Edinburgh Art Festival 2026: Queer Images, Sound Performances, and Late-Night Parties
The 2026 programme for the Edinburgh Art Festival has been unveiled, scheduled to take place throughout the city from Friday, August 14, to Sunday, August 30. Under the direction of Kim McAleese, alongside Curator Eleanor Taylor and Civic Curator Elle Haswell, the team noted that the festival is shaped by the prevailing atmosphere rather than a specific theme. Highlights of the 2026 festival will include alternative queer visuals, community narratives, previously unseen photographic collections, sound performances from the Golan Heights, reinterpreted artifacts on Calton Hill, and vibrant late-night events in notable venues like warehouses and sculpture parks. The festival kicks off on August 14 with 'Caught Hold of Nothing', providing a preview of a performance piece.
Key facts
- Edinburgh Art Festival 2026 runs from Friday 14 to Sunday 30 August.
- The festival is curated by Kim McAleese (Director), Eleanor Taylor (Curator), and Elle Haswell (Civic Curator).
- The programme includes alternative queer images, global and community-held stories, and never-before-seen photographs.
- Sound performances from the Golan Heights and living sound collections are featured.
- Reimagined relics will be displayed on Calton Hill.
- Late-night parties will be held in warehouses and sculpture parks.
- The opening event on 14 August is 'Caught Hold of Nothing', a glimpse into a performance work.
- The curatorial approach is based on the current climate rather than a fixed theme.
Entities
Artists
- Kim McAleese
- Eleanor Taylor
- Elle Haswell
Institutions
- Edinburgh Art Festival
Locations
- Edinburgh
- United Kingdom
- Calton Hill
- Golan Heights