5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Another successful Children's Festival is over
The Edinburgh International Children's Festival has just finished and has already been declared a major success.
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.
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