Images Edinburgh festival 2026

I’ve been making the journeys over to Edinburgh festivals the past twenty years. August is Edinburgh festival – art, music, theatre, books, comedy, dance, opera – all the arts interplay and overlap together to make this unique melting pot of what makes art special in our lives, lifts us up and why art matters. I’ve taken photos at the Fringe and the book festival.

There’s the official International festival which this year is titled ALL RISE, to celebrate the links to America and the 250 years since America’s Declaration if independence. 

The Edinburgh International Festival 2026 – 7-30 August 2026

“I am, All Rise.. look further, look beyond, can’t you see - look higher. I’m going to rise and rise.’

World-class Opera, Music, Theatre and Dance over 24 days and 147 performances. With 5 world premieres, and 10 works commissioned by the Festival. All Rise is a rallying cry encompassing collaboration, resilience and ascendance. To experience themes of freedom, ingenuity, prejudice, and hypocrisy, alongside the creative achievements made possible by the friction and energy of America's cultural melting pot. 

Nicola Benedetti - I fell in love with U S of A. instantly. I was 16 years old and within 24 hours my relationship to its “wild, abrasive, exuberant, heart filled yet harsh ferocity was sealed. I was shocked and intoxicated.”

 

There’s the International Edinburgh book festival at the Futures institute, August 15 to 30,

with 600 writers from 41 different countries. of fiction, politics, science, history, music and live performances. 150 events for families, and young adults. The theme 2026, "Changing Your Mind", to encourage visitors to "stay open and curious, championing deep listening and celebrating our capacity to evolve our thinking".  Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, "How to lead a country" along with former Finnish PM Sanna Marin, memoirs, Frankly and Hope in Action. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and technology writer Cory Doctorow. Leading writers - John Grisham, Ian Rankin, Maggie O'Farrell, Ali Smith, Jenni Fagan, Matt Haig and 2026 International Booker Prize winner Yáng Shuāng-z(Image: D

With a focus on trust and information, with conversations with journalists, researchers examining misinformation, and global narratives. Plus the rapid growth of AI and its regulation, with Steve Crossan, original DeepMind team, and Sarah Wynn-Williams, former director of public policy at Facebook.

There’s the Edinburgh FRINGE festival – with over 4,000 shows, performers from all across the world. Its comedy festival is a a major attraction. Edinburgh festival was one of the first major arts festivals begun after the second world war. Edinburgh festival was one of the first major arts festivals begun after the second world war In 1947, the founding vision was to reunite people through art. People overcame the post-war darkness, division and austerity in a blooming of festival spirit. In the 1970s with only a few hundred shows.

Black & White festival images

 Black and white festival images from last year. #edfest

Images Scotia from Enlightenment to Kailyard

Journalists, historians and fake historians novelists have written of Scotland’s victimhood and of the false romantic myth-making of the Kailyard school of writing.Tom Devine is highly critical of the John Prebble books ( Glencoe, Culloden,  Highland Clearances) which are often on display by the National Trust for Scotland at key historical sites such as Culloden, Burns Alloway cottage, Edinburgh castle and more.

Journalist Lesley Riddoch writes, “Scots ignore what’s truly distinctive and successful about their culture, hero worship the very long dead (Wallace and Bruce) skip the interviewing period and despair about the future.”

 

Visit Scotland, who are set up to promote Scottish tourism, recently displayed on its website neon images by artist Professor Ross Sinclair, which were shown at the Glasgow gallery of modern art (GoMA) 2015 and 2016. The one sign objected to stated, “We love the highland clearances” We love Bonnie Prince Charlie”

Charles Edward Stuart

All the romantic myth-making, famously by Walter Scott, was to portray a Scotland that is gone and lost forever1800s. According to political theorist Tom Nairn, while the rest of Europe was pursuing nationalism 1800s, as a way for the bourgeoisie to encourage the workers of their nation to rise up against the “Uneven nature of capitalism.” Only Scotland was left behind and totally missed this upsurge, as Scotland after union had already transformed early 1700s after union. From a backward feudal nation to a progressive enlightenment (the Scottish enlightenment late 1700s). I paraphrase here Nairn’s highly readable academic work The Break up of Britain.

 

There is this split personality of Scotland’s that shows today in the 50/50 spilt over Scotland independent future. The Sinclair images are shocking and continue to promote this backward risk adverse Scotland and this false cringe and victimhood. 

 

Where is the pride?

Where is the real authentic Scotland? Where is the Scotland we have all forgotten?

The heart often rules the head when we decide who to support. 

 

The controversial painting Monarch of the Glen, a majestic stag surrounded by en empty glen, devoid of people and trees, provoked debate on what Scotland’s lands became, after Queen Victoria set up her holiday home at Balmoral estate. The Tory Scotland or the Jacobite myths and Jacobin reformers. The founding father of democracy and equal rights. 

 

Or the scientific achievements; the Scottish enlightenment; Robert Burns songs of shared humanity or Walter Scott’s myth-making Scotland; Scotland as traders and seafarers. 

Edinburgh festivals and Portrait photography

It's marvellous that the Edinburgh festivals are returning for 2021, with 3 main pavilions. Tickets - https://www.eif.co.uk

Each August Edina’s ancient, cobbled streets down from the castle and into the more formal Georgian new town become vibrantly alive with international visitors. Festivals offer a special and unique bringing together of diverse creatives – to collaborate and inspire each other.  

 

I travelled through Princes street Edinburgh to my secondary school at Granton beside the Firth of Forth, once a great port and centre of fishing. I remember the city’s excitement, fun and energy at the theatre, concert, comedy (with the footlights reviews) and art each August for the festivals. Growing up though I never realised the scale or world class significance of the festival to celebrate Europe and its international breath of cultural  impacts – from mime to ballet; folk to opera; poetry to pop; drums to pipes; harmony singing to orchestral depth; Hamlet or absurd comedies and hysterical satire!

 

The Edinburgh festivals and its large Fringe offers so much. The Mound art galleries of the old masters, the history of Enlightenment innovators to modern challengers. 

 

Scottish Festivals ... Seek to engage, challenge, entertain and to ensure quality of standard, musicianship, writing, diversity, colour and more.

 

**In 2008, I began seriously pursuing photography and started shooting at the Edinburgh festival. The high street was always a high point to take photos, while also very challenging with all its many distractions. I love its energy. I studied art at school, play piano and have a long standing interest in music, poetry, drama and art. 

 

After the throbbing high street, I always enjoy the walk down the mound and along George street to the calmer reflections of the Edinburgh International Book festival. I began taking photos here too, in the perfect, shaded environs of the posh Charlotte square. This was always a challenging and inspiring experience. Edinburgh has ever changing light, in August with all the seasons often in one day!

MY Photography website - https://pkimage.co.uk

 

The EIBF is the world’s premier book festival begun in 1982. TICKETS - https://www.edbookfest.co.uk

Edinburgh in a Unesco city of literature and each August EIBF welcomes a wide variety of authors  from Scotland and internationally. I’ve met many famous faces here, which at first is a strange experience.  

 

I’d like to thank all those who’ve encouraged and inspired my work. 

 

Edinburgh Tattoo

street performer

The role of art is to challenge and provoke, to resist stagnation and to question complacency. All art , poetry, prose or painting, represents and interprets the world. Its purpose is to bring new perspectives. 

Lockdown Images

We live north of Glasgow, close to the Campsie hills, Mugdock country park, Craigmaddie reservoir, Loch Ardinny and only a short drive to the Trossachs and Loch Lomond.. Sometimes perhaps we don’t appreciate the sheer variety and beauty of the landscapes around us. During lockdown for 3 months Mugdock park car parks were all closed, to our dismay, and we weren’t allowed to drive, except for essential trips. The daily walk was a lifeline! (for our dog too).

We are very fortunate to enjoy the Scottish ever-changing and subtle light. During lockdown Scotland enjoyed weeks of the best weather – clear and fresh sunny skies – which was perfect.

For the first time small birds returned and the air seemed to sparkle and I thought, this was how the world used to be before the pollution with our air, road and rail traffic. There was a quiet stillness which was both odd and also reassuring.  

ITALY images

Abuzzo

Photos from my much loved trips to Italy – the land of art, great diversity, history, beauty, creativity. Italia and its connections to Scotland. 

 

Tuscany

Renaissance, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, …..
I have visited Florence, Venice, Milan, Verona, Sienna, Tuscany, Rome, Abruzzo, Sicily, Barga, Lake Garda,

wet street Sienna

The Florence vistas, the mountain villages of Abruzzi, olive picking, the wet streets of Sienna,

Lake Garda