Another successful Children's Festival is over
The festival was attended by 17,000 people which is an 11% increase from last year, with 87% of all tickets sold, and it will be back next year from 30 May to 7 June 2026.
The event began with a packed Family Day at the National Museum of Scotland which was free to attend and which 7,460 people attended. This was followed by a week of shows attended by 3,615 pupils from 41 schools including nursery, primary and secondary schools.
Festival Director Noel Jordan, said: 'From uplifting productions celebrating the diversity of our global sector and centred around the perspective and viewpoint of the child, to incredible industry panel discussions and provocations, what a fantastic week this has been.
As my final Festival I could not have been prouder. With such an incredible and dedicated team behind it I am sure the Festival will continue to go from strength to strength. Thank you to all our audiences, funders, supporters and performers who make this festival such a joyous experience.'
The shows included work from 7 different countries and the premiere of new commission Tongue Twister created and performed by Scottish artist Greg Sinclair and commissioned in partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts. The show which features Greg attempting to say tongue twisters in as many different languages as possible, delighted its audiences with its language antics and gorgeous costumes. 'That was the bestest show in the world!' (child). Tongue Twister is touring to the Light the Blue Festival this weekend in Aberdeen.
The Festival also enjoyed a run of the 2024 'must-see' Fringe show The Show for Young Men performed by Robbie Synge and young performer Alfie exploring topical ideas around masculinity and male friendship, and finished on a high with 6 sell-out performances of Double You, a raucous and high energy circus production from Belgium hosted in Portobello Town Hall.
As well as families and schools, the Festival welcomed over 310 delegates from festivals and arts organisations in 30 different countries including Australia, Hungary, Thailand and Norway also attended the Festival. The delegate programme provided a platform for programmers, producers and artists to see and discuss high-quality work, share work in progress and network with peers from all over the world. In addition to the delegates who attended in person, 56 more attended the digital delegate programme online.
The much-anticipated new commission the Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl which unfortunately was cancelled at the last minute due to a performer injury, plans to open in August for this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland Showcase.
The Edinburgh International Children's Festival will return in 2026 from 30 May to 7 June under new direction, following Noel Jordan's announcement earlier this year that after 10 successful years at the helm, he will be standing down and returning to Australia in November.
www.imaginate.org.uk/festival
Imaginate Family Day_National Museum of Scotland_24th May 2025
Counterflows_6 April 2025
Counterflows_6 April 2025
Imaginate Family Day_National Museum of Scotland_24th May 2025
Counterflows_6 April 2025
Counterflows_6 April 2025
Counterflows_6 April 2025
Imaginate Family Day_National Museum of Scotland_24th May 2025
Counterflows_6 April 2025
Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival.
Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival.
Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival.
Young audiences from infancy to S1 at Edinburgh International Children's Festival.
Like this:
Like
Related
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
38 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
EIF: There was so much to applaud at Orpheus and Eurydice
Edinburgh Playhouse In the final moments of this sensational production of Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice there was a palpable sense of an audience desperate to express its acclaim. That was a lot of tension, because sell-out shows at the vast Edinburgh Playhouse must make this one of the biggest box-office hits in the history of operas at the Edinburgh International Festival. Sure enough, the place erupted at the closing black-out, and the company could have taken many more curtain-calls than they chose to – there was quite simply so much to applaud. Read More: Director Yaron Lifschitz and his Circa company of acrobats and trapeze artists are familiar from their Fringe performances, where the show Wunderkammer won a Herald Angel award in 2012, and their physical theatre skills, daring and dangerous but also superbly choreographed by Bridie Cooper in partnership with the director and performers, are the unique selling point of the show. But the gasps occasioned by Eurydice's rope swing descent to the Underworld or the pyramids of bodies collapsing as an expression of Orpheus's fragmented mind are just one element of the production. Singularly, there is counter-tenor Iestyn Davies as that tortured soul, onstage throughout, often boldly part of the action, and delivering a huge vocal role with power and passion. Soprano Samantha Clarke, in the dual role of Eurydice and a mischievous Amor, is just as impressive. The rest of the singing is in the hands of the chorus of Scottish Opera, immaculately prepared by Susannah Wapshott and also integral to the movement and stage management of the show, while the company's technicians have realised Lifschitz's spare, elegant design. In the pit, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra follows its own Mozart opera-in-concert triumph on Saturday with exemplary playing under conductor and director of the Academy of Ancient Music Lawrence Cummings. Gluck's score sits at a pivotal point in the history of opera and every detail of it was crystal clear from these musicians. That precision was also present in the costuming and in the superb dissolving surtitles with which the performers interacted as often as with the sung words. In bringing all these talents together – rather than importing an entire production with its performing company – the Festival has surely created a sustainable model for the future, as well as giving those lucky enough to have a ticket the memory that will define this year's event in the years to come. For festival tickets see here
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Will Ferrell stuns staff on visit to iconic Scots tourist attraction as they brand him the ‘nicest man'
The American actor was previously spotted in a Scots city earlier this week ANCHOR-FANS Will Ferrell stuns staff on visit to iconic Scots tourist attraction as they brand him the 'nicest man' HOLLYWOOD legend Will Ferrell has been branded the "nicest man" after he stunned staff at a famous Scottish tourist attraction. The American actor, best known for films like Anchorman and Elf, was on a tour around Braemar Castle in Aberdeenshire today with his family and friends. 2 Will Ferrell visited Braemar Castle along with family and friends Credit: Facebook/Braemar Castle The 58-year-old was all smiles as he happily posed for pictures with staff during the visit. And the star left a good impression on employees, who said he was a "true gentleman". The snaps were posted on Braemar Castle's Facebook page. The caption read: "Can we just get a little bit excited. "The fabulous Will Ferrell paid us a visit this morning and we may have got a little bit fan girly around him. "He is the nicest man, as are his family and friends. "Eve had the best time giving them a tour of the castle. "They say to never meet your idols, but this man was a true gentleman and so interested in our work at Braemar Castle." Earlier this week, we told how Will Ferrell shocked onlookers after visiting Glasgow. He surprised movie fans when he got out a taxi with his wife in the city's Miller Street on Monday. Tom Holland shares sweet video of his time filming Spiderman in Glasgow One eagle-eyed fan - who didn't want to be pictured - shared a selfie with the Scottish Sun showing his dream meeting with the movie maestro. He said: "You don't expect to see Will Ferrell getting out a taxi in the middle of Glasgow. "He looked really relaxed with his wife and it's cool to know that such huge celebrities are choosing to come to Scotland." The actor simply told fans he was visiting Glasgow rather than suggesting he was working on any projects.
STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
Scots schoolgirl named on Time magazine first Girls of the Year list
A Scottish schoolgirl has been named in Time magazine's first-ever Girls of the Year list after designing a solar-powered blanket for homeless people. Rebecca Young, from Glasgow, was aged just 11 when she came up with the idea after becoming concerned about people sleeping on the streets during a freezing Scottish winter. Now 12, she has been named alongside nine other girls from around the world all recognised as being young leaders inspiring communities, as part of a list aimed at celebrating and empowering girls. The Kelvinside Academy pupil described it as 'cool and very unexpected' to be among those named, adding: 'I'm honoured by the fact they wanted to include me on their Girls of the Year list and hope other kids see it and decide to do their part in helping people.' Supplied Rebecca has been turned into a LEGO mini-figure In January, Rebecca triumphed over 70,000 entrants to take home the MacRobert Commendation Medal in the UK Primary Engineer competition. Her design has resulted in 30 of the blankets being manufactured and distributed to a homeless shelter in Glasgow, with plans to make more. She and eight of the other girls are featured as part of a limited-edition animated Time cover – reimagined as Lego minifigures, with each character aimed at capturing the spirit of their achievements. 'I was stunned when I found out. I can't believe I am one of the first Time Girls of the Year. It's simply incredible', she said. 'To be named alongside nine other girls who have achieved so much is one of the most special experiences of my life. 'In my wildest dreams I'd never imagined being in this position when I came up with the design. I'm most proud of how the idea is now helping homeless people in real life – which was my inspiration all along – and I hope this can help shine a brighter light on an issue we should all care deeply about.' Time chief executive Jessica Sibley said the list features girls aged between 12 and 17 who are 'shaping their communities with courage and purpose'. The collaboration followed a recent study by the Lego group of more than 32,000 parents and children across 21 countries which found 70% of young women struggle to see themselves as someone who is good at building things. It also found that children were twice as likely to credit major inventions to men – with most believing that wifi (69%) and the Moon landing software (68%) were invented by men, even though they were pioneered by women. Rebecca's mum Louise, 49, said the whole family was 'over the moon' with her daughter's achievement. 'The attention Rebecca has received since she won the Primary Engineer prize is unbelievable, and we're all so proud of her,' she said. 'She was just 11 when she designed the blanket, and already she's decided she wants to follow a different path – and we couldn't be more supportive. 'Even at just 12, she's already made such an impact, and we know she can do the same in whatever she goes on to achieve. The most important thing is she's happy – and following her passions is how she'll achieve that. ' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
