Annual Edinburgh arts festival since 1947, spanning music, theatre, and visual arts.
The Edinburgh TV Festival is relocating to Greater Manchester next year due to rising costs. Scotland’s Screen Scotland and the Fringe Society unveil a plan to replace the TV Festival with a new Edinburgh-based screen event in August 2027, aiming to keep the city as a global hub for screen talent. Industry figures warn that costs threaten access for working‑class artists, while fringe leaders stress the cultural value of the festival ecosystem.
The Edinburgh International Festival cites the need to protect live performance, with a policy banning phones at Queen's Hall concerts after disruptions. Critics argue it signals a broader clash over audience behavior and artistic focus.
Glasgow City Council has appointed architects to explore a meanwhile-use proposal for the Union Corner fire site, following a blaze that damaged the adjacent B-listed building. O’Donnell Brown will draft options for commercial and cultural uses over the next four years as authorities seek a rapid return of life to the city centre.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has moved its operations into a permanent space on Infirmary Street, transforming Fringe Central into a year‑round hub for artists, welfare support, rehearsal spaces and industry services. The project, funded by the UK Government and partners, is designed to support a thriving, inclusive fringe ecosystem alongside the city’s galleries and venues.
The Guardian reports that Ray Exworth’s six-decade body of sculpture has been hidden in seven sheds on a Cornish smallholding. A new book, Ray’s Sheds, documents the unseen works and raises questions about public access to art.
Fringe performers from The Scotsman, Guardian and Independent discuss their journeys, challenges and upcoming Edinburgh shows, offering a window into the festival’s evolving landscape.
A wave of new music sees artists blending genres and asserting creative independence. From Labrinth’s Cosmic Opera Act II to FLO’s Therapy at the Club and Shaboozey’s country-infused album, creators push for control over their work while embracing broader collaborations.
Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre has reopened after a near-four-year closure following a £41 million refurbishment. The Edwardian venue now features enhanced accessibility, a level stage, extended fly tower, upgraded technical infrastructure and doubled hospitality capacity. Test events have taken place and tours are selling quickly ahead of fringe season.
Scotland has delivered a scaled-back, sustainable Commonwealth Games after Victoria withdrew. The city used existing venues, emphasised legacy, and expects continued investment to sustain nationwide sport participation and facilities.
The Edinburgh International Festival spotlight has showcased a mix of traditional and experimental concerts as leading ensembles and performers adapt to economic pressures and changing audiences. Notable moments include high-profile collaborators, large-scale works, and debates about funding and the role of patronage.
A new opera by Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, staged by Tom Morris for Scottish Opera and Opera Ventures, uses Kafka’s fable to explore how a carnival’s ‘galloping cure’ exposes a town to pain’s true cost. Cast features Daniela Mack, Justin Austin, and Susan Bullock; staging blends spectacle with biting social critique.
The Edinburgh International Festival presents Sobelle’s Clown Show, a contemporary portrait of America as a falling-apart circus. The piece, commissioned by EIF, asks audiences to dream while tracing a nation’s fragility through circus imagery and live performance.
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.
A round-up of fringe-fronted interviews from The Scotsman and The Guardian, capturing performers sharing inspirations, challenges and hopes for Edinburgh Fringes, with a look at what it means to stage improv and solo shows in a crowded festival.
Two fairytale-inspired musicals debuting in the Edinburgh fringe stage, Bliss and Disenchanted!, showcase new voices and risks. Bliss aims to expand beyond fringe with its 17-member cast and strong earworms, while Disenchanted! is trimmed to a shorter revy format. Both explore princesses breaking from traditional stereotypes.