Multiple sell-outs and packed performances were enjoyed by audiences and participants at the 35th Scottish International Storytelling Festival (18-31 Oct), thanks to support from Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund.
The festival’s programme of live storytelling, music, art, and song, held at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh enjoyed a 9% increase in ticket sales as audiences gathered online and in pubs, gardens and other venues across the city, to hear local and international voices.
This year there were over 130 events including more than 50 in the festival’s Go Local programme, which runs until the end of November and takes place in village halls, churches, castles, and venues across Scotland. Many of the festival’s Go Local events coincide with the dates of other storytelling festivals in Orkney, Aberdeen, Dumfries and Alloa and included guest appearances by international storytellers from India, and from Ireland who were able to take part thanks to the support of Culture Ireland.
There were also multiple events included as part of the Edinburgh 900 celebrations which continue throughout November and will culminate with a weekend of talks exploring Edinburgh’s rich theatre history on (Sat 30 Nov and Sun 1 Dec) and a performance by Michael Daviot as Duncan Macrae in A Noble Clown. This new solo play tells the gripping public and private story of the man considered to be Scotland’s greatest actor and celebrates the renaissance of Scottish Theatre in the mid-20th century.
The festival’s 35th year also coincided with 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and another of this year’s real highlights was guests from the Storytelling Berlin sharing stories and films from their divided and reunified city ahead of their own celebrations, thanks to support from the Goethe-Institut.
Donald Smith, Director, Scottish International Storytelling Festival said:
“The response to this year’s theme was exceptional. Between languages, cultures, generations and historical divides, the storytellers built bridges of imagination and invited us to walk over. It felt as if in its 900th official year Edinburgh had become a city bridging Scotland and the world, stories and dreams.”
Dates for 2025 are to be announced.
Another Story, the festival’s new podcast series hosted by Daniel Abercrombie, Associate Director, Scottish International Storytelling Festival, is still available online – https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/another-story
