highlights include the world premiere of a gripping new play by James Graham starring Brian Cox, a new narrative ballet from Scottish Ballet, and Festival debuts from rising classical stars – violinist Maria Dueñas, mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, and 2024 BBC Young Musician of the Year Ryan Wang.
From 1-24 August 2025, Edinburgh International Festival presents a hand-picked selection of leading international and local artists in the world’s Festival City, with 24 days of world-class opera, dance, music and theatre.
The 2025 programme is defined by world-class artists bringing audiences and artists closer together in creative and unexpected ways. Audiences can experience an opera incorporating circus performers for a breathtaking fusion of music and acrobatics inOrpheus and Eurydice, a site-specific promenade dance work that transforms Edinburgh’s Old College Quad into a stage for Dance People, and enjoy Bach through a new lens in Breaking Bach, where hip-hop meets 18th-century period instruments.
Audiences can also actively participate in performances—whether by shaping the repertoire in a real-time Classical Jam or sharing their dreams to inspire Hanni Liang’s piano recital, Dreams. For those seeking deep immersion, eight-hour choral epic The Veil of the Templeinvites audiences to sit on beanbags and lose themselves in waves of harmonies, and a choral workshop welcomes amateur singers that will preview a powerful performance at the Festival’s Closing Concert, Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
Now in its third year under Festival Director and celebrated Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, the 2025 programme welcomes over 1,700 artists from 42 nations to Edinburgh —including 600 from Scotland—across 133 performances. The Truth We Seek is the theme underpinning the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival, inviting audiences to explore their relationship with truth – within themselves, between one another and in understanding our place in the world.
Ensuring that cost is not a barrier to live performance, over 50,000 tickets (more than half of all tickets available for the 2025 International Festival) are priced at £30 or under. Thousands of free tickets are available for young musicians, NHS staff and community groups, and £10 Affordable Tickets are available for all performances for anyone who needs them.
Programme highlights include:
Two major world premiere productions in UK theatre and dance: Make It Happen, an eye-opening take on the 2008 financial crisis set in Edinburgh, starring Brian Cox (Adam Smith) and Sandy Grierson (Fred Goodwin), written by one of Britain’s most in-demand playwrights, James Graham;and Mary, Queen of Scots, an iconic story of one of Scotland’s most famous women, unconventionally told with choreography by Sophie Laplane that blends classicism with modernity, and costuming that nods to haute couture and punk.
In a landmark year for choral music, marking the 60th Anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, this renowned chorus of singers from around Scotland performs at the monumental Opening Concert, as well as Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah (this year’s grand Closing Concert). The programme also includes the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists performing works by Handel and Bach.
This year’s Opening Concert features the aforementioned Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Monteverdi Choir and the National Youth Choir of Scotland, offering a rare chance to hear John Tavener’s The Veil of the Temple in all its eight-hour glory, a colossal universal prayer performed in full for the second time ever in the UK.
The International Festival’s opening weekend welcomes all to Princes Street Gardens’ Ross Bandstand for The Big Singalong, a free event led by Stephen Deazley, artistic director of Edinburgh’s Love Music Community Choir. The following day, Norwegian folk ensemble Barokksolistene returns to lead The Ceilidh Sessions, an afternoon of music and storytelling inspired by the Gaelic ceilidh tradition.
The most substantial programme of Polish artists in the International Festival’s 78-year history is featured in celebration of the UK/Poland season 2025. Performances include two concerts from one of the Festival’s resident orchestras in 2025, NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, and a showcase of Polish artists and repertoire from the Wrocław Baroque Ensemble, VOŁOSI, Piotr Anderszewski, Bomsori Kim to 2024’s BBC Young Musician of the Year, Ryan Wang.
Operatic works include a fully staged Australian reimagining of Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice featuring acrobatics; the UK premiere of Book of Mountains and Seas from Chinese composer Huang Ruo, puppeteer Basil Twist and Ars Nova Copenhagen, and two operas in concert: Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus and Puccini’s Suor Angelica with theLondon Symphony Orchestra, with a line-up of international soloists.
Residencies bringing leading orchestras to the International Festival for an extended, more sustainable stay that features multiple performances and community engagement. This year, three outstanding orchestras provide distinctive insights into their collective sound and ambitions: Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2, Poland’s NFM Leopoldinum, and the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of new Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.
Intimate morning recitals at The Queen’s Hall featureInternational Festival debuts from on-the-rise young virtuoso María Dueñas andCanadian mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, as well as a cohort of exceptional Scottish artists including the Dunedin Consort with John Butt and Scottish percussionist Colin Currie with peerless vocal group The King’s Singers.
A wider orchestral programme that stretches the globe to welcome the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the NCPAOrchestra from Beijing, with conductor Myung Whun Chung and Bruce Liu as piano soloist. The London Philharmonic Orchestra returns to the International Festival for the first time in a decade under the baton of Edward Gardner with a stunning programme that features pianist Beatrice Rana performing Rachmaninoff’s inspired Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,and Holst’s The Planets, a seven-movement orchestral suite journeying through the cosmos to explore our true place in the universe.
Aurora Orchestra makes its International Festival debut with Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, in the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death. A work that grapples with the pursuit of truth under oppression, audiences are seated on beanbags as Aurora delve into the symphony from the inside out with a conversational presentation in the round, and then in full later that evening, performed entirely from memory.
The Scottish premiere of Figures in Extinction from the internationally acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater,visionary choreographer Crystal Pite and ground-breaking theatre-maker Simon McBurney (Complicité), whichconfronts powerful truths about humanity’s impact on the world and art’s meaning in the face of mass destruction.
A stellar dance offering continues with works that expand the experience for audiences: Maqamat and Omar Rajeh take performance outdoors to Edinburgh University’s College Quad in promenade with Dance People; the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment combine hip hop with Bach in Breaking Bach with choreographer Kim Brandstrup, and an International Festival debut from Australian disabled dancer Dan Daw about identity and kink.
Leading theatre-makers exploring truth via the climate emergency, colonialism and politics, with Cliff Cardinal’s take on Shakespeare in As You Like It A Radical Retelling, a spectacular nonverbal work from Belgian theatre collective FC Bergman in Works and Days and a remount of acclaimed play Faustus in Africa!, 30 years after its original premiere, from Handspring Puppet Company and William Kentridge.
The Hub, the International Festival’s headquarters on the Royal Mile, brings together a hand-picked variety of global musical styles and traditions, experienced up close in an intimate performance space, including Up Late gigs from artists such as Kathryn Joseph and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. In a truly international programme, musicians from 16 countries including Australia, China, Poland, Norway and across East to West Africa come to the home of the Festival.
