TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) is looking to appoint a new Festival Director to lead the delivery of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival (SISF) from 2026. Founded in 1989, SISF is the world’s largest celebration of storytelling, anchored in Scotland, a nation of storytellers. SISF takes place in October each year, offering a vibrant … Continued

Multiple sell-outs and packed houses were enjoyed by audiences and participants at this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival (22 October to 1 November), which is supported by Multi-Year funding from Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund. The festival’s programme, themed under ‘Lights of the North’, included live storytelling, music, art, and song.  … Continued

As Halloween approaches the tales being told at this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival begin to take a darker turn… On Halloween night (Friday 31 October), storyteller Anna Lehr will present her new storytelling show Dazwischen (Inbetween) which is inspired by the original tales of the Brothers Grimm, especially the story of Godfather Death. Anna … Continued

We are delighted to announce Masks – this year’s Pomegranates Festival exhibition, which features over 20 hand-crafted Venetian and world dance masks created by Edinburgh-based artist Lorraine Pritchard. The exhibition is complemented by a new documentary film by Franzis Sánchez from this year’s Venice Carnival. The exhibition reflects the dual focus of our Pomegranates Festival … Continued

Review by Catherine Coutts As Greek dancer Vassia Bouchagiar-Walker moves lithely onto the floor at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, her task is not an easy one. The audience – largely Scottish traditional music afficionados – are there for the preview of Mairi Campbell’s Living Stone exhibition. They have already been sitting for forty minutes on … Continued

* Elegies is the first dance adaptation for the screen and stage of Hamish Henderson’s series of poems Elegies for the Dead in Cyrenaica, specifically curated to premiere as part of the 34th edition of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival at Edinburgh’s Scottish Storytelling Centre on 11 November 2023 and available to tour thereafter. * … Continued

* TueSDAY 22 AugUST 2023 9:45pm the Scottish Storytelling Centre Edinburgh part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 £12 (£10) BOOK NOW 2 for 1 offer with FRINGE FRIEND MEMbership BOOK NOW GROUP DISCOUNT WHEN YOU ORDER 10 OR MORE TICKETS BOOK NOW #thistlesandsunflowers #edfringe #pomegranates PRESS PACK DOWNLOAD Thistles & Sunflowers ProgrammE DOWNLOAD   Join … Continued

Following the success of last year, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival (SISF) is set to return to various venues throughout Edinburgh from 13-29 October 2023, thanks to continued support from the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund and Creative Scotland. The festival is the world’s largest celebration of storytelling. This year it will mark the 75th … Continued

We are delighted to announce the return of our Pomegranates festival – sowing the seeds of international traditional dance across Edinburgh this spring. Initiated and curated by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland, the annual festival will once again mark UNESCO’s International Dance Day on 29 April 2023. The second iteration of our festival weekend … Continued

We just celebrated the summer solstice–the longest day of the year–on Sunday, and we’re enjoying the longer daylight hours that summer brings. On Wednesday 24 June, we will celebrate midsummer in Scotland. Midsummer has its roots as a Celtic fire festival, blessing the crops for a fruitful summer harvest with bonfires and using torches to … Continued