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(Fri 4 Apr-Mon 12 May) Get up close and personal with the exquisite Venetian masks hand-crafted by Edinburgh's mask maker, designer and mask model Lorraine Pritchard, artist-in-residence for this year's Pomegranates Festival and the only Scottish artist featured at the Venice Carnival 2025. Unmask the secrets of the mask-making heritage craft, find out more about masks and traditional dance, plus explore photographs of the artists' masks shot on location from Arthur’s Seat to the canals of Venice and a new behind-the-scenes documentary by Franzis Sánchez. Masks is complemented by another exhibition featuring more of Lorraine’s Venetian masks, plus books about Venice and the Carnevale at Edinburgh Central Library (1-30 April 2025), also curated as part of Pomegranates Festival. This is Lorraine's first solo exhibition in a public institution. It is curated across the two venues by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland in an ongoing partnership with the Edinburgh City Libraries and the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of Pomegranates, Scotland's springtime festival of world trad dance and its links with live music, film, poetry, art, craft and fashion. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 26 Apr: 10:30am) Join dance historian Alena Shmakova for a walking tour from John Knox House to the Palace of Holyroodhouse along the Royal Mile to explore the significance of women in traditional dance past and present. Learn about the French and Italian influences on court dance entertainment in 16th Century Scotland, as well as the use of masks, daggers, costumes and cross-dressing. Find out how Mary, Queen of Scots’ passion for dance had provoked John Knox’s protestant fury and backlash. Please noteThe walking tour begins at John Knox House, up a steep spiral staircase with no lift or level access. The tour will cover cobbled and potentially slippy terrain. Please dress for the weather! Intrigued? Tune into the latest episode of Trad Dance Cast, which celebrates the role of women in traditional dance. Released to mark International Women’s Day 2025, the episode uncovers the dance herstory of Scotland, from the Renaissance to the Georgian era, with a focus on Mary, Queen of Scots and lead dancer Sophia Parker. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Meet at Scottish Storytelling Centre
(Sat 26 Apr: 10:30am) A hands-on, practical introduction to live storytelling and the associated skills. Storyteller Ruth Kirkpatrick leads this participatory session for anyone curious about discovering and developing their own storytelling talent. Let out your inner storyteller and learn to craft your skills. For new and aspiring storytellers. ~~~~~~~~~~ Our participatory sessions are designed to help you improve your skills and share your experiences with fellow storytelling enthusiasts. This carefully curated workshop programme offers you the chance to work with highly-skilled and experienced artists, giving you guidance on improving your practice and discovering your own talent. Did you know? Members of the Scottish Storytelling Forum are entitled to discounted rates on our storytelling workshops. For more information on memberships please visit the Storytelling Forum website. ~~~~~~~~~~ Pay it Forward If you are willing and able to donate a workshop place to another person, you now can! Click the button above and select the ticket price to donate. We will then be able to offer a free place to someone who would not have been able to attend otherwise. If you feel the Pay It Forward scheme would benefit you and would like to request a free ticket please email our Reception Team where you will be allocated a ticket if available. We hold 1 space per workshop for Pay It Forward requests.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Mon 28 Apr: 6:30pm) Gather in for an evening of blether about the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention and the opportunities it opens up for Scottish traditional dance. Enjoy wee sets from Scottish Country, Highland and Step dance artists, as well as Polonaise, which was inscribed in the UNESCO representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity in December 2023. Hear from special guests Steve Byrne of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Rachel Hosker of the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh and Árpád Vörös, recipient of the knighthood award for lifetime contribution to Hungarian folk dance. Ask our presenters in the Q&A chaired by Wendy Timmons of Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. The programme lasts about 90 minutes and will be followed by an opportunity to mingle and network at which all are welcome. Curated by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland as part of Pomegranates, Scotland's springtime festival of world trad dance and its links with live music, film, poetry, art, craft and fashion. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Tue 29 Apr: 6:30pm) Celebrate UNESCO International Day of Dance with the Pomegranates flagship show choreographed by Pomegranates Festival hip hop dance theatre artist-in-residence Jonzi D (back by popular demand!) supported by B-girl Emma Ready and B-boy Sean Edwards plus dancers and musicians wearing newly-commissioned masks by the festival heritage craft artist-in-residence Lorraine Pritchard. See also the curtain-raiser Sequins – a new hip hop dance theatre solo by Kalubi Mukengela-Jacoby set to the Pomegranates Festival spoken word commission Sequins of Poems to Dance To by Ian McMillan. “Following my Pomegranates festival debut last year, I am really honoured to be invited back as this year’s choreographer-in-residence, plus I am particularly partial to the new festival theme of masks. Traditional dance is important, including masked dance, because it represents living heritage while celebrating difference. I think we’ve reached a period in society where our differences are being used against us; our differences are being used to keep us separated; our differences are being used as judgmental tools. Manufactured polarisation. But our infinite differences define our identities, and still we have more in common than we have apart. Pomegranates Festival celebrates our differences.” - Jonzi D The programme lasts about 60 minutes and will be followed by an opportunity to mingle and network at which all are welcome. Curated by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland as part of Pomegranates, Scotland's springtime festival of world trad dance and its links with live music, film, poetry, art, craft and fashion. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 1 May: 7:30pm) Don’t miss the next fantastic show from Scotland’s premiere spoken word night! For over ten years, Loud Poets has been showcasing the best spoken word poetry from Scotland and beyond. Expect fist-thumping, heart-wrenching, side-tickling poetry performances with live musical accompaniment. May's line-up features Inga Dale, Sarah Grant, Bradley Taylor & Stephen Watt. “Loud Poets is tearing up the landscape, bringing the ancient art to contemporary audiences – spreading mirth, giggles and talent along the way.” - Corr Blimey “Go listen to Loud Poets and hear them say the things you’ve been trying to say yourself.” - Shane Koyczan “There’s a humour, poignancy and most of all confidence which serves to inspire.” - Scotsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 2 May: 7:30pm) MAIK are a brand new folk duo from either side of the Scotland/England border. Two experienced folk singers in their own right, Jamie Cook and Kirsty Law have joined forces to bring some of their most beloved songs together. Through their arrangements they tell stories both ancient and contemporary, in harmonies that are at times stark and dissonant, and at times warm and lush, in a mix of Scots language, Cumbrian dialect and English. Watch 'My Son David' performed by MAIK MAIK's performance will be preceded by a support slot from Jemima Thewes. Jemima sings traditional ballads and her own songs, transporting the listener through mesmeric melodies and human-fragile elemental tension that softly bewitches, and at times disconcerts, in time-altering depth and chilling folk-story beauty. 'Jemima has such a beautiful voice, with a great, original style. Her combination of darkness and irony, melancholy and delight is fantastic.' (Rosanne Cash) ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 3 May: 10am) Join the Family Beltane crew for a morning of mask decoration, crafting and face painting ahead of the May Day Parade. Fun for all the family, please come in Mummers costume if desired! Afterwards, all are welcome to join the May Day Parade or watch and enjoy as it passes down the High Street. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 3 May: 10:30am) Join Gaelic storyteller Martin MacIntyre for an introductory session exploring the history, importance and joy in Gaelic storytelling culture in Scotland. Martin was the University of Edinburgh’s first Gaelic Writer in Residence (2022-24) and is an accomplished storyteller, poet and author. This is a bilingual event in English with some content in Gaelic. No prior knowledge of Scottish Gaelic is required to attend, everyone welcome! Presented by the Scottish Storytelling Forum. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Sat 3 May: 11:30am) Artists, performers and culture workers of all kinds are called to join Tradfest musicians and mummers on the Edinburgh and Lothians May Day procession. Gather at 11.30am at Parliament Square by St Giles Cathedral for a 12pm departure down the High Street to The Pleasance, where there will be a rally, music and stalls. Greenery and instruments welcome! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
External Venue
(Sat 3 May: 1:30pm & 3pm) This delightful Beltane Fire Society tradition allows parents to share in the magic of the Beltane story with their little ones through storytelling, face painting and arts & crafts. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 3 May: 7:30pm) Be transported to the magical Hebridean Islands and the Highlands of Scotland through stories and legends collected by folklorist Otta Swire, who captured the spirit and traditions of a bygone era. With story, music and imagery, storytellers Bea Ferguson and Heather Yule explore the captivating tales of these lands, and the people and strange creatures who dwelt there. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 4 May: 1pm) Come with family and friends to dance Scottish dances and sing well-known songs with the Minnow Ceilidh Band. All dances will be called and there'll be easy-to-follow circles for wee ones. A fun introduction to sociable dancing with live music. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sun 4 May: 8pm) Cinematic-folk duo Dowally and innovative French drummer Philippe Boudot celebrate the release of their album Ici et Là-Bas, recorded last year in Edinburgh. Dowally have become renowned for their collaborations with top musicians such as Phil Alexander (Moishe's Bagel) and Ciaran Ryan (Dallahan). Their latest partnership with in-demand drummer Philippe Boudot (currently touring with renowned songwriter Clara Ysé) sees the duo at their most creative, making lyrical, joyful music, whilst anchored to their folk beginnings. Over the course of a single week, they wrote and recorded an entire album, with voice, fiddle, guitar, drums and percussion. That freshness is apparent across the tracks, ranging from epic morricone-esque compositions and new folk tunes, to yearning songs in both English and French. Watch a short Trailer here ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Mon 5 May: 1pm) Experience the spirit of Edinburgh’s streets as they once were - full of fun, folklore, and adventure. Join Claire McNicol and Fergus McNicol for a lively, family-friendly session of traditional street games, playful rhymes, toe-tapping songs, and captivating tales from Old Edinburgh! Discover games that once filled the city's closes and wynds with laughter, while learning the chants and songs passed down through generations. Listen to stories of Edinburgh’s past, of mischievous bairns, bustling markets, and the hijinks of the Old Town. A perfect blend of history, play and imagination! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Mon 5 May: 4pm) In his new book Scotland’s Sacred Goddess: Hidden in Plain Sight (Luath Press), Stuart McHardy explores the pre-Christian beliefs of the Scottish people, where the Scots had a rich mythology of stories that explained the creation and workings of the world. Join Stuart to celebrate the book and hear how these ancient beliefs are not lost but can be seen in today’s cultural and physical landscape, in a mix of ancient oral tales, place names, local rhymes and landscape shapes. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Tue 6 May: 2pm) Celebrate Edinburgh's Tradfest with friends from the Scots Music Group! An afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Tue 6 May: 7:30pm) A wonderful evening of stories, music and song celebrating the bothy culture of rural North East Scotland. Join ballad singer Allan Taylor, fiddler Karin Paterson and storytellers Phyll McBain and Jackie Ross for a ceilidh of land, laughter and a hearty dollop of Doric! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 7 May: 7:30pm) Songs from the people of Scotland; voices of the excluded, the marginalised, the feared and the fearful, the enchanted and the enchanters, the mothers, the fathers, the workers, the children... let them all be heard. Sangstream, the a cappella Scots folk choir now in its 28th year, led by the renowned Corrina Hewat, is excited to perform their rich choice of songs arranged by Corrina and previous leaders such as Mairi Campbell and Robyn Stapleton. Songs revealing truths from deep in history to more recent tales, all relevant to life in Scotland today. ~~~~~ Sangstream Scots Folk Choir is Edinburgh-based, with weekly Thursday rehearsals at St Thomas of Aquin’s. The choir is open to all with no audition needed to join. Their repertoire is mainly unaccompanied Scots folk songs, both traditional and modern. They also have a regular monthly Saturday afternoon session at the Canons’ Gait in the Old Town. Since their founding in 1997 they have been led by some of Scotland’s finest traditional voices – Christine Kydd, Jenny Clark, Mairi Campbell, Robyn Stapleton and, for 8 years, Corrina Hewat who is celebrating 30 years in the arts as musician and composer, having a wide and varied background of music and theatre. Sangstream aims to provide the opportunity for people to learn about and share Scots songs and traditions and to carry these songs out into the wider community. You can find out more about becoming a member of Sangstream at sangstream.org.uk. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 8 May: 7:30pm) Welcome to an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry. Steeped in the traditions of Scottish storytelling, we evoke the warm atmosphere of peat-smoked hearthsides and ceilidh house revelry, presenting timeless motifs relevant to a discerning modern audience. Join host Dougie Mackay as he invites a different selection of Scotland’s finest storytellers, songwriters, musicians, and performing artists to each bi-monthly Hearth Fire Session to create an innovative showcase of Scotland’s contemporary culture. May's session features storyteller Niall Moorjani, Moroccan filmmakers/storytellers Tizintizwa (Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed) and musician Evie Waddell. ~~~~~ Niall Moorjani is a non-binary, mixed Scots-Indian writer and storyteller. They are fascinated by the fantastical, the historical, and the liminal and have written and performed many shows, including A Fairie Tale and Mohan: A Partition Story at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. They are also the founder and host of the Tales at The Tavern/Lighthouse open mic story night in London/Edinburgh. Niall's work has been described as ‘genius reinvention of the form’ (Fringe of Colour). Tizintizwa (Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed) is a Moroccan art-research collective that fosters collective creation and cross-pollination across disciplines. They collaborate with rural communities to document oral traditions and explore ecological transformations. Their work emphasizes the importance of transgenerational transmission, land relations, and the interplay between nature and culture, showcased at notable venues worldwide. They will also perform at SSC as part of the Folk Film Gathering on Fri 9 May. Evie Waddell is a Gaelic and Scots singer, and fiddler hailing from Stirlingshire. She graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and her passion for Scottish music is deeply rooted in the influence of Jo Miller, also drawing inspiration from Ivor Cutler, Martyn Bennett, Lisa O Neill, and Rhiannon Giddens. Evie also performs in British Sign Language (BSL) and has directed and toured her own show 'Fàilte Gu BSL' as well as performing with Theatre Gu Leòr. She was a winner of the Danny Kyle Open Stage 2023 and was a BBC Young Traditional Musician Semi-Finalist 2024. Evie released her visual EP 'Cluich!' in February 2024. Dougie Mackay hails from the Scottish Highlands, from a lineage of natural storytellers. He is fascinated by the wild northern tales of Scotland, Scandinavia, Ireland and the Baltics, with a practice steeped in group-work facilitation and storytelling as a tool for development, connection and empowerment. He has been telling stories professionally for over 10 years and has developed successful long-form shows including Animate Lands and A Wolf Shall Devour the Sun. He co-curates and hosts Hearth Fire Sessions throughout the year. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 9 May: 6pm) Bog Standard is the gripping true story of a tip off which led a rookie journalist to one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century. It’s also a story about a magical bogland called Lindow Moss, two murders 1500 years apart, and how an ancient bog man became a 21st-century eco warrior. Award-winning health journalist and storyteller Rachel Pugh and prize-winning harpist Lucy Nolan collaborate in a show weaving words, music and natural bog sounds from the UK and Kyrgyzstan to recreate the nail-biting days of 1984 when Rachel fought to save Lindow Man from ending up in a bag of compost! Directed by Marion Kenny. Watch a short Trailer here ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 9 May: 8:30pm) Blending historic events, Moroccan popular myths and magical fiction, this special live performance from filmmaker/storytellers Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed combines film, lecture and storytelling, showcasing the Tizintizwa Collective’s field recordings of ancestral oral poems, epic ballads and women's work songs to create a folktale-like account of the 20th century "Roman" conquest of Morocco from a "barbarian" perspective. Part of the Folk Film Gathering 2025. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 10 May: 11am) Join storyteller Ailie Finlay from My Kind of Book on a fun-packed, sensory adventure for May time as we head off through the green grass and squelchy bogs of Scotland! Lively traditional tales, inclusive games and lots of props to bounce and squeeze, followed by a calming session with play dough. A fun and engaging session for everyone but particularly suitable for children with additional needs and their families and friends. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 10 May: 1:30pm) For musicians who want to be better storytellers on stage! Learn how to improve your patter and song introductions with some basic rules of storytelling. An interactive and fun session led by experienced musician and storyteller David Francis, where you will learn how to stay grounded, be aware of your audience and try different introductions to songs and music, with honest and useful feedback. Presented by the Traditional Music Forum. David Francis has been involved in folk music in Scotland for around 40 years as a folk club organiser, musician, researcher and administrator and is also involved in other aspects of the folk arts such as dance and storytelling. As a musician, David is known for his guitar and songwriting work in duo The Cast with his wife Mairi Campbell, with whom he recorded and toured in the 90s and 00s. The duo was nudged into the spotlight and temporary solvency when their version of Robert Burns’s Auld Lang Syne was picked up for the film of the hit TV show Sex and the City. He worked with the Traditional Music Forum and TRACS until his recent retirement but continues to stay involved through other organisations like the European Folk Network. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Sat 10 May: 2pm) A walking tour around the sights and sounds of Edinburgh’s Old Town with artist/curator Claudia Zeiske. Walk along Edinburgh’s High Street in the footsteps of philosopher/community planner Patrick Geddes, taking in the buildings, stories and green spaces that maintain Geddes’ legacy of ecology, culture and creativity. Claudia Zeiske is a cultural activist and Walking Curator. Her practice stems from Deveron Projects in rural Scotland where she was the founding Director. Here ‘the town is the venue’ rather than a gallery or arts centre based on a balanced approach between artistic criticality and community involvement. Her experiences come from participatory arts, linking local activities with global realities. You can find out more about Claudia by visiting her website. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Meet at Scottish Storytelling Centre
(Sat 10 May: 7:30pm) TuFlamenco presents a tribute to Federico García Lorca, Spain’s most iconic poet, through Flamenco’s rhythm, dance, and poetry. Three Spanish artists - Inma Montero (dance & vocals), Danielo Olivera (guitar & vocals), and Inés Álvarez Villa (storyteller) – explore the intense connection of the poet to flamenco in all its passion, tragedy, and beauty. Join us on this celebration of the rich Spanish cultural heritage! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 11 May: 11am, 1:30pm & 7pm) Join us for a celebration of independent film in Scotland through the lens of celebrated filmmaker Douglas Eadie. Across the day a selection of Douglas’s work will be shown including: 11am: Haston - A Life in the Mountains (plus Q&A featuring special guest, cameraman Douglas Campbell.)1:30pm: An Ceasnachadh - An Interrogation of a Highland Lass (plus Q&A with Kathleen MacInnes, Dolina MacLennan and Kenny MacRae) / Hydro Days (plus Q&A with Film Producer Christeen Whinford, Film Editor Fiona MacDonald and Film Director Robbie Fraser)7pm: Down Home (with Aly Bain, introduced by Mike Bolland who commissioned the original film for Channel 4) All hosted throughout by poet Jim Mackintosh and author James Robertson. Part of the Folk Film Gathering 2025. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 15 May-Sun 1 Jun) Nakba 77: Palestine's Depopulated Villages by Palestine-based independent journalist and photographer Ahmad Al-Bazz is a photographic documentation of the 500+ Palestinian villages across Mandatory Palestine that were depopulated during the Nakba in 1948 and subsequently destroyed by the Zionist settler state. The ghosts of wiped out Palestinian existence haunt almost every Israeli settlement*. In his travels across the land, the photographer has witnessed and documented graveyards surrounded by electric fences, mosques degraded in serving as animal sheds, vacated Palestinian homes that were turned into artist villages and many other forms of dispossession. The photos should not be viewed as stories about the past — at least as long as Palestinians are forced to remain refugees, banned from returning to their homes and lands. *This refers to the towns and cities across all of Palestine, including, for example, the settlement of Tel Aviv -built upon the site of Jaffa and its surroundings where 98% of the Palestinian population were expelled in 1948. Bio Ahmad Al-Bazz: Independent journalist and documentary filmmaker focusing on Palestinian-Israeli affairs. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 16 May: 12:30pm) Leaving her native village to follow her dream of becoming an actress, Hiam Abbass also left behind her mother, grandmother and seven sisters. Thirty years later, her filmmaker daughter Lina returns with her to journey through the vanished places among the scattered memories of four generations of daring Palestinian women. Genre: Documentary, Biography, Archive | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Languages: French, Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 16 May: 3pm) Director Raed Andoni places a newspaper advertisement in Ramallah. He is looking for former inmates of the Moskobiya interrogation centre in Jerusalem. In his ad he asks that the men should also have experience as craftsmen, architects or actors. In a reconstruction of the centre built under their close supervision, the men re-enact their interrogations, discuss details about the prison, and express the humiliation they experienced during their detention. Using techniques reminiscent of 'theatre of the oppressed' they work together to dramatise their real-life experiences. Their reconstruction brings long-repressed emotions and undealt-with trauma to the fore. Working on the film takes a physical and mental toll on the men, while the director also comes to terms with his own fragmented memories of imprisonment in Moskobiya thirty years previously. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2017 | Original Languages: Arabic | Subtitles: English
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 16 May: 5:30pm) ‘Where is God?’ an elderly man desperately wonders when surveying the debris in the Palestinian refugee camp Jenin. The film includes testimony from Jenin residents after the Israeli army’s Defensive Wall operation, during which the city and camp were the scenes of fierce fighting. The operation ended with Jenin flattened and scores of Palestinians killed. Palestinians as well as numerous human rights groups accused Israel of committing war crimes in the April 2002 attack on the refugee camp. Jenin Jenin shows the extent to which the prolonged oppression and terror has affected the state of mind of the Palestinian inhabitants of Jenin. Bitterness and grief are the prevailing feelings among the majority of the population. Many have lost loved ones or are still searching for victims and furniture among the debris. A little girl, who does not seem to be much older than twelve, tells her story but knows no fear. The ongoing violence in her day-to-day life only nourishes her feelings of resistance and determination. The sad question forces itself on the spectator. What will become of a country, a people when its children are confronted with war and violence from a very early age? Directed and co-produced by Palestinian actor and director Mohamed Bakri. Banned in “Israel”, this film is dedicated to Iyad Samoudi, the producer of the film, who returned home to Yamun after the shooting of the film was completed. On June 23, as Israeli forces besieged Yamun, Samoudi was shot and killed as he was leaving a military-closed area with three friends. The film will be followed by a post-screening conversation with Mariam Barghouti (online). Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2003 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Mariam Barghouti is a journalist, writer, and researcher based in Ramallah, occupied Palestine. She earned a BA in English Language and Literature from Birzeit University, and an MSc in Sociology and Global Change from the University of Edinburgh. She worked as a journalist and reporter with a focus on the Levant, and published various sociopolitical commentaries from Palestine. She has undertaken monitoring and evaluation missions of humanitarian and development aid in Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon for various governmental and non-governmental organizations. Her reporting and analysis have been featured in Al-Jazeera English, the New York Times, the Guardian, BBC, and Middle East Eye, amongst others. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 16 May: 8pm) Born in exile, Ahmed Saleh knew Palestine only through a TV screen — a distant land of stories, struggle and longing. Then he crossed the threshold; moving to Palestine for university, he arrived just as the second intifada erupted, stepping into the world he had only watched from afar. Through a fusion of film screenings and live storytelling on stage, this performance unravels the journey from observer to participant and from assumptions to reality, weaving personal memories with the lives of those he met. This event is organised in collaboration with the Scottish Documentary Institute and will be preceded by an intimate filmmaker’s Circle with Ahmad Saleh. This event is open to documentary and non-fiction moving image filmmakers, cinematographers, writers and producers. To find out more, please visit the SDI website. The life Ahmad lived in Palestine inspired him to write stories – not knowing back then that telling stories will turn into his main profession. After studying for a Bachelor in Electronics Engineering, Ahmad obtained two Masters in Art. The first in Digital Media and the second in Film Writing and Directing. His films received several prestigious awards and were screened in hundreds of festivals worldwide. Genre: Short Film, Live Storytelling | Original Language: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 11am) While the Israeli army retaliates against the Second Intifada in the West Bank in the early 2000s, a mother films her family's daily life, punctuated by time spent shielding them from harm in the basement. Now her son revisits this past, delivering a heart-breaking portrait of the anguish of parents who are forced to choose between their children’s physical safety and the emotional upheaval of leaving home. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 1:30pm) An aesthetic and provocative screening of four experimental shorts uncovering the occupation’s haunting manipulation of sound as a form of torture, the politics of sound and sonic self-determination. ~~~~~ Untitled (To The Lebanese Citizens) (بدون عنوان (إلى المواطنين اللبنانيين (Ali Cherri)During the July War in 2006, the State of Israel intercepted the broadcast of the radio station Voice of the People to transmit an audio message to the Lebanese population. Genre: Short | Year of Release: 2006 | Original Language(s): Arabic, English Vibration from Gaza ذبذبات من غزة (Rehab Nazzal)Vibrations from Gaza offers a glimpse into the experiences of Deaf children in the occupied and confined coastal territory of Gaza, Palestine. Genre: Short, Documentary, Experimental | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English Offing خط الافق (Oraib Toukan)Produced in the aftermath of the 2021 Israeli war on Palestinians residing in the Israeli-besieged Gaza strip, stories by Gaza artist Salman Nawati are told against footage that explores the tender and the mundane as acts of life. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2021 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English The Diary of a Sky (Lawrence Abu Hamdan)An atmospheric symphony of violence unfolds over Beirut, revealing the haunting fusion of incessant Israeli military flights and the hum of generators during blackouts. Genre: Documentary, Video Essay | Year of Release: 2024 | Original Languages: Arabic, English | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 2pm) Rooted in tradition, tatreez is more than a craft. It’s a symbol of resistance, resilience, and cultural identity—stitched through generations in villages across Palestine and now practised around the world. Join us for a hands-on workshop with Rowa and learn the basics of Palestinian embroidery, tatreez. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 17 May: 4:30pm) This conversation will bring together distinguished voices to share testimonies from Gaza on the ongoing genocide. The panel features surgeon Dr Ghassan Abu Sitta and journalist Yara Eid, moderated by educator and editor Hazem Jamjoum. This conversation will provide an essential platform for those who have borne witness to the relentless violence and systemic destruction inflicted upon Gaza. ~~~~~ Yara Eid is a Palestinian journalist and human rights advocate who has worked with various international human rights organisations including Amnesty International. In her writing she explores the struggles of living under apartheid and occupation. Yara has worked as a war journalist on the ground, and covered the 2022 aggression on Gaza. She has been published in Aljazeera, the LA Times, and others. Dr Ghassan Abu Sitta is a British-Palestinian surgeon who has worked in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. On October 9, he went to Gaza where he worked for 43 days straight in Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals. Since then he has been showing the world what is happening in Gaza and was recently elected Rector of the University of Glasgow. Hazem Jamjoum is a Palestinian educator and an editor with the recently-established Maqam Editions publishing house. His translation of Ghassan Kanafani's The Revolution of 1936-1939 in Palestine was published by 1804 Press in 2023, and his translation of Maya Abu al-Hayyat's No One Knows their Blood Type was released by the CSU Poetry Centre in October 2024. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 7pm) A cinematic exploration on borders, the physical, emotional, material & immaterial; those that dictate movement and return, or lack thereof, for Palestinians universally. This event will feature post-screening conversations with directors. ~~~~~ I Would Like to Visit أودُّ الزيارة (Muhammad Nour Elkhairy)An experimental short and installation work that combines text and film to explore the simple desire to travel, through the cultural and political realities of being Palestinian. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2017 | Original Language: English Your Father Was Born 100 Years Old, and So Was the Nakba أبوكي خلق عمره ١٠٠ سنة، زي النكبة (Razan AlSalah)A grandmother returns to her hometown Haifa through Google Streetview, today, the only way Palestinian refugees can see Palestine. Genre: Short, Experimental| Year of Release: 2018 | Original Languages: Arabic | Subtitles: English Like An Event In A Dream Dreamt By Another – Rehearsal مثل حدث في حلم رآه آخر - تمرين (Firas Shehadeh)Through Role-Playing Games, real life can be rehearsed using supernatural beings and worlds. This project explores how Palestinian players, GTA mods and servers are simulating real life under colonial rule. Genre: Short, Experimental, Animation | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: English When Weather Permits (Hareth Yousef)A short experimental film that mixes photography, archival images, and audio, this piece explores the profound longing and complex realities of Yousef’s homeland. Genre: Short | Year of Release: 2024 | Original Language: English Moonscape وجه القمر (Mona Benyamin)A short film taking the form of a music video. The song traces the story of the man who claimed ownership of the Moon in 1980 and founded a company selling land on a variety of planets and moons, connecting his story with a young Palestinian woman living under the Israeli occupation. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2020 | Original Language: Arabic, English | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 9pm) A compelling screening of four short films that delve into the manipulation of archaeological heritage and erasure of folkloric traditions by the occupying zionist entity, revealing the cultural destruction of colonial control. This event features a post-screening conversation with Nadia Dina Yahlom. ~~~~~ She Still Wears Kohl and Smells Like Roses (Dima Srouji)The story of a collection of glass vessels excavated in Palestine and Syria, now part of the collection at the V&A. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English Performing Archeology (Dima Srouji)The Israeli government encourages illegal settlers carrying weapons to enter Sebastia for mass religious tourism, using archaeological monuments as a stage set to perform the singular narratives of Ancient Samaria. But what if the ground could speak for itself? Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2019 | Original Languages: Arabic, English | Subtitles: English Sebastia سبسطية (Dima Srouji)A small town sits on top of a hill surrounded by an illegal Israeli settlement and confiscated olive groves. This ancient site was excavated multiple times over the last century by colonial archaeologists using locals as cheap labour - digging their own land for the sake of biblical archaeology. Genre: Short, Experimental, Historical | Year of Release: 2020 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English our songs were ready for all wars to come أعددنا الأغاني للحروب القادمة (Noor Abed)Choreographed scenes based on documented folktales from Palestine, the film aims to create a new aesthetic form to re-awaken latent stories based around water wells and their connection to communal rituals around notions of disappearance, mourning, and death. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2021 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Nadia Dima Yahlom is a Palestinian-Jewish and British artist, curator and researcher working with speculative fiction, film, photography, drawing and objects. She co-founded Sarha Collective, a platform for experimental art forms from Palestine and the broader SWANA region. Her practice explores ways of sensing beyond seeing, the bio/necropolitical between Palestine and the UK and how humans, artefacts and landscapes bear witness to colonial violence. She has worked with Battersea Arts Centre, British Council (Yemen), Rich Mix, ICA, Open City Docs, Tate Britain, Southbank Centre and many others. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 11am) An oblique, albeit powerful experimental documentary which examines the politics and economics of South Lebanon against the backdrop of the Israeli occupation. This event features a post-screening conversation with co-director Jayce Salloum. Talaeen a Junuub (Up to the South) is ostensibly (not) a documentary exploring conditions in the south of Lebanon and the representation of the country both in the West and in Lebanon. The film explored the issues themselves (terrorism, colonialism, occupation, resistance) but goes further in interrogating the history and structure of documentary as a genre, especially how Western documentary represents other cultures. Directed by Walid Raad and Jayce Salloum. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 1993 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 1:30pm) From Ground Zero is a collection of 22 short films made in Gaza during the ongoing genocide. Initiated by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi, the project was born to give a voice to 22 Gazan filmmakers to tell the untold stories of the current war on film. Despite the harsh filming conditions, Gaza's vibrant artistic scene shines through this collection, offering an intimate and powerful portrait of daily life and the enduring spirit of its people. This event features a post-screening conversation with Hazem Jamjoum. Genre: Documentary, Fiction, Docu-Fiction, Animation, Experimental | Year of Release: 2024 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 2pm) Join Diline Abushaban for a session full of creativity, healing and solidarity with Gaza. Participants will be able to choose from different forms of art including painting, clay, and more. No previous experience in art is needed, this workshop is suitable for all ages. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sun 18 May: 5:30pm) Two beautiful and powerful medium-length films on the coloniality of archives, reclamation of Palestinian music and dance, and the ethnographic underpinnings of colonization. This event will be followed by a Q&A with Lamees Almakkawy, director of Dancing Palestine. A Magical Substance Flows Into Me في اثر مادة سحرية (Jumana Manna)Jumana Manna follows in the footsteps of Dr. Robert Lachmann, an enigmatic Jewish-German ethnomusicologist who emigrated to 1930s Palestine. While attempting to establish an archive and department of Oriental Music at the Hebrew University, Lachmann created a radio program for the Palestine Broadcasting Service called “Oriental Music”, where he would invite members of local communities to perform their vernacular music. Manna visits many of these same groups and communities as they exist today within the geographic space of historical Palestine. Intercutting these encounters with musicians are a series of vignettes of interactions of the artist with her parents in the bounds of their family home. Within hackneyed one-dimensional ideas about occupied Palestine, this impossibility becomes itself a trope that defines the Palestinian landscape. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2015 | Original Languages: Arabic, English, Hebrew | Subtitles: English Dancing Palestine (Lamees Almakkawy)To dance is to remember, to dance is to remind. As the Palestinian identity continues to be threatened with erasure, Palestinians turn to their folk dance, the dabke, as an homage to their history and culture and to assert their existence. Dancing Palestine is a documentation of this embodiment of collective memory, as those who piece together a dabke choreography, piece together their identities, too. Together with the film - a performance in itself - the dabke is a testament to Palestinians’ deep love of life, and thus their need to contribute to the archive of Palestine so that it continues to live on in the present. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 8:30pm) Join Falastin Film Festival for a musical concert by renowned composer and Oud virtuoso Saied Silbak. Saied will perform his own compositions and musical pieces inspired by the past, the current situation and the expectations for something unknown. Opening the evening's music, Intibint will be performing a set of covers of Arabic songs, including resistance songs and popular Yemeni songs. She will also be performing some of her own original tracks, accompanied on the guitar by Tristan from Obia Sounds. ~~~~~ Saied Silbak is a Palestinian composer and oud player born in Shafaa`mr, a city located in the lower Galilee of occupied Palestine. He began training in classical piano at the age of four, before moving onto the oud in his early teens in order to delve deep into the nuances at the base of Arabic music. Silbak went on to train at the Beit Almusica Conservatoire where he later taught, before studying Music and Psychology at the university of Haifa and then completing his Masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he is currently based. He has a unique understanding of different types of music, from Arabic, Turkish and Indian to classical Western styles. Silbak’s signature sound, created through his artful ability to fuse these styles together, has seen him perform around the world at festivals and concert series in the UK, Belgium, France, Palestine, Morocco, Argentina and beyond. Intibint (meaning "You are a girl") is the moniker of Glasgow-based Yemeni singer, producer and illustrator Noha. Whilst studying for her masters at SOAS she began to revisit song-writing and performing after a long break from music. In 2020 Noha debuted her first single Myself and later in 2021 an EP titled What Are You Willing to Do on which she produced her own tracks You & Me and Telling my Mother. Her work is primarily electronic imbibed with inspiration from Yemeni sounds, exploring themes straddling both the personal and the collective. Her latest tracks Sunflower and Ymn Alsa3eed are symbols of Intibint’s journey both personally and musically, showing the breadth of her production skills and innovative sound. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Mon 19 May: 8pm) Eight local writers have each written a ten-minute play responding to Edinburgh’s 900th anniversary. Join Penpal Productions for this series of short pieces exploring what the city means to these diverse voices. Performed script in hand, the evening promises to be a fascinating and unique snapshot of Edinburgh’s remarkable history and people.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 21 May: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 23 May: 7pm) ’S e Mòd ionadail Dhùn Èideann a th’ ann agus aig Bothan tha sinn a’ cur fàilte air Fiona J NicChoinnich, a bhios a’ bruidhinn mun leabhar ùr aice mu bheatha iongantach Mhargaret Fay Shaw (a rugadh ann an Ameireagaidh, a bha a’ fuireach air Eilean Chanaidh). Leis gun robh Fiona ag obair ann an Taigh Chanaidh, tha sealladh iongantach aice air MFS, a bha cuideachd na neach-rannsachaidh agus a rinn an leabhar buadhmhor ‘Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist’ (1955). Bidh Fiona a’ bruidhinn, a’ seinn agus a’ sealltainn ìomhaighean agus chlàraidhean. Bidh caraidean Bothan a’ tighinn cuideachd agus tha fàilte air buill Bothan seinn/cluich ceòl (leig fios dhuinn). Come to Bothan this month to hear Fiona J MacKenzie give a presentation about her new book, full of insights about Margaret Fay Shaw. This Gaelic book launch will of course feature singing, music and maybe some poetry from others too! Please note that this is a Gaelic language event, with only specific extracts from the book in English. ~~~~~ Bothan Dhùn Èideann are a not-for-profit group, active for over 21 years, promoting and developing Scottish Gaelic language and culture in Edinburgh and creating space where everyone, no matter their background, feels comfortable celebrating Gaelic in Edinburgh. These events are presented in Gaelic throughout and all are welcome whether fluent speakers, learners or somewhere in between. ‘S e buidheann neo-phrothaideach a th’ ann am Bothan (a tha a-nis 21 bliadhna a dh’aois) a bhios a’ brosnachadh agus a’ leasachadh cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig ann an Dùn Èideann tron chànan fhèin. Tha a’ choimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig ann an Dùn Èideann measgaichte agus tha fàilte air a h-uile duine an cuid Gàidhlig a chleachdadh an seo, ge bith dè an ìre a th’ aca. Bothan Dhùn Èideann is funded and in partnership with An Comunn Gàidhealach, University of Edinburgh, Oor Vyce, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, TRACS and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 24 May-Sun 1 Jun) The 35th edition of the Edinburgh International Children's Festival kicks off on 24th May, featuring 13 productions from 7 countries with a spotlight on Flanders, a small region with a big reputation for quality and risk-taking in theatre for young audiences. The Festival is also proud to present two Scottish commissions from both new and established artists. The programme will provide hidden visual delights, celebrate our natural environment and embark on cultural adventures full of delightful music and suprirsing language. Woven throughout many of the performances is the simple joy of play - not only from the perspective of the child but also of adults who lead audiences on madcap explorations of what it means to be a grown-up. Come and join them on this journey! Click the button below for the full programme and information about how to book your tickets. Programme & Tickets
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Multiple Spaces
(Fri 30 May: 2pm) Join Alan McLellan to walk the old Port Road railway line from Dumfries to Stranraer, with vintage film clips and photos illustrating his journey into the past. In aid of Prostate Scotland.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 30 May: 7:30pm) As the wheel of the year begins to turn towards summer, join guest storyteller Kate Walker for tales of wonder, mystery and imagination. Expect stories of darkness and light, and stories to entertain and ponder! Hosted by Fiona Herbert. Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a special guest storyteller. ~~~~~ Brought up in a large family in West Fife, Kate Walker enjoys singing and storytelling with all ages. Her stories come from near and far, but she especially likes to tell tales with a Scottish flavour and loves to tell stories with a BIG message, a wee twist or a clever ending! In 2011 Kate set up her own business, ‘Chatterbox Stories’ and since then she has worked extensively with many different groups and participating in festivals and community events in Fife and central Scotland. With a keen interest in the environment, local history, Scottish traditions and culture, Kate uses her skills as a storyteller and teacher to interpret people’s lives, past events and the natural world through tales and song. Presented by the Scottish Storytelling Forum.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Sat 7 Jun: 11am) Suitable for both Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers, this workshop will focus on Scottish Gaelic songs that were used in the tradition of “waulking” the tweed - songs which were primarily composed and sung by women. Katie Macfarlane is a Gaelic singer from Airdrie who is greatly influenced by her connections to North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. She has had a passion for Gaelic song all her life and has been a semi-finalist in both BBC Radio Scotland's Young Traditional Musician and BBC Radio 2's Young Folk Award competitions. In 2018, Katie carried out an exchange of Gaelic and Catalan song while living in Barcelona and later released her debut EP Ciùine Na Mara in 2019 which is a mixture of the two styles and self-penned folk song. In 2023 Katie released her debut album An Nighean Sheunta (The Enchanted Girl) which is a celebration of the people and cultures that have inspired Katie's singing throughout her life. With a mix of Gaelic, Catalan, Scots and English song, it is an exploration of Katie's ancestry, the places she has lived, the people she has learned from, and traditions which must be nourished and maintained. Presented by the Traditional Music Forum, free for TMF members. Photo by Elly Lucas.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
George Mackay Brown Library
(Sat 7 Jun: 1.30pm) Join Paul McKenna for an inspiring workshop as we explore a vibrant collection of songs from Glasgow, Greater Glasgow, and Paisley - areas steeped in rich industrial history. Many of these songs echo the struggles, triumphs, and stories of the working-class experience, while also weaving in classic themes of Scots song - love, life, and the land. A journey through melody and history not to be missed. Paul McKenna has long been ranked among Scotland's finest singers and songwriters, armed with a powerful yet intensely emotive voice and passionate social conscience, often expressed through his songs - a combination that has brought frequent comparisons to the great Dick Gaughan. Formed in 2006, The Paul McKenna Band have performed all across the world to much acclaim, and in 2024 took home the title of Scottish Folk Band of the Year at the prestigious MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. Presented by the Traditional Music Forum, free for TMF members.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
George Mackay Brown Library
(Wed 11 June: 7:30pm) The moon begins to form as the moon spinners wash their wool in the sea, winding it again into a white ball in the sky and re-creating the phases and cycles that guide our seasons, and our stories... Join us for our quarterly series of full-moon celebrations, with live storytelling, music and a rotating programme of incredible performers. Following the Celtic Wheel of the Year (the quarterly seasons of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain) we look forward to moon myths, lunar legends and cross-cultural stories, revealing themes of creation, fertility, magic, mystery, death and rebirth. ~~~~~ For our June session we welcome you under the full Strawberry Moon. For thousands of years the rising full moon nearest the summer solstice has been observed as the communion of solar and lunar energies - the wedding of the sun and the moon! The Strawberry Moon in June bears the sun’s highest light and carries the most potent seed of life and love. Moonspinners will be in full flight with the theme of marriage, celebrating the moon as male energy communing with the solar light of the daughter of the sun. We have a wonderful line-up of storytellers including storytelling celebrant Beverley Bryant, married storytellers Claire McNicol and Fergus McNicol, and Scottish Indian storyteller Gauri Raje, with guidance and social flow from Linda Williamson ~~~~~ Our Moonspinners events follow two distinct phases, with the first half of performance in the Netherbow Theatre, followed by a social and conversational flow upstairs in the Storytelling Court with a chance to digest and discuss the stories amongst friends old and new. Mark it in your diary, or just follow the moon to guide you here! ~~~~~ Image credit: Hester Aspland
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 12 Jun: 7:30pm) Welcome to Queer Folks’ Tales, our hugely popular bi-monthly storytelling series where queer storytellers from a diverse range of backgrounds, ages and cultures around Edinburgh and Scotland share stories of LGBTQ+ lives, past, present and future. Sometimes hilarious, often moving, occasionally shocking, the mix of true and fictional stories across the year is as varied as the range of storytellers invited. Household names feature alongside new and diverse queer storytellers from the different communities of Scotland. Many of the stories told in the Queer Folks' Tales evenings will be true stories of LGBTQ+ experience in Scotland today. Hosted by Edinburgh’s Turan Ali. ~~~~~ Turan Ali has been a producer, director and writer of BBC radio dramas and comedies for over 20 years. He’s been a stage storyteller since 2012, and a stand up since 2021. He tours internationally and has two sell out monthly storytelling shows in Vienna. Turan is the creator, producer and host of Queer Folks’ Tales for which he won the Creative Edinburgh Leadership Award 2024. QFT now tours across Scotland and is Creative Scotland funded. ★★★★★ 'Edinburgh's most vibrant, authentic and exciting storytelling event' (The Wee Review)★★★★★ 'Utterly fabulous' (TheQR.co.uk)★★★★★ (BroadwayBaby.com) Queer Folks' Tales is supported by Creative Scotland
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 13 Jun: 7:30pm) Don’t miss the next fantastic show from Scotland’s premiere spoken word night! For over ten years, Loud Poets has been showcasing the best spoken word poetry from Scotland and beyond. Expect fist-thumping, heart-wrenching, side-tickling poetry performances with live musical accompaniment. Check back soon for the full line-up! “Loud Poets is tearing up the landscape, bringing the ancient art to contemporary audiences – spreading mirth, giggles and talent along the way.” - Corr Blimey “Go listen to Loud Poets and hear them say the things you’ve been trying to say yourself.” - Shane Koyczan “There’s a humour, poignancy and most of all confidence which serves to inspire.” - Scotsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Tue 17 Jun: 2pm) Join friends from the Scots Music Group for an afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Wed 18 Jun: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for a series of regular open-floor storytelling nights taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales! Sailors, fisherfolk, pirates and explorers. Leviathan lurking beneath the waves, the cry of the seabirds above. Bring us adventures and songs of the sea and shore!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 27 Jun: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a special guest storyteller. ~~~~~ Our guest storyteller this month is Anna Lehr. Originally from Germany, Anna is now based in Glasgow working as a professional storyteller who specialises in performance based interactive and educational stories. Hosted by Beverley Bryant. Presented by the Scottish Storytelling Forum.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Fri 11 Jul: 7:30pm) Don’t miss the next fantastic show from Scotland’s premiere spoken word night! For over ten years, Loud Poets has been showcasing the best spoken word poetry from Scotland and beyond. Expect fist-thumping, heart-wrenching, side-tickling poetry performances with live musical accompaniment. Check back soon for the full line-up! “Loud Poets is tearing up the landscape, bringing the ancient art to contemporary audiences – spreading mirth, giggles and talent along the way.” - Corr Blimey “Go listen to Loud Poets and hear them say the things you’ve been trying to say yourself.” - Shane Koyczan “There’s a humour, poignancy and most of all confidence which serves to inspire.” - Scotsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 16 Jul: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 25 Jul: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a guest storyteller to be announced.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Sat 6 Sep: 7:30pm) The moon begins to form as the moon spinners wash their wool in the sea, winding it again into a white ball in the sky and re-creating the phases and cycles that guide our seasons, and our stories... ~~~~~ Join us for our quarterly series of full-moon celebrations, with live storytelling, music and a rotating programme of incredible performers. Following the Celtic Wheel of the Year (the quarterly seasons of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain) we look forward to moon myths, lunar legends and cross-cultural stories, revealing themes of creation, fertility, magic, mystery, death and rebirth. For our September session we welcome you under the full Corn Moon with another exciting lineup of storytellers and performers. ~~~~~ Moonspinners events will follow two distinct phases, with the first half of performance in the Netherbow Theatre, followed by a social and conversational flow upstairs in the Storytelling Court with a chance to digest and discuss the stories amongst friends old and new. Mark it in your diary, or just follow the moon to guide you here! ~~~~~ Image credit: Hester Aspland
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 10 Sep: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for a series of regular open-floor storytelling nights taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales! Child’s play, riddles, stories of tricksters and shaggy dog tales... Make us laugh, make us wonder: can we believe you or is it just stuff and nonsense?!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Tue 23 Sep: 2pm) Join friends from the Scots Music Group for an afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 26 Sep: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a guest storyteller to be announced.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Sat 27 Sep: 7:30pm & Sun 28 Sep: 3pm) I didn’t ask to be born amongst all those paintings, but like it or not, I had to deal with the collection. A young man stands in front of us, trying to persuade us to fund a museum to honour his uncle. He is visibly uncomfortable: he wasn’t meant to be giving this presentation. It was supposed to be Jo, his mother. When Vincent van Gogh dies at the age of thirty-seven, shortly followed by his brother Theo, it is left to Theo’s widow Jo to carry on his legacy. Thanks to Jo and her son Vincent Willem the painter of Sunflowers is one of the most beloved artists in the world. Through the words of the artist, his brother, his sister-in-law and nephew, discover the genius that the world almost forgot… Written by Rebekah King, performed by Philip Kingscott and produced by Peapod Productions.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 1 Oct: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Tue 11 Nov: 2pm) Join friends from the Scots Music Group for an afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Wed 12 Nov: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for a series of regular open-floor storytelling nights taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales! Hiring fairs were traditionally held at Martinmas – bring us stories of work, magical service, prisoners or apprentices. What would you give a year and a day to accomplish?
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 28 Nov: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a guest storyteller to be announced.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Wed 3 Dec: 7pm) Nights are growing long and dark. Cold nips the air. It’s time to braid our evergreen circle - time to join the Burgh Blatherers for their Winter Warmer. Members of Edinburgh's own storytelling club present a heartfelt season finale to their year of storytelling ceilidhs and fan the embers of the year into flame of warming cheer and conviviality. Sit back and enjoy!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Wed 17 Dec: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Online On-Demand) Another Story is our podcast series exploring some of the themes featured in recent festivals. Tune in to hear some wonderful storytellers share their favourite tales and chat about storytelling in Scotland and beyond. So join us for Another Story... Available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple, Google and Amazon. Follow us by liking and subscribing so you don’t miss an episode! Listen Here
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Explore Edinburgh as a city by the sea by enjoying this specially created story film. Follow the coastline from Fisherrow, on the boundary with East Lothian, to South Queensferry. A trail of harbours and wildlife havens that glimmers with stories from folklore, history and ecology. Devised by the SISF with storytellers Beverley Casebow, Douglas Mackay, Janis Mackay, Linda Perttula, Nicola Wright and Donald Smith, with music by Kenneth Linklater and the Bowling Ceilidh Band. Produced in support of the Forth Rivers Trust and Restoration Forth, Blue City: A Storytelling Journey along Edinburgh's Coastline is free to access. This film will be available on YouTube from Fri 14 Oct. View the film ~~~~~~~~~~ Over the past two years we have enjoyed being part of a fantastic online storytelling community across the world. We would love to further connect with you in our digital storytelling and development sessions, so whether you are based in Scotland, or further afield, let’s keep that fire lit on our global platforms. ~~~~~~~~~~ In Scotland’s Year of Stories, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival: Keep It Lit invites everyone to the ceilidh; locally, nationally and globally. At the core of Scotland’s culture and identity is the hospitable hearth - a place of solidarity and welcome for friend and stranger alike. Round that symbolic fire, experiences and memories are shared and hope affirmed.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Green City: Healing and Hope is a new storytelling film exploring the grassroots movement to turn Edinburgh green. The struggle for net zero will be won or lost in cities, so how is Edinburgh doing after 900 years as a burgh? Hear directly from people and places who think global and act local. Green City is a companion piece to Blue City (2022), which explored Edinburgh as a city by the sea. Narrated by Donald Smith, with contributions from fellow storytellers and activists. Co-Directed by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A) & Donald Smith. Produced by the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Green City: Healing and Hope will be free to access from Friday 16th February 2024. View the film
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Enjoy several multimedia storytelling performances filmed live in the Scottish Storytelling Centre's Netherbow Theatre in October 2022, where a world of local Scottish stories unfolds through the live voices of traditional storytellers and site-specific film footage of the landscapes they emerge from. Featuring stories from Dumfries and Galloway, the North East, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and Perth and Kinross. ~~~~~~~~~~ These live performances were part of Tales, Tongues and Trails, a celebration of regional and international language, landscape and identities for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022. Map of Stories YouTube playlist of all five Film Ceilidhs Scottish International Storytelling Festival Live filming by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A). ~~~~~~~~~~ Map of Stories is a collaboration between Transgressive North, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland and Rectangle Design, supported by Creative Scotland and EventScotland as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
(Fri 4 Apr-Mon 12 May) Get up close and personal with the exquisite Venetian masks hand-crafted by Edinburgh's mask maker, designer and mask model Lorraine Pritchard, artist-in-residence for this year's Pomegranates Festival and the only Scottish artist featured at the Venice Carnival 2025. Unmask the secrets of the mask-making heritage craft, find out more about masks and traditional dance, plus explore photographs of the artists' masks shot on location from Arthur’s Seat to the canals of Venice and a new behind-the-scenes documentary by Franzis Sánchez. Masks is complemented by another exhibition featuring more of Lorraine’s Venetian masks, plus books about Venice and the Carnevale at Edinburgh Central Library (1-30 April 2025), also curated as part of Pomegranates Festival. This is Lorraine's first solo exhibition in a public institution. It is curated across the two venues by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland in an ongoing partnership with the Edinburgh City Libraries and the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of Pomegranates, Scotland's springtime festival of world trad dance and its links with live music, film, poetry, art, craft and fashion. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 26 Apr: 10:30am) Join dance historian Alena Shmakova for a walking tour from John Knox House to the Palace of Holyroodhouse along the Royal Mile to explore the significance of women in traditional dance past and present. Learn about the French and Italian influences on court dance entertainment in 16th Century Scotland, as well as the use of masks, daggers, costumes and cross-dressing. Find out how Mary, Queen of Scots’ passion for dance had provoked John Knox’s protestant fury and backlash. Please noteThe walking tour begins at John Knox House, up a steep spiral staircase with no lift or level access. The tour will cover cobbled and potentially slippy terrain. Please dress for the weather! Intrigued? Tune into the latest episode of Trad Dance Cast, which celebrates the role of women in traditional dance. Released to mark International Women’s Day 2025, the episode uncovers the dance herstory of Scotland, from the Renaissance to the Georgian era, with a focus on Mary, Queen of Scots and lead dancer Sophia Parker. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Meet at Scottish Storytelling Centre
(Sat 26 Apr: 10:30am) A hands-on, practical introduction to live storytelling and the associated skills. Storyteller Ruth Kirkpatrick leads this participatory session for anyone curious about discovering and developing their own storytelling talent. Let out your inner storyteller and learn to craft your skills. For new and aspiring storytellers. ~~~~~~~~~~ Our participatory sessions are designed to help you improve your skills and share your experiences with fellow storytelling enthusiasts. This carefully curated workshop programme offers you the chance to work with highly-skilled and experienced artists, giving you guidance on improving your practice and discovering your own talent. Did you know? Members of the Scottish Storytelling Forum are entitled to discounted rates on our storytelling workshops. For more information on memberships please visit the Storytelling Forum website. ~~~~~~~~~~ Pay it Forward If you are willing and able to donate a workshop place to another person, you now can! Click the button above and select the ticket price to donate. We will then be able to offer a free place to someone who would not have been able to attend otherwise. If you feel the Pay It Forward scheme would benefit you and would like to request a free ticket please email our Reception Team where you will be allocated a ticket if available. We hold 1 space per workshop for Pay It Forward requests.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Mon 28 Apr: 6:30pm) Gather in for an evening of blether about the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention and the opportunities it opens up for Scottish traditional dance. Enjoy wee sets from Scottish Country, Highland and Step dance artists, as well as Polonaise, which was inscribed in the UNESCO representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity in December 2023. Hear from special guests Steve Byrne of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Rachel Hosker of the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh and Árpád Vörös, recipient of the knighthood award for lifetime contribution to Hungarian folk dance. Ask our presenters in the Q&A chaired by Wendy Timmons of Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. The programme lasts about 90 minutes and will be followed by an opportunity to mingle and network at which all are welcome. Curated by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland as part of Pomegranates, Scotland's springtime festival of world trad dance and its links with live music, film, poetry, art, craft and fashion. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Tue 29 Apr: 6:30pm) Celebrate UNESCO International Day of Dance with the Pomegranates flagship show choreographed by Pomegranates Festival hip hop dance theatre artist-in-residence Jonzi D (back by popular demand!) supported by B-girl Emma Ready and B-boy Sean Edwards plus dancers and musicians wearing newly-commissioned masks by the festival heritage craft artist-in-residence Lorraine Pritchard. See also the curtain-raiser Sequins – a new hip hop dance theatre solo by Kalubi Mukengela-Jacoby set to the Pomegranates Festival spoken word commission Sequins of Poems to Dance To by Ian McMillan. “Following my Pomegranates festival debut last year, I am really honoured to be invited back as this year’s choreographer-in-residence, plus I am particularly partial to the new festival theme of masks. Traditional dance is important, including masked dance, because it represents living heritage while celebrating difference. I think we’ve reached a period in society where our differences are being used against us; our differences are being used to keep us separated; our differences are being used as judgmental tools. Manufactured polarisation. But our infinite differences define our identities, and still we have more in common than we have apart. Pomegranates Festival celebrates our differences.” - Jonzi D The programme lasts about 60 minutes and will be followed by an opportunity to mingle and network at which all are welcome. Curated by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland as part of Pomegranates, Scotland's springtime festival of world trad dance and its links with live music, film, poetry, art, craft and fashion. Find out more about Pomegranates Festival 2025, or you can keep up with Pomegranates as well as year-round TDFS activity by signing up to the TDFS newsletter.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 1 May: 7:30pm) Don’t miss the next fantastic show from Scotland’s premiere spoken word night! For over ten years, Loud Poets has been showcasing the best spoken word poetry from Scotland and beyond. Expect fist-thumping, heart-wrenching, side-tickling poetry performances with live musical accompaniment. May's line-up features Inga Dale, Sarah Grant, Bradley Taylor & Stephen Watt. “Loud Poets is tearing up the landscape, bringing the ancient art to contemporary audiences – spreading mirth, giggles and talent along the way.” - Corr Blimey “Go listen to Loud Poets and hear them say the things you’ve been trying to say yourself.” - Shane Koyczan “There’s a humour, poignancy and most of all confidence which serves to inspire.” - Scotsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 2 May: 7:30pm) MAIK are a brand new folk duo from either side of the Scotland/England border. Two experienced folk singers in their own right, Jamie Cook and Kirsty Law have joined forces to bring some of their most beloved songs together. Through their arrangements they tell stories both ancient and contemporary, in harmonies that are at times stark and dissonant, and at times warm and lush, in a mix of Scots language, Cumbrian dialect and English. Watch 'My Son David' performed by MAIK MAIK's performance will be preceded by a support slot from Jemima Thewes. Jemima sings traditional ballads and her own songs, transporting the listener through mesmeric melodies and human-fragile elemental tension that softly bewitches, and at times disconcerts, in time-altering depth and chilling folk-story beauty. 'Jemima has such a beautiful voice, with a great, original style. Her combination of darkness and irony, melancholy and delight is fantastic.' (Rosanne Cash) ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 3 May: 10am) Join the Family Beltane crew for a morning of mask decoration, crafting and face painting ahead of the May Day Parade. Fun for all the family, please come in Mummers costume if desired! Afterwards, all are welcome to join the May Day Parade or watch and enjoy as it passes down the High Street. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 3 May: 10:30am) Join Gaelic storyteller Martin MacIntyre for an introductory session exploring the history, importance and joy in Gaelic storytelling culture in Scotland. Martin was the University of Edinburgh’s first Gaelic Writer in Residence (2022-24) and is an accomplished storyteller, poet and author. This is a bilingual event in English with some content in Gaelic. No prior knowledge of Scottish Gaelic is required to attend, everyone welcome! Presented by the Scottish Storytelling Forum. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Sat 3 May: 11:30am) Artists, performers and culture workers of all kinds are called to join Tradfest musicians and mummers on the Edinburgh and Lothians May Day procession. Gather at 11.30am at Parliament Square by St Giles Cathedral for a 12pm departure down the High Street to The Pleasance, where there will be a rally, music and stalls. Greenery and instruments welcome! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
External Venue
(Sat 3 May: 1:30pm & 3pm) This delightful Beltane Fire Society tradition allows parents to share in the magic of the Beltane story with their little ones through storytelling, face painting and arts & crafts. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 3 May: 7:30pm) Be transported to the magical Hebridean Islands and the Highlands of Scotland through stories and legends collected by folklorist Otta Swire, who captured the spirit and traditions of a bygone era. With story, music and imagery, storytellers Bea Ferguson and Heather Yule explore the captivating tales of these lands, and the people and strange creatures who dwelt there. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 4 May: 1pm) Come with family and friends to dance Scottish dances and sing well-known songs with the Minnow Ceilidh Band. All dances will be called and there'll be easy-to-follow circles for wee ones. A fun introduction to sociable dancing with live music. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sun 4 May: 8pm) Cinematic-folk duo Dowally and innovative French drummer Philippe Boudot celebrate the release of their album Ici et Là-Bas, recorded last year in Edinburgh. Dowally have become renowned for their collaborations with top musicians such as Phil Alexander (Moishe's Bagel) and Ciaran Ryan (Dallahan). Their latest partnership with in-demand drummer Philippe Boudot (currently touring with renowned songwriter Clara Ysé) sees the duo at their most creative, making lyrical, joyful music, whilst anchored to their folk beginnings. Over the course of a single week, they wrote and recorded an entire album, with voice, fiddle, guitar, drums and percussion. That freshness is apparent across the tracks, ranging from epic morricone-esque compositions and new folk tunes, to yearning songs in both English and French. Watch a short Trailer here ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Mon 5 May: 1pm) Experience the spirit of Edinburgh’s streets as they once were - full of fun, folklore, and adventure. Join Claire McNicol and Fergus McNicol for a lively, family-friendly session of traditional street games, playful rhymes, toe-tapping songs, and captivating tales from Old Edinburgh! Discover games that once filled the city's closes and wynds with laughter, while learning the chants and songs passed down through generations. Listen to stories of Edinburgh’s past, of mischievous bairns, bustling markets, and the hijinks of the Old Town. A perfect blend of history, play and imagination! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Mon 5 May: 4pm) In his new book Scotland’s Sacred Goddess: Hidden in Plain Sight (Luath Press), Stuart McHardy explores the pre-Christian beliefs of the Scottish people, where the Scots had a rich mythology of stories that explained the creation and workings of the world. Join Stuart to celebrate the book and hear how these ancient beliefs are not lost but can be seen in today’s cultural and physical landscape, in a mix of ancient oral tales, place names, local rhymes and landscape shapes. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Tue 6 May: 2pm) Celebrate Edinburgh's Tradfest with friends from the Scots Music Group! An afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Tue 6 May: 7:30pm) A wonderful evening of stories, music and song celebrating the bothy culture of rural North East Scotland. Join ballad singer Allan Taylor, fiddler Karin Paterson and storytellers Phyll McBain and Jackie Ross for a ceilidh of land, laughter and a hearty dollop of Doric! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 7 May: 7:30pm) Songs from the people of Scotland; voices of the excluded, the marginalised, the feared and the fearful, the enchanted and the enchanters, the mothers, the fathers, the workers, the children... let them all be heard. Sangstream, the a cappella Scots folk choir now in its 28th year, led by the renowned Corrina Hewat, is excited to perform their rich choice of songs arranged by Corrina and previous leaders such as Mairi Campbell and Robyn Stapleton. Songs revealing truths from deep in history to more recent tales, all relevant to life in Scotland today. ~~~~~ Sangstream Scots Folk Choir is Edinburgh-based, with weekly Thursday rehearsals at St Thomas of Aquin’s. The choir is open to all with no audition needed to join. Their repertoire is mainly unaccompanied Scots folk songs, both traditional and modern. They also have a regular monthly Saturday afternoon session at the Canons’ Gait in the Old Town. Since their founding in 1997 they have been led by some of Scotland’s finest traditional voices – Christine Kydd, Jenny Clark, Mairi Campbell, Robyn Stapleton and, for 8 years, Corrina Hewat who is celebrating 30 years in the arts as musician and composer, having a wide and varied background of music and theatre. Sangstream aims to provide the opportunity for people to learn about and share Scots songs and traditions and to carry these songs out into the wider community. You can find out more about becoming a member of Sangstream at sangstream.org.uk. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 8 May: 7:30pm) Welcome to an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry. Steeped in the traditions of Scottish storytelling, we evoke the warm atmosphere of peat-smoked hearthsides and ceilidh house revelry, presenting timeless motifs relevant to a discerning modern audience. Join host Dougie Mackay as he invites a different selection of Scotland’s finest storytellers, songwriters, musicians, and performing artists to each bi-monthly Hearth Fire Session to create an innovative showcase of Scotland’s contemporary culture. May's session features storyteller Niall Moorjani, Moroccan filmmakers/storytellers Tizintizwa (Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed) and musician Evie Waddell. ~~~~~ Niall Moorjani is a non-binary, mixed Scots-Indian writer and storyteller. They are fascinated by the fantastical, the historical, and the liminal and have written and performed many shows, including A Fairie Tale and Mohan: A Partition Story at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. They are also the founder and host of the Tales at The Tavern/Lighthouse open mic story night in London/Edinburgh. Niall's work has been described as ‘genius reinvention of the form’ (Fringe of Colour). Tizintizwa (Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed) is a Moroccan art-research collective that fosters collective creation and cross-pollination across disciplines. They collaborate with rural communities to document oral traditions and explore ecological transformations. Their work emphasizes the importance of transgenerational transmission, land relations, and the interplay between nature and culture, showcased at notable venues worldwide. They will also perform at SSC as part of the Folk Film Gathering on Fri 9 May. Evie Waddell is a Gaelic and Scots singer, and fiddler hailing from Stirlingshire. She graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and her passion for Scottish music is deeply rooted in the influence of Jo Miller, also drawing inspiration from Ivor Cutler, Martyn Bennett, Lisa O Neill, and Rhiannon Giddens. Evie also performs in British Sign Language (BSL) and has directed and toured her own show 'Fàilte Gu BSL' as well as performing with Theatre Gu Leòr. She was a winner of the Danny Kyle Open Stage 2023 and was a BBC Young Traditional Musician Semi-Finalist 2024. Evie released her visual EP 'Cluich!' in February 2024. Dougie Mackay hails from the Scottish Highlands, from a lineage of natural storytellers. He is fascinated by the wild northern tales of Scotland, Scandinavia, Ireland and the Baltics, with a practice steeped in group-work facilitation and storytelling as a tool for development, connection and empowerment. He has been telling stories professionally for over 10 years and has developed successful long-form shows including Animate Lands and A Wolf Shall Devour the Sun. He co-curates and hosts Hearth Fire Sessions throughout the year. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 9 May: 6pm) Bog Standard is the gripping true story of a tip off which led a rookie journalist to one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century. It’s also a story about a magical bogland called Lindow Moss, two murders 1500 years apart, and how an ancient bog man became a 21st-century eco warrior. Award-winning health journalist and storyteller Rachel Pugh and prize-winning harpist Lucy Nolan collaborate in a show weaving words, music and natural bog sounds from the UK and Kyrgyzstan to recreate the nail-biting days of 1984 when Rachel fought to save Lindow Man from ending up in a bag of compost! Directed by Marion Kenny. Watch a short Trailer here ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 9 May: 8:30pm) Blending historic events, Moroccan popular myths and magical fiction, this special live performance from filmmaker/storytellers Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed combines film, lecture and storytelling, showcasing the Tizintizwa Collective’s field recordings of ancestral oral poems, epic ballads and women's work songs to create a folktale-like account of the 20th century "Roman" conquest of Morocco from a "barbarian" perspective. Part of the Folk Film Gathering 2025. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 10 May: 11am) Join storyteller Ailie Finlay from My Kind of Book on a fun-packed, sensory adventure for May time as we head off through the green grass and squelchy bogs of Scotland! Lively traditional tales, inclusive games and lots of props to bounce and squeeze, followed by a calming session with play dough. A fun and engaging session for everyone but particularly suitable for children with additional needs and their families and friends. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 10 May: 1:30pm) For musicians who want to be better storytellers on stage! Learn how to improve your patter and song introductions with some basic rules of storytelling. An interactive and fun session led by experienced musician and storyteller David Francis, where you will learn how to stay grounded, be aware of your audience and try different introductions to songs and music, with honest and useful feedback. Presented by the Traditional Music Forum. David Francis has been involved in folk music in Scotland for around 40 years as a folk club organiser, musician, researcher and administrator and is also involved in other aspects of the folk arts such as dance and storytelling. As a musician, David is known for his guitar and songwriting work in duo The Cast with his wife Mairi Campbell, with whom he recorded and toured in the 90s and 00s. The duo was nudged into the spotlight and temporary solvency when their version of Robert Burns’s Auld Lang Syne was picked up for the film of the hit TV show Sex and the City. He worked with the Traditional Music Forum and TRACS until his recent retirement but continues to stay involved through other organisations like the European Folk Network. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Training Venue
(Sat 10 May: 2pm) A walking tour around the sights and sounds of Edinburgh’s Old Town with artist/curator Claudia Zeiske. Walk along Edinburgh’s High Street in the footsteps of philosopher/community planner Patrick Geddes, taking in the buildings, stories and green spaces that maintain Geddes’ legacy of ecology, culture and creativity. Claudia Zeiske is a cultural activist and Walking Curator. Her practice stems from Deveron Projects in rural Scotland where she was the founding Director. Here ‘the town is the venue’ rather than a gallery or arts centre based on a balanced approach between artistic criticality and community involvement. Her experiences come from participatory arts, linking local activities with global realities. You can find out more about Claudia by visiting her website. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Meet at Scottish Storytelling Centre
(Sat 10 May: 7:30pm) TuFlamenco presents a tribute to Federico García Lorca, Spain’s most iconic poet, through Flamenco’s rhythm, dance, and poetry. Three Spanish artists - Inma Montero (dance & vocals), Danielo Olivera (guitar & vocals), and Inés Álvarez Villa (storyteller) – explore the intense connection of the poet to flamenco in all its passion, tragedy, and beauty. Join us on this celebration of the rich Spanish cultural heritage! ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 11 May: 11am, 1:30pm & 7pm) Join us for a celebration of independent film in Scotland through the lens of celebrated filmmaker Douglas Eadie. Across the day a selection of Douglas’s work will be shown including: 11am: Haston - A Life in the Mountains (plus Q&A featuring special guest, cameraman Douglas Campbell.)1:30pm: An Ceasnachadh - An Interrogation of a Highland Lass (plus Q&A with Kathleen MacInnes, Dolina MacLennan and Kenny MacRae) / Hydro Days (plus Q&A with Film Producer Christeen Whinford, Film Editor Fiona MacDonald and Film Director Robbie Fraser)7pm: Down Home (with Aly Bain, introduced by Mike Bolland who commissioned the original film for Channel 4) All hosted throughout by poet Jim Mackintosh and author James Robertson. Part of the Folk Film Gathering 2025. ~~~~~ Edinburgh Tradfest presents the very best traditional music and traditional arts from Scotland and around the world. This year's dates are Fri 2 – Mon 12 May 2025. Edinburgh Tradfest is run by Soundhouse, alongside programming partners at TRACS, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Queen's Hall, University of Edinburgh Celtic & Scottish Studies, Folk Film Gathering and other individual artists and creatives. Funded by Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 15 May-Sun 1 Jun) Nakba 77: Palestine's Depopulated Villages by Palestine-based independent journalist and photographer Ahmad Al-Bazz is a photographic documentation of the 500+ Palestinian villages across Mandatory Palestine that were depopulated during the Nakba in 1948 and subsequently destroyed by the Zionist settler state. The ghosts of wiped out Palestinian existence haunt almost every Israeli settlement*. In his travels across the land, the photographer has witnessed and documented graveyards surrounded by electric fences, mosques degraded in serving as animal sheds, vacated Palestinian homes that were turned into artist villages and many other forms of dispossession. The photos should not be viewed as stories about the past — at least as long as Palestinians are forced to remain refugees, banned from returning to their homes and lands. *This refers to the towns and cities across all of Palestine, including, for example, the settlement of Tel Aviv -built upon the site of Jaffa and its surroundings where 98% of the Palestinian population were expelled in 1948. Bio Ahmad Al-Bazz: Independent journalist and documentary filmmaker focusing on Palestinian-Israeli affairs. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 16 May: 12:30pm) Leaving her native village to follow her dream of becoming an actress, Hiam Abbass also left behind her mother, grandmother and seven sisters. Thirty years later, her filmmaker daughter Lina returns with her to journey through the vanished places among the scattered memories of four generations of daring Palestinian women. Genre: Documentary, Biography, Archive | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Languages: French, Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 16 May: 3pm) Director Raed Andoni places a newspaper advertisement in Ramallah. He is looking for former inmates of the Moskobiya interrogation centre in Jerusalem. In his ad he asks that the men should also have experience as craftsmen, architects or actors. In a reconstruction of the centre built under their close supervision, the men re-enact their interrogations, discuss details about the prison, and express the humiliation they experienced during their detention. Using techniques reminiscent of 'theatre of the oppressed' they work together to dramatise their real-life experiences. Their reconstruction brings long-repressed emotions and undealt-with trauma to the fore. Working on the film takes a physical and mental toll on the men, while the director also comes to terms with his own fragmented memories of imprisonment in Moskobiya thirty years previously. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2017 | Original Languages: Arabic | Subtitles: English
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 16 May: 5:30pm) ‘Where is God?’ an elderly man desperately wonders when surveying the debris in the Palestinian refugee camp Jenin. The film includes testimony from Jenin residents after the Israeli army’s Defensive Wall operation, during which the city and camp were the scenes of fierce fighting. The operation ended with Jenin flattened and scores of Palestinians killed. Palestinians as well as numerous human rights groups accused Israel of committing war crimes in the April 2002 attack on the refugee camp. Jenin Jenin shows the extent to which the prolonged oppression and terror has affected the state of mind of the Palestinian inhabitants of Jenin. Bitterness and grief are the prevailing feelings among the majority of the population. Many have lost loved ones or are still searching for victims and furniture among the debris. A little girl, who does not seem to be much older than twelve, tells her story but knows no fear. The ongoing violence in her day-to-day life only nourishes her feelings of resistance and determination. The sad question forces itself on the spectator. What will become of a country, a people when its children are confronted with war and violence from a very early age? Directed and co-produced by Palestinian actor and director Mohamed Bakri. Banned in “Israel”, this film is dedicated to Iyad Samoudi, the producer of the film, who returned home to Yamun after the shooting of the film was completed. On June 23, as Israeli forces besieged Yamun, Samoudi was shot and killed as he was leaving a military-closed area with three friends. The film will be followed by a post-screening conversation with Mariam Barghouti (online). Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2003 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Mariam Barghouti is a journalist, writer, and researcher based in Ramallah, occupied Palestine. She earned a BA in English Language and Literature from Birzeit University, and an MSc in Sociology and Global Change from the University of Edinburgh. She worked as a journalist and reporter with a focus on the Levant, and published various sociopolitical commentaries from Palestine. She has undertaken monitoring and evaluation missions of humanitarian and development aid in Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon for various governmental and non-governmental organizations. Her reporting and analysis have been featured in Al-Jazeera English, the New York Times, the Guardian, BBC, and Middle East Eye, amongst others. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 16 May: 8pm) Born in exile, Ahmed Saleh knew Palestine only through a TV screen — a distant land of stories, struggle and longing. Then he crossed the threshold; moving to Palestine for university, he arrived just as the second intifada erupted, stepping into the world he had only watched from afar. Through a fusion of film screenings and live storytelling on stage, this performance unravels the journey from observer to participant and from assumptions to reality, weaving personal memories with the lives of those he met. This event is organised in collaboration with the Scottish Documentary Institute and will be preceded by an intimate filmmaker’s Circle with Ahmad Saleh. This event is open to documentary and non-fiction moving image filmmakers, cinematographers, writers and producers. To find out more, please visit the SDI website. The life Ahmad lived in Palestine inspired him to write stories – not knowing back then that telling stories will turn into his main profession. After studying for a Bachelor in Electronics Engineering, Ahmad obtained two Masters in Art. The first in Digital Media and the second in Film Writing and Directing. His films received several prestigious awards and were screened in hundreds of festivals worldwide. Genre: Short Film, Live Storytelling | Original Language: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 11am) While the Israeli army retaliates against the Second Intifada in the West Bank in the early 2000s, a mother films her family's daily life, punctuated by time spent shielding them from harm in the basement. Now her son revisits this past, delivering a heart-breaking portrait of the anguish of parents who are forced to choose between their children’s physical safety and the emotional upheaval of leaving home. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 1:30pm) An aesthetic and provocative screening of four experimental shorts uncovering the occupation’s haunting manipulation of sound as a form of torture, the politics of sound and sonic self-determination. ~~~~~ Untitled (To The Lebanese Citizens) (بدون عنوان (إلى المواطنين اللبنانيين (Ali Cherri)During the July War in 2006, the State of Israel intercepted the broadcast of the radio station Voice of the People to transmit an audio message to the Lebanese population. Genre: Short | Year of Release: 2006 | Original Language(s): Arabic, English Vibration from Gaza ذبذبات من غزة (Rehab Nazzal)Vibrations from Gaza offers a glimpse into the experiences of Deaf children in the occupied and confined coastal territory of Gaza, Palestine. Genre: Short, Documentary, Experimental | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English Offing خط الافق (Oraib Toukan)Produced in the aftermath of the 2021 Israeli war on Palestinians residing in the Israeli-besieged Gaza strip, stories by Gaza artist Salman Nawati are told against footage that explores the tender and the mundane as acts of life. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2021 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English The Diary of a Sky (Lawrence Abu Hamdan)An atmospheric symphony of violence unfolds over Beirut, revealing the haunting fusion of incessant Israeli military flights and the hum of generators during blackouts. Genre: Documentary, Video Essay | Year of Release: 2024 | Original Languages: Arabic, English | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 2pm) Rooted in tradition, tatreez is more than a craft. It’s a symbol of resistance, resilience, and cultural identity—stitched through generations in villages across Palestine and now practised around the world. Join us for a hands-on workshop with Rowa and learn the basics of Palestinian embroidery, tatreez. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 17 May: 4:30pm) This conversation will bring together distinguished voices to share testimonies from Gaza on the ongoing genocide. The panel features surgeon Dr Ghassan Abu Sitta and journalist Yara Eid, moderated by educator and editor Hazem Jamjoum. This conversation will provide an essential platform for those who have borne witness to the relentless violence and systemic destruction inflicted upon Gaza. ~~~~~ Yara Eid is a Palestinian journalist and human rights advocate who has worked with various international human rights organisations including Amnesty International. In her writing she explores the struggles of living under apartheid and occupation. Yara has worked as a war journalist on the ground, and covered the 2022 aggression on Gaza. She has been published in Aljazeera, the LA Times, and others. Dr Ghassan Abu Sitta is a British-Palestinian surgeon who has worked in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. On October 9, he went to Gaza where he worked for 43 days straight in Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals. Since then he has been showing the world what is happening in Gaza and was recently elected Rector of the University of Glasgow. Hazem Jamjoum is a Palestinian educator and an editor with the recently-established Maqam Editions publishing house. His translation of Ghassan Kanafani's The Revolution of 1936-1939 in Palestine was published by 1804 Press in 2023, and his translation of Maya Abu al-Hayyat's No One Knows their Blood Type was released by the CSU Poetry Centre in October 2024. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 7pm) A cinematic exploration on borders, the physical, emotional, material & immaterial; those that dictate movement and return, or lack thereof, for Palestinians universally. This event will feature post-screening conversations with directors. ~~~~~ I Would Like to Visit أودُّ الزيارة (Muhammad Nour Elkhairy)An experimental short and installation work that combines text and film to explore the simple desire to travel, through the cultural and political realities of being Palestinian. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2017 | Original Language: English Your Father Was Born 100 Years Old, and So Was the Nakba أبوكي خلق عمره ١٠٠ سنة، زي النكبة (Razan AlSalah)A grandmother returns to her hometown Haifa through Google Streetview, today, the only way Palestinian refugees can see Palestine. Genre: Short, Experimental| Year of Release: 2018 | Original Languages: Arabic | Subtitles: English Like An Event In A Dream Dreamt By Another – Rehearsal مثل حدث في حلم رآه آخر - تمرين (Firas Shehadeh)Through Role-Playing Games, real life can be rehearsed using supernatural beings and worlds. This project explores how Palestinian players, GTA mods and servers are simulating real life under colonial rule. Genre: Short, Experimental, Animation | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: English When Weather Permits (Hareth Yousef)A short experimental film that mixes photography, archival images, and audio, this piece explores the profound longing and complex realities of Yousef’s homeland. Genre: Short | Year of Release: 2024 | Original Language: English Moonscape وجه القمر (Mona Benyamin)A short film taking the form of a music video. The song traces the story of the man who claimed ownership of the Moon in 1980 and founded a company selling land on a variety of planets and moons, connecting his story with a young Palestinian woman living under the Israeli occupation. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2020 | Original Language: Arabic, English | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sat 17 May: 9pm) A compelling screening of four short films that delve into the manipulation of archaeological heritage and erasure of folkloric traditions by the occupying zionist entity, revealing the cultural destruction of colonial control. This event features a post-screening conversation with Nadia Dina Yahlom. ~~~~~ She Still Wears Kohl and Smells Like Roses (Dima Srouji)The story of a collection of glass vessels excavated in Palestine and Syria, now part of the collection at the V&A. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2023 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English Performing Archeology (Dima Srouji)The Israeli government encourages illegal settlers carrying weapons to enter Sebastia for mass religious tourism, using archaeological monuments as a stage set to perform the singular narratives of Ancient Samaria. But what if the ground could speak for itself? Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2019 | Original Languages: Arabic, English | Subtitles: English Sebastia سبسطية (Dima Srouji)A small town sits on top of a hill surrounded by an illegal Israeli settlement and confiscated olive groves. This ancient site was excavated multiple times over the last century by colonial archaeologists using locals as cheap labour - digging their own land for the sake of biblical archaeology. Genre: Short, Experimental, Historical | Year of Release: 2020 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English our songs were ready for all wars to come أعددنا الأغاني للحروب القادمة (Noor Abed)Choreographed scenes based on documented folktales from Palestine, the film aims to create a new aesthetic form to re-awaken latent stories based around water wells and their connection to communal rituals around notions of disappearance, mourning, and death. Genre: Short, Experimental | Year of Release: 2021 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Nadia Dima Yahlom is a Palestinian-Jewish and British artist, curator and researcher working with speculative fiction, film, photography, drawing and objects. She co-founded Sarha Collective, a platform for experimental art forms from Palestine and the broader SWANA region. Her practice explores ways of sensing beyond seeing, the bio/necropolitical between Palestine and the UK and how humans, artefacts and landscapes bear witness to colonial violence. She has worked with Battersea Arts Centre, British Council (Yemen), Rich Mix, ICA, Open City Docs, Tate Britain, Southbank Centre and many others. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 11am) An oblique, albeit powerful experimental documentary which examines the politics and economics of South Lebanon against the backdrop of the Israeli occupation. This event features a post-screening conversation with co-director Jayce Salloum. Talaeen a Junuub (Up to the South) is ostensibly (not) a documentary exploring conditions in the south of Lebanon and the representation of the country both in the West and in Lebanon. The film explored the issues themselves (terrorism, colonialism, occupation, resistance) but goes further in interrogating the history and structure of documentary as a genre, especially how Western documentary represents other cultures. Directed by Walid Raad and Jayce Salloum. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 1993 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 1:30pm) From Ground Zero is a collection of 22 short films made in Gaza during the ongoing genocide. Initiated by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi, the project was born to give a voice to 22 Gazan filmmakers to tell the untold stories of the current war on film. Despite the harsh filming conditions, Gaza's vibrant artistic scene shines through this collection, offering an intimate and powerful portrait of daily life and the enduring spirit of its people. This event features a post-screening conversation with Hazem Jamjoum. Genre: Documentary, Fiction, Docu-Fiction, Animation, Experimental | Year of Release: 2024 | Original Language: Arabic | Subtitles: English ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 2pm) Join Diline Abushaban for a session full of creativity, healing and solidarity with Gaza. Participants will be able to choose from different forms of art including painting, clay, and more. No previous experience in art is needed, this workshop is suitable for all ages. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sun 18 May: 5:30pm) Two beautiful and powerful medium-length films on the coloniality of archives, reclamation of Palestinian music and dance, and the ethnographic underpinnings of colonization. This event will be followed by a Q&A with Lamees Almakkawy, director of Dancing Palestine. A Magical Substance Flows Into Me في اثر مادة سحرية (Jumana Manna)Jumana Manna follows in the footsteps of Dr. Robert Lachmann, an enigmatic Jewish-German ethnomusicologist who emigrated to 1930s Palestine. While attempting to establish an archive and department of Oriental Music at the Hebrew University, Lachmann created a radio program for the Palestine Broadcasting Service called “Oriental Music”, where he would invite members of local communities to perform their vernacular music. Manna visits many of these same groups and communities as they exist today within the geographic space of historical Palestine. Intercutting these encounters with musicians are a series of vignettes of interactions of the artist with her parents in the bounds of their family home. Within hackneyed one-dimensional ideas about occupied Palestine, this impossibility becomes itself a trope that defines the Palestinian landscape. Genre: Documentary | Year of Release: 2015 | Original Languages: Arabic, English, Hebrew | Subtitles: English Dancing Palestine (Lamees Almakkawy)To dance is to remember, to dance is to remind. As the Palestinian identity continues to be threatened with erasure, Palestinians turn to their folk dance, the dabke, as an homage to their history and culture and to assert their existence. Dancing Palestine is a documentation of this embodiment of collective memory, as those who piece together a dabke choreography, piece together their identities, too. Together with the film - a performance in itself - the dabke is a testament to Palestinians’ deep love of life, and thus their need to contribute to the archive of Palestine so that it continues to live on in the present. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Sun 18 May: 8:30pm) Join Falastin Film Festival for a musical concert by renowned composer and Oud virtuoso Saied Silbak. Saied will perform his own compositions and musical pieces inspired by the past, the current situation and the expectations for something unknown. Opening the evening's music, Intibint will be performing a set of covers of Arabic songs, including resistance songs and popular Yemeni songs. She will also be performing some of her own original tracks, accompanied on the guitar by Tristan from Obia Sounds. ~~~~~ Saied Silbak is a Palestinian composer and oud player born in Shafaa`mr, a city located in the lower Galilee of occupied Palestine. He began training in classical piano at the age of four, before moving onto the oud in his early teens in order to delve deep into the nuances at the base of Arabic music. Silbak went on to train at the Beit Almusica Conservatoire where he later taught, before studying Music and Psychology at the university of Haifa and then completing his Masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he is currently based. He has a unique understanding of different types of music, from Arabic, Turkish and Indian to classical Western styles. Silbak’s signature sound, created through his artful ability to fuse these styles together, has seen him perform around the world at festivals and concert series in the UK, Belgium, France, Palestine, Morocco, Argentina and beyond. Intibint (meaning "You are a girl") is the moniker of Glasgow-based Yemeni singer, producer and illustrator Noha. Whilst studying for her masters at SOAS she began to revisit song-writing and performing after a long break from music. In 2020 Noha debuted her first single Myself and later in 2021 an EP titled What Are You Willing to Do on which she produced her own tracks You & Me and Telling my Mother. Her work is primarily electronic imbibed with inspiration from Yemeni sounds, exploring themes straddling both the personal and the collective. Her latest tracks Sunflower and Ymn Alsa3eed are symbols of Intibint’s journey both personally and musically, showing the breadth of her production skills and innovative sound. ~~~~~ Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to Edinburgh and Highland audiences. Palestinians are often summed up as an ‘occupied people,’ and spoken for, though they have their own stories to tell. Using cinema as a tool of resistance the festival strives to decolonize the narrative and equip audiences with historical context. There is a desire to build community while celebrating Palestinian art and culture through cinema, music, cuisine, and other storytelling mediums. Scotland’s exposure to Palestinian society, art, culture, and humanity altogether remains rather limited. FFF hopes to fill this gap, using both classical and contemporary cinema primarily but not exclusively. They strive to highlight Palestinian steadfast resistance, cultural preservation, stories of love, and in the words of poet Rafeef Ziadah, teachings of life. In so doing, they offer a refreshing portrayal that encompasses the geographic, linguistic, and experiential diversity of the Palestinian people globally. Visit their website falastinfilmfest.com or follow them on social media @falastinfilmfest.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Mon 19 May: 8pm) Eight local writers have each written a ten-minute play responding to Edinburgh’s 900th anniversary. Join Penpal Productions for this series of short pieces exploring what the city means to these diverse voices. Performed script in hand, the evening promises to be a fascinating and unique snapshot of Edinburgh’s remarkable history and people.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 21 May: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 23 May: 7pm) ’S e Mòd ionadail Dhùn Èideann a th’ ann agus aig Bothan tha sinn a’ cur fàilte air Fiona J NicChoinnich, a bhios a’ bruidhinn mun leabhar ùr aice mu bheatha iongantach Mhargaret Fay Shaw (a rugadh ann an Ameireagaidh, a bha a’ fuireach air Eilean Chanaidh). Leis gun robh Fiona ag obair ann an Taigh Chanaidh, tha sealladh iongantach aice air MFS, a bha cuideachd na neach-rannsachaidh agus a rinn an leabhar buadhmhor ‘Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist’ (1955). Bidh Fiona a’ bruidhinn, a’ seinn agus a’ sealltainn ìomhaighean agus chlàraidhean. Bidh caraidean Bothan a’ tighinn cuideachd agus tha fàilte air buill Bothan seinn/cluich ceòl (leig fios dhuinn). Come to Bothan this month to hear Fiona J MacKenzie give a presentation about her new book, full of insights about Margaret Fay Shaw. This Gaelic book launch will of course feature singing, music and maybe some poetry from others too! Please note that this is a Gaelic language event, with only specific extracts from the book in English. ~~~~~ Bothan Dhùn Èideann are a not-for-profit group, active for over 21 years, promoting and developing Scottish Gaelic language and culture in Edinburgh and creating space where everyone, no matter their background, feels comfortable celebrating Gaelic in Edinburgh. These events are presented in Gaelic throughout and all are welcome whether fluent speakers, learners or somewhere in between. ‘S e buidheann neo-phrothaideach a th’ ann am Bothan (a tha a-nis 21 bliadhna a dh’aois) a bhios a’ brosnachadh agus a’ leasachadh cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig ann an Dùn Èideann tron chànan fhèin. Tha a’ choimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig ann an Dùn Èideann measgaichte agus tha fàilte air a h-uile duine an cuid Gàidhlig a chleachdadh an seo, ge bith dè an ìre a th’ aca. Bothan Dhùn Èideann is funded and in partnership with An Comunn Gàidhealach, University of Edinburgh, Oor Vyce, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, TRACS and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Sat 24 May-Sun 1 Jun) The 35th edition of the Edinburgh International Children's Festival kicks off on 24th May, featuring 13 productions from 7 countries with a spotlight on Flanders, a small region with a big reputation for quality and risk-taking in theatre for young audiences. The Festival is also proud to present two Scottish commissions from both new and established artists. The programme will provide hidden visual delights, celebrate our natural environment and embark on cultural adventures full of delightful music and suprirsing language. Woven throughout many of the performances is the simple joy of play - not only from the perspective of the child but also of adults who lead audiences on madcap explorations of what it means to be a grown-up. Come and join them on this journey! Click the button below for the full programme and information about how to book your tickets. Programme & Tickets
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Multiple Spaces
(Fri 30 May: 2pm) Join Alan McLellan to walk the old Port Road railway line from Dumfries to Stranraer, with vintage film clips and photos illustrating his journey into the past. In aid of Prostate Scotland.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 30 May: 7:30pm) As the wheel of the year begins to turn towards summer, join guest storyteller Kate Walker for tales of wonder, mystery and imagination. Expect stories of darkness and light, and stories to entertain and ponder! Hosted by Fiona Herbert. Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a special guest storyteller. ~~~~~ Brought up in a large family in West Fife, Kate Walker enjoys singing and storytelling with all ages. Her stories come from near and far, but she especially likes to tell tales with a Scottish flavour and loves to tell stories with a BIG message, a wee twist or a clever ending! In 2011 Kate set up her own business, ‘Chatterbox Stories’ and since then she has worked extensively with many different groups and participating in festivals and community events in Fife and central Scotland. With a keen interest in the environment, local history, Scottish traditions and culture, Kate uses her skills as a storyteller and teacher to interpret people’s lives, past events and the natural world through tales and song. Presented by the Scottish Storytelling Forum.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Sat 7 Jun: 11am) Suitable for both Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers, this workshop will focus on Scottish Gaelic songs that were used in the tradition of “waulking” the tweed - songs which were primarily composed and sung by women. Katie Macfarlane is a Gaelic singer from Airdrie who is greatly influenced by her connections to North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. She has had a passion for Gaelic song all her life and has been a semi-finalist in both BBC Radio Scotland's Young Traditional Musician and BBC Radio 2's Young Folk Award competitions. In 2018, Katie carried out an exchange of Gaelic and Catalan song while living in Barcelona and later released her debut EP Ciùine Na Mara in 2019 which is a mixture of the two styles and self-penned folk song. In 2023 Katie released her debut album An Nighean Sheunta (The Enchanted Girl) which is a celebration of the people and cultures that have inspired Katie's singing throughout her life. With a mix of Gaelic, Catalan, Scots and English song, it is an exploration of Katie's ancestry, the places she has lived, the people she has learned from, and traditions which must be nourished and maintained. Presented by the Traditional Music Forum, free for TMF members. Photo by Elly Lucas.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
George Mackay Brown Library
(Sat 7 Jun: 1.30pm) Join Paul McKenna for an inspiring workshop as we explore a vibrant collection of songs from Glasgow, Greater Glasgow, and Paisley - areas steeped in rich industrial history. Many of these songs echo the struggles, triumphs, and stories of the working-class experience, while also weaving in classic themes of Scots song - love, life, and the land. A journey through melody and history not to be missed. Paul McKenna has long been ranked among Scotland's finest singers and songwriters, armed with a powerful yet intensely emotive voice and passionate social conscience, often expressed through his songs - a combination that has brought frequent comparisons to the great Dick Gaughan. Formed in 2006, The Paul McKenna Band have performed all across the world to much acclaim, and in 2024 took home the title of Scottish Folk Band of the Year at the prestigious MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. Presented by the Traditional Music Forum, free for TMF members.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
George Mackay Brown Library
(Wed 11 June: 7:30pm) The moon begins to form as the moon spinners wash their wool in the sea, winding it again into a white ball in the sky and re-creating the phases and cycles that guide our seasons, and our stories... Join us for our quarterly series of full-moon celebrations, with live storytelling, music and a rotating programme of incredible performers. Following the Celtic Wheel of the Year (the quarterly seasons of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain) we look forward to moon myths, lunar legends and cross-cultural stories, revealing themes of creation, fertility, magic, mystery, death and rebirth. ~~~~~ For our June session we welcome you under the full Strawberry Moon. For thousands of years the rising full moon nearest the summer solstice has been observed as the communion of solar and lunar energies - the wedding of the sun and the moon! The Strawberry Moon in June bears the sun’s highest light and carries the most potent seed of life and love. Moonspinners will be in full flight with the theme of marriage, celebrating the moon as male energy communing with the solar light of the daughter of the sun. We have a wonderful line-up of storytellers including storytelling celebrant Beverley Bryant, married storytellers Claire McNicol and Fergus McNicol, and Scottish Indian storyteller Gauri Raje, with guidance and social flow from Linda Williamson ~~~~~ Our Moonspinners events follow two distinct phases, with the first half of performance in the Netherbow Theatre, followed by a social and conversational flow upstairs in the Storytelling Court with a chance to digest and discuss the stories amongst friends old and new. Mark it in your diary, or just follow the moon to guide you here! ~~~~~ Image credit: Hester Aspland
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Thu 12 Jun: 7:30pm) Welcome to Queer Folks’ Tales, our hugely popular bi-monthly storytelling series where queer storytellers from a diverse range of backgrounds, ages and cultures around Edinburgh and Scotland share stories of LGBTQ+ lives, past, present and future. Sometimes hilarious, often moving, occasionally shocking, the mix of true and fictional stories across the year is as varied as the range of storytellers invited. Household names feature alongside new and diverse queer storytellers from the different communities of Scotland. Many of the stories told in the Queer Folks' Tales evenings will be true stories of LGBTQ+ experience in Scotland today. Hosted by Edinburgh’s Turan Ali. ~~~~~ Turan Ali has been a producer, director and writer of BBC radio dramas and comedies for over 20 years. He’s been a stage storyteller since 2012, and a stand up since 2021. He tours internationally and has two sell out monthly storytelling shows in Vienna. Turan is the creator, producer and host of Queer Folks’ Tales for which he won the Creative Edinburgh Leadership Award 2024. QFT now tours across Scotland and is Creative Scotland funded. ★★★★★ 'Edinburgh's most vibrant, authentic and exciting storytelling event' (The Wee Review)★★★★★ 'Utterly fabulous' (TheQR.co.uk)★★★★★ (BroadwayBaby.com) Queer Folks' Tales is supported by Creative Scotland
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 13 Jun: 7:30pm) Don’t miss the next fantastic show from Scotland’s premiere spoken word night! For over ten years, Loud Poets has been showcasing the best spoken word poetry from Scotland and beyond. Expect fist-thumping, heart-wrenching, side-tickling poetry performances with live musical accompaniment. Check back soon for the full line-up! “Loud Poets is tearing up the landscape, bringing the ancient art to contemporary audiences – spreading mirth, giggles and talent along the way.” - Corr Blimey “Go listen to Loud Poets and hear them say the things you’ve been trying to say yourself.” - Shane Koyczan “There’s a humour, poignancy and most of all confidence which serves to inspire.” - Scotsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Tue 17 Jun: 2pm) Join friends from the Scots Music Group for an afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Wed 18 Jun: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for a series of regular open-floor storytelling nights taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales! Sailors, fisherfolk, pirates and explorers. Leviathan lurking beneath the waves, the cry of the seabirds above. Bring us adventures and songs of the sea and shore!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 27 Jun: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a special guest storyteller. ~~~~~ Our guest storyteller this month is Anna Lehr. Originally from Germany, Anna is now based in Glasgow working as a professional storyteller who specialises in performance based interactive and educational stories. Hosted by Beverley Bryant. Presented by the Scottish Storytelling Forum.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Fri 11 Jul: 7:30pm) Don’t miss the next fantastic show from Scotland’s premiere spoken word night! For over ten years, Loud Poets has been showcasing the best spoken word poetry from Scotland and beyond. Expect fist-thumping, heart-wrenching, side-tickling poetry performances with live musical accompaniment. Check back soon for the full line-up! “Loud Poets is tearing up the landscape, bringing the ancient art to contemporary audiences – spreading mirth, giggles and talent along the way.” - Corr Blimey “Go listen to Loud Poets and hear them say the things you’ve been trying to say yourself.” - Shane Koyczan “There’s a humour, poignancy and most of all confidence which serves to inspire.” - Scotsman
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 16 Jul: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Fri 25 Jul: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a guest storyteller to be announced.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Sat 6 Sep: 7:30pm) The moon begins to form as the moon spinners wash their wool in the sea, winding it again into a white ball in the sky and re-creating the phases and cycles that guide our seasons, and our stories... ~~~~~ Join us for our quarterly series of full-moon celebrations, with live storytelling, music and a rotating programme of incredible performers. Following the Celtic Wheel of the Year (the quarterly seasons of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain) we look forward to moon myths, lunar legends and cross-cultural stories, revealing themes of creation, fertility, magic, mystery, death and rebirth. For our September session we welcome you under the full Corn Moon with another exciting lineup of storytellers and performers. ~~~~~ Moonspinners events will follow two distinct phases, with the first half of performance in the Netherbow Theatre, followed by a social and conversational flow upstairs in the Storytelling Court with a chance to digest and discuss the stories amongst friends old and new. Mark it in your diary, or just follow the moon to guide you here! ~~~~~ Image credit: Hester Aspland
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 10 Sep: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for a series of regular open-floor storytelling nights taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales! Child’s play, riddles, stories of tricksters and shaggy dog tales... Make us laugh, make us wonder: can we believe you or is it just stuff and nonsense?!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Tue 23 Sep: 2pm) Join friends from the Scots Music Group for an afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 26 Sep: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a guest storyteller to be announced.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Sat 27 Sep: 7:30pm & Sun 28 Sep: 3pm) I didn’t ask to be born amongst all those paintings, but like it or not, I had to deal with the collection. A young man stands in front of us, trying to persuade us to fund a museum to honour his uncle. He is visibly uncomfortable: he wasn’t meant to be giving this presentation. It was supposed to be Jo, his mother. When Vincent van Gogh dies at the age of thirty-seven, shortly followed by his brother Theo, it is left to Theo’s widow Jo to carry on his legacy. Thanks to Jo and her son Vincent Willem the painter of Sunflowers is one of the most beloved artists in the world. Through the words of the artist, his brother, his sister-in-law and nephew, discover the genius that the world almost forgot… Written by Rebekah King, performed by Philip Kingscott and produced by Peapod Productions.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Wed 1 Oct: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Tue 11 Nov: 2pm) Join friends from the Scots Music Group for an afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories, held in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. All welcome to listen or bring a tune for a turn.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Wed 12 Nov: 7pm) Join Edinburgh's own Burgh Blatherers for a series of regular open-floor storytelling nights taking place throughout the year, a cosy gathering in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court with refreshments available from the Haggis Box Café. Hosted by Bob Mitchell and members of Burgh Blatherers storytelling club, who will transport you with their own stories and imaginative weavings while offering you the chance to tell your own tales! Hiring fairs were traditionally held at Martinmas – bring us stories of work, magical service, prisoners or apprentices. What would you give a year and a day to accomplish?
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Fri 28 Nov: 7:30pm) Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise. Featuring a different host every month and a guest storyteller to be announced.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Waverley Bar
(Wed 3 Dec: 7pm) Nights are growing long and dark. Cold nips the air. It’s time to braid our evergreen circle - time to join the Burgh Blatherers for their Winter Warmer. Members of Edinburgh's own storytelling club present a heartfelt season finale to their year of storytelling ceilidhs and fan the embers of the year into flame of warming cheer and conviviality. Sit back and enjoy!
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Storytelling Court
(Wed 17 Dec: 7:30pm) Come and enjoy live storytelling in the relaxed setting of the Netherbow Theatre, where the amazing apprentice storytellers will show off their skills and explore a different theme with every performance. Hosted by Janis Mackay and featuring a host of new storytelling voices.
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Netherbow Theatre
(Online On-Demand) Another Story is our podcast series exploring some of the themes featured in recent festivals. Tune in to hear some wonderful storytellers share their favourite tales and chat about storytelling in Scotland and beyond. So join us for Another Story... Available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple, Google and Amazon. Follow us by liking and subscribing so you don’t miss an episode! Listen Here
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Explore Edinburgh as a city by the sea by enjoying this specially created story film. Follow the coastline from Fisherrow, on the boundary with East Lothian, to South Queensferry. A trail of harbours and wildlife havens that glimmers with stories from folklore, history and ecology. Devised by the SISF with storytellers Beverley Casebow, Douglas Mackay, Janis Mackay, Linda Perttula, Nicola Wright and Donald Smith, with music by Kenneth Linklater and the Bowling Ceilidh Band. Produced in support of the Forth Rivers Trust and Restoration Forth, Blue City: A Storytelling Journey along Edinburgh's Coastline is free to access. This film will be available on YouTube from Fri 14 Oct. View the film ~~~~~~~~~~ Over the past two years we have enjoyed being part of a fantastic online storytelling community across the world. We would love to further connect with you in our digital storytelling and development sessions, so whether you are based in Scotland, or further afield, let’s keep that fire lit on our global platforms. ~~~~~~~~~~ In Scotland’s Year of Stories, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival: Keep It Lit invites everyone to the ceilidh; locally, nationally and globally. At the core of Scotland’s culture and identity is the hospitable hearth - a place of solidarity and welcome for friend and stranger alike. Round that symbolic fire, experiences and memories are shared and hope affirmed.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Green City: Healing and Hope is a new storytelling film exploring the grassroots movement to turn Edinburgh green. The struggle for net zero will be won or lost in cities, so how is Edinburgh doing after 900 years as a burgh? Hear directly from people and places who think global and act local. Green City is a companion piece to Blue City (2022), which explored Edinburgh as a city by the sea. Narrated by Donald Smith, with contributions from fellow storytellers and activists. Co-Directed by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A) & Donald Smith. Produced by the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Green City: Healing and Hope will be free to access from Friday 16th February 2024. View the film
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
Enjoy several multimedia storytelling performances filmed live in the Scottish Storytelling Centre's Netherbow Theatre in October 2022, where a world of local Scottish stories unfolds through the live voices of traditional storytellers and site-specific film footage of the landscapes they emerge from. Featuring stories from Dumfries and Galloway, the North East, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and Perth and Kinross. ~~~~~~~~~~ These live performances were part of Tales, Tongues and Trails, a celebration of regional and international language, landscape and identities for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2022. Map of Stories YouTube playlist of all five Film Ceilidhs Scottish International Storytelling Festival Live filming by Sandy McGhie (Channel 7A). ~~~~~~~~~~ Map of Stories is a collaboration between Transgressive North, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland and Rectangle Design, supported by Creative Scotland and EventScotland as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Online SISF
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