Development body for Scotland’s arts and creative industries
The Edinburgh TV Festival is leaving Edinburgh for Manchester next year due to rising costs. Scotland’s Screen Scotland and Fringe Society unveil a plan to replace the festival with a new Edinburgh-based screen event in August 2027, aiming to keep the city’s role as a global screen hub. Industry figures warn costs threaten access for working-class artists, while fringe leaders stress the importance of the festival culture for career development.
Maureen Beattie has been cast as Lear in a new Pitlochry Festival Theatre production adapted and directed by Finn den Hertog. The show, staged by artistic director Alan Cumming, has opened a run from 4 July to 1 August 2026 and reframes King Lear as a matriarchal tragedy performed by a largely Scottish company.
ScotsRock has confirmed plans to convert the former CCA building on Sauchiehall Street into a cultural hub celebrating Scotland’s music legacy. Midge Ure will be inaugural patron, with Lulu, Jim Kerr, Travis and Del Amitri backing the project. The venture aims to provide a permanent exhibition, live venue, educational outreach and a year‑round programme while preserving the building’s cultural purpose.
A new show from Dundee Rep and Solar Bear, The Singer, centers Deaf performer Jamie Rea and a listening partner, with KT Tunstall providing original music. The production marks a milestone for bilingual, Deaf-inclusive theatre on Edinburgh’s main stages, following a decade of development in Scottish arts.